Collaborative research: epiic: scaling partnerships and external collaborations through industry-aligned learning (special)

The National Science Foundation awarded the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse $400,000 on October 1, 2025, under the NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program (CFDA 47.084) to support the Scaling Partnerships and External Collaborations Through Industry-Aligned Learning (SPECIAL) collaborative research initiative.

The award funds capacity-building across five collaborating institutions to develop and sustain workforce development-focused external partnerships spanning emerging technologies. Funded activities include on- and off-campus physical spaces for partnership-strengthening events and initiatives, and technical assets to improve partnership-building processes and procedures. The project supports cohort-wide activities including annual retreats for knowledge sharing and jointly sponsored, regionally based industry-focused special events that foster collaboration among member institutions and sustainable industry-academic partnerships.

The project advances knowledge and practice in how emerging research institutions—spanning both community colleges and comprehensive universities—can effectively engage and collaborate to enhance key technology sectors within their regional economies, promote economic growth and opportunity, global STEM competitiveness, and national security. Institutional evaluation will track metrics including number of external partners, collaborative projects, participants, events, and participant survey feedback to enable real-time adjustments during the award period.

Work is performed at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The period of performance runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028.

Abstract

The scaling partnerships and external collaborations through industry-aligned learning (special) project will enhance the capacity of five collaborating institutions for developing and maintaining workforce development-focused external partnerships that span a range of emerging technologies. Epiic funding will be used to address a range of capacity-building needs. These include but are not limited to on- and off-campus physical spaces to house events and initiatives that help strengthen and scale external partnerships, and technical assets that improve partnership-building processes and procedures. Additionally, epiic funding will support cohort-wide activities that foster collaboration between member institutions as well as sustainable industry-academic partnerships. These activities will include annual retreats that provide opportunities for knowledge sharing as well as jointly sponsored industry-focused special events that take place in an institution?s home region. This project will advance the knowledge and practice of how emerging research institutions which span both community colleges and comprehensive universities can effectively engage and collaborate to enhance key technology sectors within their regional economies to promote economic growth and opportunity, global stem competitiveness, and national security. The cohort anticipates significant enhancements across all levels of partnership engagement and industry relations. Institutional evaluation plans will provide opportunities for real-time adjustments to be made during the award period. Key metrics will include the number of external partners, number of collaborative projects, number of participants, number of events, and participant survey feedback. At the conclusion of the epiic program the participating institutions will increase competencies, capital, and confidence needed to fully participate in the regional innovation economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.