Strategic Plan 2023-2033
Broaden our impact through a reinvigorated commitment to our land- and sea-grant missions and the State of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island will serve as a national model for the role a flagship public research university can play in driving transformative change for the betterment of its state and the global human condition.
As Rhode Island’s flagship public research university, we are committed to addressing the most pressing issues facing our state and the global community.
With hundreds of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs, and through immersive experiential learning and research opportunities, we are equipping students with the skills and knowledge necessary to make a meaningful impact in their communities and on society.
We also are a connector, a convenor, and a hub of ingenuity—a place where the seeds of ideas and the cutting-edge research conducted by faculty, students, and staff can develop into new solutions, companies, patents, and partnerships.
Rhode Island’s future, much like its past, is strongly tied to the ocean. Our University can and will serve as an engine of innovation that will position Rhode Island and New England as the global leader in the Blue Economy, spurring economic development and creating sustainable, equitable career opportunities for the state and region.
Goal 1
Contribute to broad and deep impacts on the social, cultural, and economic ecosystems across Rhode Island, the nation, and beyond.
- Action 1: Position URI as a vital partner and dynamic leader in solutions-based societal change.
- Action 2: Strengthen relationships with local, state, and federal agencies, as well as community organizations, to identify and implement impactful societal, cultural, and economic initiatives.
- Action 3: Foster meaningful engagement with alumni, parents, and friends of URI.
Goal 2
Evolve into a world-class hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and public-private partnerships.
- Action 1: Become a destination for companies across the globe that seek to collaborate with faculty and students in research and research translation.
- Action 2: Create innovation hubs that serve as connecting points for communities, companies, and government agencies.
- Action 3: Develop opportunities for students to engage in global exploration and activities that provide valuable real-world experience.
Goal 3
Elevate our research enterprise and emphasize public scholarship.
- Action 1: Create and advance focused and strategic research and education partnerships with institutions around the world, while facilitating and supporting interdisciplinary, emerging, high-risk, and large-scale research endeavors.
- Action 2: In collaboration with the URI Research Foundation, provide practical, logistical, and financial support, training, mentorship, and incentives for the pursuit of all research and technology transfer activities.
- Action 3: Measure, reward, and celebrate research excellence, public scholarship, innovation, leadership, and the creative arts.
Goal 4
Position URI and the state of Rhode Island as a global leader in the Blue Economy.
- Action 1: Establish the University of Rhode Island as a major hub of Blue Economy activity.
- Action 2: Lead an ongoing global conversation around the Blue Economy.
- Action 3: Highlight thought leadership on our campuses and beyond in ways that position the state of Rhode Island at the center of the global Blue Economy.