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=University-Industry Collaboration=
The '''Business Engagement Center''' (BEC), affiliated with the Office of the Vice President for Research and the Office of University Development, provides companies with a one-stop gateway to the various research, technology, education, facilities, and talent resources at U-M. The BEC maintains affiliated offices in the College of Engineering, the Medical School, and at the Dearborn and Flint campuses. Founded in 2007, the BEC now maintains relationships with more than 1,000 companies, and is contacted by nearly 200 new companies each year.
The BEC-facilitated relationships can range from individual research projects to broader engagements, depending on the business need. For example, aerospace giant'''Boeing''' maintains a long-standing partnership with U-M focused on building a pipeline for the future. Boeing recruits from seven different U-M programs, provides support for 50 students, regularly sponsors student projects, and conducts research with four different departments.
One of the functions of the BEC is to work with schools and departments to encourage industry sponsorship of research at U-M. Total sponsorship reached $61.6 million in FY 2011.