National and International Impact and Visibility

Increased national and international recognition of the outstanding work conducted at UIC can contribute significantly to further growth of the University. We will intentionally and strategically communicate the unique contributions and success of our faculty, staff and students. We will promote our mission of deep and reciprocal community engagement and its contribution to the health and well-being of Chicago residents and regions around the state. We will promote our status as a hub of cutting-edge research and innovation that advances the University’s public purpose. We will encourage faculty and administrators to take strategic risks in order to build a culture of excellence. We will advance the standards of teaching and research of the American Association of Universities.

As a leading research institution, a minority-serving university and a statewide health care provider, UIC is a powerhouse. We will continue to work at the cutting edge of scholarship and practice for a rapidly urbanizing world. We will achieve National Cancer Institute designation and Carnegie classification for an engaged university. We will promote and support international research and collaboration, especially in the fields of global health, environmental stewardship, and economic development. As Chicago’s only public research university, we will continue to stress the importance and impact of community engagement in our mission and research.

UIC’s continued excellence in teaching and research depends on the work and success of our faculty. We will intensify our efforts to retain and recruit top-tier faculty members committed to the mission of our University. We will continue to nurture an open and friendly environment that celebrates diversity and promotes excellence. We will improve our facilities and physical infrastructure until they are at the level that our faculty deserve. We will eliminate bureaucratic obstacles that prevent the faculty from reaching its full potential.

UIC is diverse in ideas, people, and professions. We will foster an inclusive environment and create opportunities for our scholars, students, clinicians, and support staff from diverse disciplines to interact daily to create the serendipity that launches new ideas, inventions and advances. We will continue to promote cross-disciplinary and cross-campus collaboration to spur innovation, advance social justice and create new knowledge. We will strengthen professional advancement opportunities for staff and faculty and increase institutional support for doctoral and post-doctoral scholars. We will create new opportunities for the engagement of more undergraduate students in scholarship, creative activity and research. We will increase our international partnerships and exchanges to raise the standards and expectations of scholarly excellence across all disciplines.

The University can remain vital by continuing to expand and improve. We will increase the size of the tenure-track faculty to achieve growth in research while maintaining quality in teaching. We will create the necessary infrastructure to encourage and support large multidisciplinary scholarship and research efforts. We will consider establishing a law school grounded in multidisciplinary approaches that emphasize social justice, public policy, and diversity. We will support entrepreneurial faculty members in their commercial and economic development work.