About Us
Overview
The Division of What's Next -- Strategic Innovation has been created in order to assist with informing, operationalizing, executing, and sustaining a product innovation strategy for the University. It is responsible for managing the innovation process that identifies strategies, business opportunities and new technologies and then develops new capabilities and architectures with partners, new business models and new industry structures to serve those opportunities.
The role of Strategic Innovation is critical in ensuring our strategy anticipates and responds to market trends, maintains a future orientation and drives long term sustainable growth. The Vice President for What’s Next- Strategic Innovation will assist the President and Provost to align the institution around strategies centered on performance growth and vitality, strengthening the capacity for innovation and improvement across the institution and tactics for growth and an effort to maximize non-tuition revenue.
The division will focus on the following:
- Further develop and embed innovation and improvement in University culture
- Work with executives, champion innovation and improvement projects across institutional lines to significantly impact University goals set by the Board and President
- Coach and mentor management, faculty and staff to foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation
- Identify and prioritize opportunities to bridge the gap between customer needs and University resources
- Build a sustainable business model aimed at maximizing non-tuition revenue utilizing innovation and improvement methodologies
The division is strategic and aims at driving and maximizing service, access, support and revenues from innovation by:
- Building, enhancing and growing an innovation ecosystem across all university departments, improving entrepreneurial capabilities, and providing services normally associated with business incubators to stimulate innovation
- Actively engaging with potential partners in government, finance (mainly private equity and venture capital), business, philanthropy and the scientific community to promote investment in research and innovation
- Increasing discovery outcomes by encouraging multidisciplinary and multidepartment collaborations
- Creating university partnerships
TUConnects
TUConnects is an initiative that is focused on all aspects of workforce readiness from a "local to global" perspective.
Mission
The purpose of TU CONNECTS is to advance the economic prosperity and well-being of Ohio by assisting in the development and preservation of a quality workforce and by serving as the hub for regional and statewide profession-based workforce development and skills education initiatives.
Vision
Achievement through the understanding of Ohio’s industry and business needs and then through industry and business co-development and customization of education and training that meet those needs: Current and future, through distinctly alternative initiatives that are economical and relevant.
Goals
- Connect Tiffin to industry and business communities and allow them to lead in identification of wants and needs, and then assist in providing solutions from new employee onboarding, supervisory training, to executive coaching.
- Expand to new markets that are seeking economic alternative learning to build on professional skills, industry certifications, and focused industry solutions.
Differentiator
- Understanding of Ohio’s industry and business needs
- Industry and business co-development and customization of education and training that meet those needs
- Distinctly alternative initiatives that are economical and relevant
- Non-credit, professional and industry certifications and credentials
- Solutions provider focus for workforce-based learning for better entry level workplace outcomes
- Reskilling and upskilling without having to go outside of your local/region
