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Board of Trustees Approves New Strategic Plan – Engage. Enrich. Empower. Transform.

April 10, 2024 in Campus News

The University of Indianapolis Board of Trustees unanimously approved a new strategic plan, “Engage. Enrich. Empower. Transform,” delivered by university administration. The plan replaces Vision 2030 and represents an updated strategic direction for the university in the ever-changing context of higher education today under the leadership of UIndy’s tenth president, Dr. Tanuja Singh.

The plan, which provides strategic direction in seven priority areas over the next three years, supports (and is supported by) a new mission and vision statement for the University.

Mission
The University of Indianapolis champions lifelong learning through relevant and innovative education that fosters experiential learning, diverse perspectives, service for impact, and a global mindset.

Vision
The University of Indianapolis will be the institution of choice for a diverse group of learners who wish to engage with the world and enrich their lives through relevant and impactful education, and are empowered to transform the world with their knowledge and skills— Anywhere. Anytime. For life.

Ideation sessions facilitated by Dr. Karl Knapp, Dean of the School of Business, were held on campus on a variety of challenges facing the university. Throughout these sessions faculty and staff members were able to reach consensus on a number of issues and delivered feedback to area leaders. At the same time, conversations with external stakeholders such as corporate and community partners, government and nonprofit leaders, and employers around Indianapolis were occurring.

The dominant theme which arose was that of continuing education and training to help upskill and reskill learners and workers. The World Economic Forum expects 44% of current skills to be replaced by the year 2030 and the university must be prepared to help its learners and potential learners in Indianapolis remain competitive in that context.

Throughout the planning process university leadership identified five promises, or lenses, through which the plan would be developed.

  • We will be a modern university defined by relevance for diverse learners in all our academic programs to support applied skills and experiential learning through curricular and co-curricular offerings.
  • We will be a gateway for social mobility for our learners and we will be a university that changes lives.
  • We will be locally rooted, with a global commitment, reach, and impact.
  • We will serve as partners to our learners—delivering relevant education in multiple modalities, formats, and modules that are congruent with the learning preferences of our audiences.
  • We will be a community engine for growth, driving strong partnerships and engaging with important communities in Indianapolis and beyond.

In support of those promises, the plan identifies seven priority areas on which the University will focus over the next three years.

  • Position the University for sustainability and growth through relevance and impact.
  • Generate new revenue and steward existing resources.
  • Amplify the university’s reach domestically and in select global destinations
  • Establish focused partnerships with corporate and other stakeholders.
  • Invest in our people and physical infrastructure.
  • Leverage Athletics to support enrollment, retention, and community engagement.
  • Communicate our value proposition to clearly differentiate ourselves in telling our story

This strategic plan is a result of an extensive analysis of the competitive landscape and our ambitious agenda for the future. It draws inspiration from the valuable input we received from more than 300 internal and external stakeholders. It builds on the strengths of an institution steeped in history, while reimagining it as a destination for current and future learners. The plan promises that our learners will be engaged with the community, enriched through their experience and empowered by knowledge that will help them transform their lives and that of their communities.

For more information on the strategic plan, UIndy employees may access the plan via MyUIndy. External partners are encouraged to reach out to Andy Kocher, Vice President for Corporate and Community Partnerships (workforce@uindy.edu), to learn more.