INDIANAPOLIS (Network Indiana)—The IU Board of Trustees and the executive committee of Purdue’s Board of Trustees will separate academic organizations at IUPUI, renaming the campus as Indiana University Indianapolis, in a plan to increase job-ready graduates and economic growth in state.
The plan, approved in Friday’s Memorandum of Understanding, describes the idea to expand research in Indianapolis and enhance funding for research operations by the two entities, specifically highlighting a strength of IUPUI, their health sciences programs. They both will create a new joint biosciences engineering institute. That new institute will utilize the talent at Purdue’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and IU’s School of Medicine alongside health-related disciplines ran by both schools.
Presidents of both universities say this will start an effort into creating a global center of research and an engine of growth in Indiana.
“This is an historic moment for Indianapolis, for IU, and for our entire state,” Pam Whitten, president of IU said. “We are building on IUPUI’s more than 50 years of accomplishment to propel us into becoming one of the preeminent urban research universities in this country. In addition to expanding our science and technology programs, we plan to grow across the board, create more opportunities for students, and become even more deeply integrated with the Indianapolis community through close relationships with local businesses, nonprofits, sports organizations, and more.”
Purdue’s president Mitch Daniels said, “This new vision will enable the number of Purdue’s STEM graduates to grow and also provide more opportunities to our students and faculty both in Indianapolis and in West Lafayette. What we are announcing today responds to calls we have heard from Indianapolis and across the state for a bigger and more visible Purdue in Indianapolis. Our state and its largest city require a world-class, high-technology research presence of the quality Purdue represents.”
The Memorandum of Understanding lists all these plans as a new path forward to create a highly-sought pool of professionals in their students and to attract new companies and startups to Indiana.
As IU owns IUPUI – with certain programs giving Purdue degrees – the new plans are to have IU take over most life science programs and Purdue focusing on computer and engineering related programs. IU will take over the School of Science at IUPUI, except for its Department of Computer Science, which will become part of Purdue. IU will also expand its Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering and School of Medicine.
Purdue will assume responsibility for engineering, computer science and technology as a fully integrated expansion of Purdue West Lafayette as a “study away” for students in Indianapolis. They are anticipating an increase of 1,000 students.
These plans are expected to be done by the 2024 fall semester.
