Difference between revisions of "School:University of Colorado Colorado Springs"

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== Promoting Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship ==
 
== Promoting Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship ==
  
In a world where technology changes rapidly, there is only one skillset that will always be in demand: the ability to adapt. 
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<font size="2">Innovation and Entrepreneurship are a core focus at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS).&nbsp; This is demonstrated through the unique&nbsp;</font><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><font size="2">[http://innovation.uccs.edu Bachelor of Innovation<sup>TM</sup>] (BI) degree. There are currently 12 BI degrees, spanning across the College of Business, College of Engineering and Applied Science, College of Education, and the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. This degree combines an emphasis (a major), the innovation core, and a cross-discipline core (students can choose between business, globalization, creative communication, or engineering technology). The innovation core, the heart of the BI, provides students with an experiential education in innovation and entrepreneurship.</font></span>
  
<span id="docs-internal-guid-64463e47-3fa4-ae64-39f4-4a3dfac6b904"><span style="font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The University of Colorado Colorado Springs understands this, and has a mission to promote student innovation and entrepreneurship. UCCS has a unique degree called the</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 13.3333px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bachelor of Innovation</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 8px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">TM </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">that directly translates into the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship on campus and in student's lives. Students in this program are required to engage in various entrepreneurial courses and innovation courses. For many student's this is an excellent opportunity and first introduction to these concepts, one that encourages them to practice those skill on real project in the real world.</span>
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<span style="font-size:small;">In addition to the BI degree, our campus, through the [http://epiic.uccs.edu El Pomar Institute for Innovation and Commercialization (EPIIC)], regularly hosts events focused on innovation and entrepreneurship such as [http://tedxuccs.com TEDxUCCS],&nbsp;'''Startup Weekend''', '''Lion's Den Pitch Night''', '''Global Game Jam''', and&nbsp;'''EPIIC Nights Speaker Series'''.&nbsp; Each of these events are meant to encourage students to get involved in an innovative and entrepreneurial space, attempting to reach both students who have ideas and students who just want to get involved.&nbsp; If a startup comes out of one of these events, or if students create a startup independently,&nbsp;'''The Garage''' is available as an entrepreneurial workspace for students who are developing companies.</span>
 
 
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This degree, however, poses a unique problem: the degree is forming its own silo within the university. Siloing is the antithesis of collaboration and innovation. Other degrees, such as the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science, are not exposed to this valuable form of education. Overall, entrepreneurship and innovation are highly encouraged pursuits on campus, and many opportunities for their experssion are available to students.</span>
 
 
 
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In order to expand the reach of this education, the University Innovation Fellows team has chosen to focus on engaging freshmen level students, and progressively providing more opportunities for practicing these valuable skills.</span>
 
  
 
== Encouraging Faculty Innovation and Entrepreneurship ==
 
== Encouraging Faculty Innovation and Entrepreneurship ==
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-64463e47-3fa4-ae64-39f4-4a3dfac6b904"><span style="font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Within the Bachelors of Innovation™ we have two courses that teach our students about intellectual property and support our university technology transfer function. The first is Business and Intellectual Property Law. In this class, students dive into what intellectual property means and how they can protect their ideas. Students learn how to develop a patent and work together to understand how these skills fit into their futures. The second class, Technical Writing, teaches students how to research, find, and write grants, culminating in writing a real grant proposal for a real client. Both of these classes provide students with hands on experience and skills that they will be able to apply in their future careers. After taking these two classes students have a realistic grasp on what intellectual property is and how they can protect, and leverage it in their future.</span></span>
 
<span id="docs-internal-guid-64463e47-3fa4-ae64-39f4-4a3dfac6b904"><span style="font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Within the Bachelors of Innovation™ we have two courses that teach our students about intellectual property and support our university technology transfer function. The first is Business and Intellectual Property Law. In this class, students dive into what intellectual property means and how they can protect their ideas. Students learn how to develop a patent and work together to understand how these skills fit into their futures. The second class, Technical Writing, teaches students how to research, find, and write grants, culminating in writing a real grant proposal for a real client. Both of these classes provide students with hands on experience and skills that they will be able to apply in their future careers. After taking these two classes students have a realistic grasp on what intellectual property is and how they can protect, and leverage it in their future.</span></span>
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<span><span style="font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition to the BI courses, the University of Colorado, as a system, has a Tech Transfer office which has the ability to license patents out to students to facilitate the development of a product or company around intellectual property that the University owns. This gives students the valuable opportunity to create innovations and protecting their intellectual property out of the box.</span></span>
  
