PEERD Presentation Reflection: Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University (ODU), a doctoral-granting R2 institution located in Virginia, was in the process of conducting strategic planning for their research enterprise. They decided to seek out an external expert opinion on the research landscape, especially at the federal level. A NORDP PEERD Expert gave the presentation remotely to the faculty committee leading the strategic planning process. Prior to the presentation, the NORDP PEERD Expert met with institutional leadership to glean background information, so that the presentation would be tailored to the unique culture of ODU.
The Presentation
The NORDP PEERD Expert gave a presentation about the policies and climate of federal agencies, a forecast of future funding and research investments, and ways that ODU could grow its research to be competitive for future funding. The presentation began with an overview of ODU’s sponsored research trends in comparison with other institutions across the nation, followed by a discussion on national research issues and some examples of significant investments from research intensive institutions. The presentation concluded with an identification of several opportunities for ODU to pursue.
The Impact
Sometimes an outside perspective can be a catalyst in reaching consensus about which strategic direction the institution wants to take. This was a critical point in time for ODU to include an outside expert who brought in new ideas, new funding possibilities, and a fresh perspective on what ODU could do to enhance research and research funding. PEERD Experts have a lot of experience not only at their institutions, but also nationally. The PEERD presentation at ODU gave the faculty committee confidence in the decisions for their research strategic plan and helped move along the process.
The Opportunity
Take advantage of the experience and knowledge of PEERD Experts who can provide an outside perspective during a critical moment in your strategic planning. Including an expert assessment can help your institution to refine where best to make strategic research investments. To learn more about the services provided by PEERD, visit https://www.nordp.org/peerd-consulting-program or email PEERD@nordp.org
NORDP News 