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What is an IUCRC?

CVDI is a multi-university, industry-sponsored research center established as a National Science Foundation (NSF) Industry University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) in February 2012 supported by the NSF’s Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering.

The IUCRC program is an established and proven model for companies to acquire external technologies through open innovation by partnering with universities. It is supported through membership fees from the Industry, grant money from NSF and commitments of participating universities. To industry, government and other organizations with research needs, the NSF IUCRC program provides the means to leverage research and development (R&D) investments with multi-university centers renowned for innovative research capabilities.

The IUCRC program’s cooperative model enables the creation of an industry-relevant, pre-competitive research portfolio, via the formation of multi-member, sustained partnerships between industry, academe, and government. NSF supports the development and evolution of IUCRCs by providing a financial and procedural framework for membership and operations, in addition to best practices learned over decades of fostering public/private partnerships that provide significant value to the nation, industry, university faculty and students.

CVDI is one the few IUCRCs that has an international presence. This international expansion of the IUCRC program offers unique opportunity to ensure US competitiveness in a global economy and allow the development of the next generation workforce that is global in nature and has perspective on socio-economic issues that transcends cultural boundaries. There are more than 2000 students engaged at IUCRCs on a yearly basis. Each year about 1000 students graduate through these IUCRC sites and approximately 30% of these students are hired by the IAB member companies. These numbers demonstrate the strong role that IUCRCs plays in building our nation’s workforce.

Click here for more information about IUCRCs.