Here are the trends UI Collab spotted in our work this year.
I. Universities are treating disruption as an invitation.
More universities are looking at industry engagement with a new level of seriousness as a way to future-proof research, talent pipelines, and regional competitiveness. What changed wasn’t just intent; it was the willingness to confront internal friction. Institutions are acknowledging it’s not the desire to engage industry that slows things down, it’s the internal structures that were designed for a different era of research partnership.
II. Progress starts with identifying barriers.
In one project in particular, we worked with a client to intentionally solicit honest discussion about the barriers standing between their faculty and industry partnerships. The conversations revealed the path forward.
III. Faculty development is getting creative.
Institutions created coaching programs, cohort-based communities, hands-on engagement simulations, and structured practice sessions that helped faculty get comfortable speaking with unfamiliar audiences. Several universities took advantage of our “Pitch Perfect” workshop, highlighting this shift. Many Pitch Perfect clients used the consultant-led workshop to launch an internal platform to bring faculty together around industry engagement.
IV. Regional partnerships play an important role.
We saw universities step deeper into regional hubs by working with foundations, local employers, and industry clusters. In some cases, this meant reshaping legacy partnerships; in others, it meant building new collaboration models from scratch. What mattered was the mindset: viewing the region as an asset.
V. Industry’s Access to Knowledge
While universities are getting creative with their partnerships by shifting internal approaches, companies are considering the opportunity for changes in access to talent and knowledge. With the help of UIDP and their Expanding STEM Ph.D. Funding Streams initiative, several companies are reimagining doctoral education in the United States through a scalable, jointly funded fellowship model. The program is designing structured experiential pathways to support PhD candidates through real-world industry experience.
What this means for 2026
Our clients spent 2025 confronting disruption by clearing internal barriers, rethinking faculty development, and doubling down on regional partnerships. For industry, this is the time to move. If you’ve been waiting to expand research partnerships or strengthen your regional footprint, the window is open. The universities doing this work are the partners to bet on now.
Team UI Collab