About Us

Welcome

As a top-tier research university, the University of Michigan is an engine of economic growth. With 19 schools and colleges, U-M prepares students for careers in virtually all professions, including engineering, science, medicine, education, business and entrepreneurship, law, arts and entertainment, and government. The university also conducts more than $876 million of research annually, laying the foundation for discovery and innovation in fields ranging from biotechnology to alternative energy. And through its research ties and alumni, U-M is connected to the best ideas and practices emerging in laboratories and markets throughout the world.

University commitment

To help bring its resources to bear on the challenges of innovation and economic development, the university has developed a rich variety of programs and partnerships aimed specifically at building working relationships among academia, industry, and government and fostering an environment of creative innovation.

“As a public university, U-M has a special responsibility to serve the needs of society,” says President Mary Sue Coleman, who has identified economic development as a top institutional priority. “Our commitment to economic development is central to our core commitment to the future of our region, and the nation.”

The Business Engagement Center, for example, was launched in 2008 to make it easier for companies to learn about the university and forge useful relationships. It provides a single portal to access U-M’s vast range of resources, including research, technology, faculty expertise, and student and alumni talent.

Often, university research leads to ideas with commercial potential. U-M Tech Transfer offers a full line of services to enable the transfer of new technologies to the market and assists entrepreneurs looking for start-up opportunities. The OTT saw a record number of disclosures, arranged the licensing of a number of university technologies, and spawned 13 spin-offs in 2008 alone.

Entrepreneurship is the driving force of innovation. The Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the Ross School of Business and the Center for Entrepreneurship in the College of Engineering give students the knowledge and encouragement to succeed as entrepreneurs.

Outreach and collaboration

Many enterprises may find themselves unprepared for challenges that occasionally arise in an environment of economic transformation. The Institute for Research on Labor, Employment and the Economy provides a range of services to help organizations manage the process effectively.

U-M has an active interest in collaborating with industry on research, and conducted $43 million in industry-sponsored research alone. Among the many world-class laboratories involved are The Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute, the Life Sciences Institute, the Lurie Nanofabrication Facility and the Engineering Research Center for Wireless Integrated Microsystems (WIMS). The Medical School’s research enterprise of more than $300 million ranks among the ten largest among American medical schools. The College of Engineering, with research expenditures of $135 million, supports a range of programs to develop students as entrepreneurs.

Collaboration can broaden the impact and effectiveness of a single institution. The University Research Corridor, launched in 2006, is a joint effort by U-M, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University to leverage combined university assets and accelerate the state’s economic transformation and growth.

The University of Michigan offers a host of additional programs and activities aimed at accelerating the transformation of Michigan’s economy. U-M seeks to work in partnership with all involved in this endeavor, and welcomes inquiries and input from industry, civic organizations, government entities and others.