Industry-Education Collaborative Initiatives

The Indiana Experience

Andy CothrelRoche Applied Science/Westron LSM Consulting

Todd MurphyIvy Tech Community College

Industry’s Role

• Perspectives & Needs

• Curricula content & architecture

• Enforcer

• Ongoing support

Perspectives & Needs

• Variety of industries represented– Assumption that if their needs are met, needs

in general are broadly met

• No direct/intense competition between them– Allowed open exploration of shared needs– Plus, Hoosiers are nice!

• Major regional players at the table– Carries weight, lends credibility

Curricula Content & Architecture

• Detailed skill & knowledge inventory

• Differentiated skills & knowledge, depth thereof

• Allowed customization via “cassettes” to meet specific industry needs– Also allowed easier regionalization of the

curricula, although that was a byproduct and not planned

Enforcer

• “Call me Guido”

• Politicians & Appointees (and University higher-ups from three systems!) sometimes need “reminding” to be cooperative

• Bureaucracy busting is essential to progress– Industry accompanied Academia to key meetings– Industry helped to overcome roadblocks

Ongoing Support

• Money! (direct and support for grants)• Equipment• Advisory Board membership

– Changes to the curricula are evolving as a result

• Internships• Guest lecturers• Peer pressure (assisted in regionalization)• Conference participation• Etc…

Initial Academic Involvement

• Discussions in the Fall 2002 and Spring 2003

• Distribution of “SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE STANDARDS FOR ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN BIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS IN INDIANA” on June 30, 2003

Skills and Knowledge Standards• Industry provided Skills and Knowledge

Standards that were used extensively to establish biotechnology curriculum

• Stated objective was to develop workers, at the associates level, that have a high degree of proficiency in those methods commonly used in the biotechnology industries

Curriculum Design

• Industry provided guidelines led to an extremely “laboratory centric” curriculum

• Development of deep theoretical knowledge of biology/chemistry secondary to development of skills

Development Conferences

• Annual Conferences have been held to bring together industry representatives and program chairpersons from across Indiana

• Program administrators of established programs from around the country invited to contribute their perspective

Associates of Science degree

• Development of Associates of Science degree requires articulation into four-year school– Associates of Science degree developed in

co-operation with Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI)

• Statewide articulation granted in the summer of 2004 between IUPUI and Ivy Tech campuses that would be delivering approved curriculum

Associates of Applied Science

• Statewide curriculum for AAS degree in biotechnology developed based on same skill standards

• Degree does not articulate with four year degree– Major differences between AS and AAS are in

the areas of non-science course work and a lack of physics in the AAS degree

– Most of the AS biotechnology courses are part of AAS curriculum

Funding for Biotechnology Programs

• Funding to establish biotechnology programs at six sites throughout Indiana was secured through Lilly Endowment grant– Grant provided funding for major equipment – Grant provided three years of salary for

program chairperson

Established Biotechnology Programs

Local Flavor• Each site has developed working relationships

with local biotechnology industries– These relationships are meant to influence the nature

of the programs and the skill sets that are emphasized in that region

– As industries change these industry-academic relationships will allow for the evolution of a region’s biotechnology program to continue to properly educate workforce

• Several sites have established articulation agreements with local universities– This has led to significant variation in AS curriculum

Moving Forward• As students serve internships and graduates

move into the workforce feedback from these graduates and their employers will shape curriculum delivery– Close contact with internship mentors, graduates and

employers necessary – Development of formal channels for acquiring this

feedback is in development

• As industries and the technologies used by industries change, the curriculum will need to reflect these changes