Virginia Tech is presenting a workshop, “Engaging Your University in Regional Economic Development” May 21-23. Attendees will get a broader perspective on their university in relation to regional economic development. The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center will host the event.

See below for the press release from Virginia Tech.

ROANOKE, Va., Dec. 20, 2011 – Virginia Tech’s Center for Organizational and Technological Advancement is launching a new program, Engaging Your University in Regional Economic Development, on May 21-23 at The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center.

The program is designed for individuals, institution-community leadership teams, and organizational teams responsible for engaging the assets of the university in regional economic development activities. The three-day workshop will allow participants to develop an institutional and region-wide perspective in organizing their efforts with a goal of creating tangible results.

Sessions will include resource development for economic engagement, defining and implementing university-based economic engagement efforts, and developing action plan reports that move from theory to practice.

“Today it is more critical than ever for universities to serve as innovation hubs for new business development and expansion and to contribute to regional job retention, job creation, and workforce development strategies,” said center Fellow Jeri Childers. “Universities across the nation with regional organizations are demonstrating the collective impact of regional economic development. There are natural links between university strengths and the needs in communities and regions — locally and globally. By working collaboratively, campus-community partnerships can build a regional plan that generates positive results.”

The new program offering is in partnership with Transformative Regional Engagement Networks (commonly referred to as TRE Networks) and is part of the award-winning Engagement Academy for University Leaders executive leadership portfolio.

Virginia Tech’s Center for Organizational and Technological Advancement develops educational conferences and programs that match university expertise to outside audiences. The center was established in 1994 to foster economic and workforce development with special emphasis on executive education initiatives that connect university research to the needs of Virginia’s leaders, organizations, and communities through conferences, workshops, and seminars.
For more information about the Engaging Your University in Regional Economic Development workshop, contact Jeri Childers at 540-767-6145.

Virginia Tech’s Outreach and International Affairs supports the university’s engagement mission by creating community partnerships and economic development projects, offering professional development programs and technical assistance, and building collaborations to enrich discovery and learning – all with the overarching goal of improving the quality of life for people within the commonwealth and throughout the world. Outreach and International Affairs leads Virginia Tech’s presence on five continents; its regional research and development centers across the commonwealth focus on graduate education and professional development. Blacksburg-based centers are dedicated to student engagement, language, policy, and governance.