When company leaders and college faculty members come together, it can often help to further their research and their ability to engage in an untapped market they’ve never considered.
1. It Opens Up New Ways Of Providing Support
2. It Guides The Development Of New Technologies And Innovations
Our company is a research organization that develops wireless, visual and AI tech that is licensed to the majority of mobile handset manufacturers worldwide. We work with industry partners to provide us with a “compass” on what technologies need to be developed for certain products or markets. Similarly, we use strategic university partnerships as a “compass” for new and emerging tech. – Donald Butts, InterDigital
3. It Aids In The Recruitment Of New Hires From Academia
4. It Merges Theory With Evidence
Originating as a spin-off from the MCI (University of Applied Sciences), the academic perspective and approach we take are woven into our DNA. It has enabled us to merge theory with empirical evidence through interviews, surveys and research projects. Each year, we investigate and update ourselves on both theoretical and real-life developments in our industry to provide current business recommendations. – Britta Lorenz, PDAgroup GmbH
5. It Create A Steady Talent Pipeline
We are now directly interfacing with universities and technical colleges from four different countries to provide university graduates with a direct pathway to the workforce, during and post-graduation. Not only is the dialogue with those universities hugely beneficial to both parties, but it is also solving financial woes for graduates and providing our company with a steady stream of new recruits. – Peter Schravemade, BoxBrownie.com
Our employee ties with academia range from them teaching as adjunct professors and authoring books for academia to hosting talks on technical trends and asking academia to review scholarship. We also have a formal program to recruit and hire new graduates from academia at all levels. Lastly, we provide software consulting to their IT departments to accelerate their digital progress. – George Earle, Thoughtworks Inc
We’ve been a back-to-school headquarters for years. We’ve also been a trusted source for parents, teachers and students before Covid-19. Now, during the pandemic, we’re providing laptops and supply chain services, designing hybrid classrooms and distributing modular furniture to modernize classrooms. The academic world has become more than an untapped market, it’s one of our core business lines. – Stephen Mohan, Office Depot, Business Solutions Division
Below, six members of Forbes Business Development Council describe how aligning with like-minded partners at higher education institutions can allow executives to support their community and continue to grow a successful business.
