APLU Names Winners of 2023 Innovation & Economic Prosperity University Awards (feat. AL, IA, KS, KY, WV)
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) has named the winners of its 11th annual Innovation & Economic Prosperity (IEP) University Awards and 11 new IEP University designees. The awards recognize innovative projects or programs in economic engagement.
APLU’s IEP Universities designation program helps higher education institutions codify, elevate, and advance their enterprise supporting economic and community development while providing national recognition to institutions committed to university economic development. New designees from the EPSCoR/IDeA jurisdictions include: University of KENTUCKY and WEST VIRGINIA University.
This year’s IEP University Award winners representing the EPSCoR/IDeA jurisdictions are:
- University of ALABAMA at Birmingham, IEP Innovation award
- KANSAS State University, IEP Place award
- IOWA State University, IEP Economic Engagement Connections Award
To earn the IEP Universities designation, institutions complete a rigorous self-study and stakeholder engagement process. They also identify their economic development strengths and areas of growth and improvement.
The IEP Innovation award recognizes exemplary initiatives spurring innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology-based economic development.
The IEP Place award is for exemplary initiatives resulting in social, cultural, or community development.
The IEP Talent award recognizes exemplary initiatives in education and workforce development.
The IEP Economic Engagement Connections Award, the top-prize in the awards competition, recognizes overall excellence and leveraging across all three award categories.
To be eligible for an IEP award, an institution must first earn the Innovation and Economic Prosperity University designation from APLU, which recognizes institutional commitment to regional economic development.