2028 Strategic Vision

Research

Foster scholarship, discovery and innovation

We support innovative and cutting-edge research that addresses the most pressing issues in education, embraces a range of viewpoints and advances the public good. 

We will:

Champion a diverse community of researchers.

• Attract and retain faculty, graduate students and staff who represent a range of perspectives, experiences and research approaches.
• Support research teams with diverse perspectives, methods and disciplines to tackle the most pressing educational issues of our times.
  

Foster research that enhances the lives of all learners in Illinois, across the nation and around the world.

• Create interdisciplinary research teams to build knowledge that serves all members of society.
• Partner with other colleges, universities, and organizations to leverage research strengths and drive collaborative innovation. 

Support visionary research on the role of technology that prioritizes ethics and sustainability.

• Translate technology-focused research, including artificial intelligence, to education policy and best practices.
• Develop new research methods for advancing understanding of the impact of technology on learning and teaching.
• Leverage technology-focused research in a socially and environmentally responsible way.

Teaching

Provide transformative learning experiences

We prepare our graduates to lead as educators, researchers, designers and clinicians at the forefront of educational transformation.

We will:

Support and create innovative programs and curricula.

• Establish multiple pathways to education for learners across the lifespan.
• Strengthen our online program offerings to respond to current needs in education.
• Ensure scope and sequence of current undergraduate and graduate course content and methods are comprehensive and accessible to all learners.
• Implement ongoing assessment to evaluate and improve program effectiveness.
  

Enhance student support and belonging.

• Create opportunities for students across programs and years to connect.
• Coordinate consistent communication between faculty and staff to improve student experience.
• Develop mechanisms for receiving and responding to student feedback.
• Establish written expectations and training to ensure congruent, inclusive and relevant advising and mentorship for all students.
  

Prepare students to lead in an ever-changing world.

• Empower students to work in diverse contexts, across multiple modalities and using emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
• Prepare early childhood through secondary teachers to respond to evolving classroom needs and environments.
• Formalize training for students to connect research and theory to policy and practice.
• Provide students with opportunities to learn about and engage with local, state, national and global education systems.
• Design learning experiences that equip future educators to lead and support students through community and world events.

Public Engagement

Make a significant and visible societal impact

Recognizing our land-grant mission, we will deepen our engagement with Illinois schools and communities and strengthen reciprocal local, national and global partnerships.

We will:

Expand our partnerships with local, national and global communities to advance the public good.

• Schedule regular opportunities for Illinois schools and communities to inform College priorities.
• Collaborate with public schools to promote educational equity.
• Develop timely resources through research partnerships with schools, community organizations, practitioners and policymakers.
  

Promote community-engaged research, teaching and service.

• Facilitate research and courses with community partners that are responsive to community needs.
• Recognize publicly engaged work through the processes of promotion and tenure and the annual review.
• Connect researchers with opportunities in policy advocacy, public discourse and knowledge dissemination.

Sustain robust infrastructure for public engagement.

• Create user-friendly platforms for community partners to connect with faculty, staff and students around shared goals.
• Develop systems for tracking, evaluating, and coordinating public engagement.
• Strengthen the integration of centers and strategic initiatives in the research, teaching and service mission of the College.
• Provide training opportunities for faculty, staff and students on best practices in public engagement.

Resources

Steward and generate resources for strategic initiatives

We will steward our resources with care to build an environment of excellence, equity and engagement in service of our shared mission.

We will:

Cultivate an inclusive culture for faculty and staff

• Formalize onboarding and mentorship.
• Create leadership and professional development programs to support career growth.
• Review and update implementation of policies to foster scholarly activity and equity.
• Leverage digital channels to better communicate research strengths and share public engagement activities.
• Strengthen collaboration across units to leverage departmental assets and share decision-making.

Foster an environment responsive to student needs

• Provide onboarding, professional development and equitable compensation for graduate student teaching assistants.
• Steward resources to support undergraduate students throughout their teaching practicum.
• Identify new sources of funding to support graduate research assistantships, teaching assistantships and fellowships.
• Provide learning experiences designed to foster an inclusive student community.

Develop processes for innovative resource allocation

• Determine areas of greatest need and potential for growth, ensuring budget transparency and equity in decision making.
• Identify areas where data analytics and artificial intelligence can be leveraged to inform decision-making.
• Assess and update buildings and classrooms to ensure they meet teaching, research and public engagement needs.

Engage with alumni to strengthen College community

• Improve alumni awareness of and access to university initiatives and opportunities.
• Promote meaningful interactions and relationships among alumni, faculty, staff and students.