What is the IEP Designation?

A program of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, the Innovation and Economic Prosperity (IEP) Universities designation recognizes institutions that are exemplary in their commitment to regional economic engagement.

In the coming year, MSU will be undergoing the process to seek IEP designation. Working towards this designation helps higher education institutions to inventory their “economic engagement” enterprise, which encompasses the many and varied ways universities work with their public and private partners to carry out:

  • Talent and workforce development: Cradle-to-grave human capital and talent development
  • Innovation: Research, creative works, technology, problem-solving, and entrepreneurship
  • Place development: Through public service, outreach, extension, stewardship, and community engagement leading to vibrant communities

The process culminates with a self-assessment and a five-year plan.

Learn more about the IEP designation

Why Should MSU Seek the IEP Designation?

Going through the IEP designation process helps institutions understand, measure, and tell the story of how they are contributing to their state’s economic prosperity. It also helps institutions to highlight and improve their efforts around economic development at the local and state level.

Going through the process will allow us to:

  • Advance economic development and engagement connections and collaborations across the university
  • Provide better information on the university’s impact on Michigan’s economy to our legislative and public stakeholders
  • Contribute to the development of our re-classification submission as a Carnegie Engaged Institution

Over 65 institutions and a majority of the 14 Big Ten Universities institutions hold the designation.

Learn more about the IEP process

IEP Activities

As part of the process to investigate and assess Michigan State University's impacts to Michigan’s economy, work groups around the three areas of talent, innovation, and place have been formed.  These are comprised of MSU faculty and staff from across campus.  Their charge is to identify additional stakeholders, both on and off campus, to be involved in this process.
 
Future activities will include development of a survey to gather information to help us in the self-assessment process toward the IEP designation as well as the use of focus groups. 

Contact

Whether you serve as university faculty or staff, or as an external partner and stakeholder, your contribution to this process is vital. Please know that your input is crucial to the success of this project and setting a plan of action for the next five years. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the project co-leads:

Arnold Weinfeld, Director for Workforce and Economic Development
Office for Public Engagement and Scholarship
University Outreach and Engagement
and
Associate Director, Institute for Public Policy and Social Research
College of Social Science
weinfel8@msu.edu

Charles Hasemann, Assistant Vice President for Innovation and Economic Development
MSU Innovation Center
haseman1@msu.edu

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