 
== Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration ==
 
== Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration ==

Revision as of 23:51, 19 October 2017

Campus Overview

Uccs clocktower.jpg

Promoting Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Innovation and Entrepreneurship are a core focus at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS).  This is demonstrated through the unique Bachelor of InnovationTM (BI) degree. There are currently 12 BI degrees, spanning across the College of Business, College of Engineering and Applied Science, College of Education, and the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. This degree combines an emphasis (a major), the innovation core, and a cross-discipline core (students can choose between business, globalization, creative communication, or engineering technology). The innovation core, the heart of the BI, provides students with an experiential education in innovation and entrepreneurship.

In addition to the BI degree, our campus, through the El Pomar Institute for Innovation and Commercialization (EPIIC), regularly hosts events focused on innovation and entrepreneurship such as TEDxUCCSStartup Weekend, Lion's Den Pitch Night, Global Game Jam, and EPIIC Nights Speaker Series.  Each of these events are meant to encourage students to get involved in an innovative and entrepreneurial space, attempting to reach both students who have ideas and students who just want to get involved.  If a startup comes out of one of these events, or if students create a startup independently, The Garage is available as an entrepreneurial workspace for students who are developing companies.

Encouraging Faculty Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Faculty offer the biggest advantages that students at University of Colorado Colorado Springs have at their disposal . The Bachelor of InnovationTM (BI) degree is itself an innovation brought to us by the faculty. The BI is the only degree in innovation in the United States. Terrance Boult, the founder of the BI, specifically made the BI a degree and not a program in efforts to make the BI accessible to everyone.  Opposed to a Bachelor of Science or Arts, the BIdegree has a unique 24 credit curriculum that centers around innovation and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, UCCS College of Business faculty just opened a community workspace/incubator designed for student start-ups. The UCCS faculty consistently innovate in the campus community.

Actively Supporting the University Technology Transfer Function

Within the Bachelors of Innovation™ we have two courses that teach our students about intellectual property and support our university technology transfer function. The first is Business and Intellectual Property Law. In this class, students dive into what intellectual property means and how they can protect their ideas. Students learn how to develop a patent and work together to understand how these skills fit into their futures. The second class, Technical Writing, teaches students how to research, find, and write grants, culminating in writing a real grant proposal for a real client. Both of these classes provide students with hands on experience and skills that they will be able to apply in their future careers. After taking these two classes students have a realistic grasp on what intellectual property is and how they can protect, and leverage it in their future.

In addition to the BI courses, the University of Colorado, as a system, has a Tech Transfer office which has the ability to license patents out to students to facilitate the development of a product or company around intellectual property that the University owns. This gives students the valuable opportunity to create innovations and protecting their intellectual property out of the box.

Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration

The community of Colorado Spring is very entrepreneurially focused and our university is dedicated to teaching innovation and entrepreneurship to students in business, engineering and the arts and sciences. Colorado Springs has makerspaces, coworking spaces, incubators, accelerators and other resources to facilitate the development of startups. With all of these entrepreneurial resources, it is key that the university has substantial relationships with each outlet. Through various programs currently being implemented in conjunction with the university, students have access to internships such as Startup Summer or educational resources such as Startup Weekend.

Engaging with Regional and Local Economic Development Efforts

The university is not well connected with regional and economic development efforts. For instance, we have a facility in downtown Colorado Springs called Catalyst Campus. This campus provides coworking space for developers and small companies to innovate together and create a more colorful and developed economic ecosystem in downtown Colorado Springs. The potential to have a relationship with Catalyst Campus and send future programmers there for internship options and possible employment is an opportunity we must capitalize on. Colorado Springs is one of the fastest growing cities in the nation and it is crucial that our university is well connected with other organizations around the city.

Related Links

University_of_Colorado_Colorado_Springs_Student_Priorities

Contributors:

Fall 2017: 

Abigail_Graese

Connor_McCormick

Ryan_Janke

Fall 2015:

Courtnie_Kuecker

Javier_Rose

Kyle_Harmande 

Preston_Hare