K-State named finalist for national Innovation and Economic Prosperity awards
Thursday, July 20, 2023
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities has named Kansas State University as one of five finalists for its 11th annual Innovation and Economic Prosperity university awards. | Download this photo.
MANHATTAN — The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities has named Kansas State University as one of five finalists for its 11th annual Innovation and Economic Prosperity university awards. The awards recognize exemplary and innovative case studies of economic engagement impact.
"As the university for Kansans, K-State is actively engaged in innovation and economic prosperity across the state and region we serve," said K-State President Richard Linton. "This is exactly the type of work that a next-generation land-grant university should be leading, and I'm thrilled that our efforts have placed us among the finalists for this prestigious national recognition."
The winners will be announced during the November annual meeting for the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, or APLU. The other university finalists include the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Iowa State University, Virginia Commonwealth University and Wichita State University.
K-State is a finalist for the Innovation and Economic Prosperity, or IEP, Place Award, which recognizes exemplary initiatives resulting in social, cultural or community development. All the universities are finalists for the IEP Economic Engagement Connections Award, which is the top prize in the awards competition and recognizes overall excellence and leveraging across all award categories.
"Being named a finalist for the Innovation and Economic Prosperity awards is a testament to K-State's commitment to place-based initiatives through our collaborative efforts in the Edge Collaboration District, our leadership as a hub for biosecurity and biodefense in the Animal Health Corridor, and our innovative solutions addressing housing needs," said Rebecca Robinson, president and CEO of K-State Innovation Partners. "We are honored to be recognized and remain dedicated to initiatives that foster growth, innovation and prosperity for our region."
K-State is working to address the needs of industry and society through a variety of efforts. The university redefined its commitment to economic engagement through the launch and implementation of a bold Economic Prosperity Plan. This initiative aims to improve the lives of Kansans by leveraging K-State to support job creation and direct economic impact, and the university has committed to creating 3,000 new direct jobs and $3 billion in direct investment in the state by 2030.
Efforts include the development of the Edge Collaboration District to deepen partnerships between the university and the community and inspire and foster academic-industry ties through colocation focused on research, talent and commercial innovation.
Driven by the Economic Prosperity Plan to leverage institutional partnerships across every county in the state, K-State also is building a hub for biosecurity and biodefense in the Animal Health Corridor to drive innovation and collaboration while working to address challenges facing the workforce, including affordable housing. Responding to a state-commissioned study on economic development that identified a lack of affordable housing as an impediment to further economic development, the university is partnering with community organizations to design, elevate and scale innovative approaches to building affordable housing.
"Being selected as a finalist for the APLU award reflects K-State's commitment to leveraging our research to increase economic prosperity in the state by adding jobs and bringing new investments to the state," said David Rosowsky, K-State vice president for research.
To be eligible for an IEP award, an institution must first earn the IEP designation from APLU, which recognizes institutional commitment to regional economic development. K-State received the IEP designation in 2017.
