Mission, Vision, Strategic Priorities

PRIORITY #1: INTEGRATED INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS

To ensure the university is well resourced as an R1 and community-engaged institution we need to strategically develop and maximize our internal collaborations, as well as those with corporations, industry, institutions of higher education and K-12 schools, and communities. These partnerships will provide students, faculty and staff additional opportunities and resources to undertake and diversify research, innovation, Extension and engagement areas.

OUR INTEGRATED PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVES

• Seek and create new internal and external partnership opportunities that utilize REEO resources

Improve awareness of all that REEO brings to partnerships by focusing on the following strategies.

1. Increase our presence on leadership teams of colleges and large centers to provide two-way communication between REEO and those we partner with and provide services to.
2. Work with other campus programs to develop strategic planning for high value partnerships.

• Coordinate internal and external engagement for more effective, efficient, and high-quality opportunities and partnerships

REEO will enhance internal division collaboration and communication to better manage UNH and external community and industry partnerships to deepen relationships and support new initiatives.

1. REEO will form a division partnerships team to coordinate internal and external engagement and to represent REEO in other UNH partnership development activities. 
2. REEO programs will find creative and more holistic ways of working with partners by leveraging resources, skills, and capacity.
3. REEO will track program partnership activity, coordinate effective intake of new partners, and connect external partners to REEO/UNH resources.

• Better align division partnership activities with UNH strategic priorities

REEO will position ourselves as an important contributor to UNH in all that we do. We will accomplish this goal by:

1. Identifying and communicating the division's partnership activities and accomplishments and how these outcomes align with the four UNH strategic priorities.
2. Evaluating division capacity and resources that could be leveraged to increase REEO’s support of university engagement and partnership.

PRIORITY #2: ONE DIVISION

Operating as one unified division is key to unlocking our organizational potential. REEO seeks to function as one division to gain access to a larger research and innovation market and partner base, to secure more resources, reduce internal competition, and achieve economies of scale. When working with internal or external constituents, REEO faculty and staff at all stages of the ‘idea to impact’ cycle are able to maximize the impact or scope of the partnership by drawing upon additional REEO resources.

OUR ONE DIVISION INITIATIVES

• Integrate REEO programs
  1. Create a platform for internal collaboration
  2. Establish data-driven program objectives, initiatives, and metrics
  3. Develop division-wide implementation strategies for achieving division goals
• Implement a division communications strategy  
  1. Adopt new branding to reflect that we are a single, unified division
  2. Develop a communications infrastructure for both internal and external messaging
  3. Create a robust division-wide communications strategy

PRIORITY #3: CAPACITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Strong leadership, along with a solid foundation of knowledge, resources, and organizational structures, must be in place to implement and sustain REEO’s vision to be New Hampshire's leader in inspiring discovery and empowering opportunity. By building a sustainable infrastructure we ensure the university has the instruments, space, and facilities to anticipate future needs as well as support existing initiatives.

OUR CAPACITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVES

• Increase revenue

1. Implement a strategic staffing plan that enhances sponsored program and research development support, facilitates corporate engagement and extension, supports continuing, professional and life-long education, and provides essential technical staff to support core facilities.
2. Develop a plan that increases the REEO footprint dedicated to innovation as well as reinvigorates existing infrastructure.
3. Increase UNH investment in research and entrepreneurship by securing funds to support start-up initiatives for faculty and staff, help grow the number of research faculty and staff, and support licensure of inventions.

• Empower our team to achieve
  1. Promote a culture of inclusivity.
  2. Encourage innovation.
  3. Recognize and reward excellence.
  4. Incentivize employee performance.
  5. Invest in professional development and advancement of REEO staff via enhanced career pathways, expanded leadership roles, and dedicated funding to support professional development.

In 2019, the Office of Research and the Office of Outreach and Engagement merged to form the Office of Research, Economic Engagement, and Outreach (REEO), and a new senior vice provost was hired in February 2020. Due to the unforeseen impact COVID-19 had on the university and society in general, strategic visioning was delayed until January 2021. The overall goals were to develop a synergistic vision and mission for the new division; identify efficiencies by leveraging new divisional partner organizations; and improve partnerships and services with our UNH community and key external constituents by increasing our understanding of their needs.

To improve our partnerships and dedicated services REEO engaged with UNH and external partners by hosting open forums, small group interviews, and a broadly distributed survey.

Our partners were asked:

• How familiar were they with the programs that make up the newly formed REEO division?
• How do they, our partners, interact with our division currently?
• What services do they need to meet their personal or organizational goals?
• What issues are stopping them or their organization from meeting their goals or being highly productive?
• What is keeping them or their organization from engaging with the university, or with REEO? 

The stakeholder feedback we received, along with input from the REEO community, was used to develop our mission and vision statements, and to identify three key strategic priority areas:

• Integrated internal and external partnerships, meaning enhancing internal collaborations within REEO and UNH, as well as fostering, managing, and strengthening REEO’s corporate and community engagement  in ways that support UNH’s mission and goals.
• One Division, leading to the realization, operationalization, and optimization of REEO as a unified division, and
• Enhanced capacity and infrastructure to better enable us to achieve desired outcomes.

This document will stand as a critical guidance plan that will influence our strategic investments, priorities, and initiatives from 2022 through 2027. While the vision will outline the broad direction for REEO to meet our goals, it will be up to the individual programs, often working with partners, to establish the specific implementation plans they will use to move the broader work forward. The implementation plans will also address metrics for success.

Enhance Student Success and Well Being

REEO supports various aspects within the strategic initiative to Enhance Student Success & Well Being for all ages, engaging learners from pre-college through professionals in the workforce. We provide students with financial assistance through work-study, paid internships, and scholarships, as well as training, mentoring, and technical assistance. Our work supports these learners, including undergraduate and graduate students, by offering robust and relevant value-added opportunities that ultimately enhance the student experience.  This, in turn, impacts student recruitment and retention, and prepares students for successful transitions to educational and career paths, as well as for a fulfilling quality of life.

Expand Academic and Research Excellence

REEO drives this university strategic priority through consistent and strategic efforts to identify, support, and expand high-potential research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students and those in the professional fields. Robust internal research capacity and infrastructure is critical to the university’s ability to attract and retain high caliber faculty, staff, and students.  Supporting and encouraging student involvement in research provides an enhanced educational experience that students can apply to real-world challenges in need of research and/or resolution.

REEO programs are critical to maintaining intellectual property, leading-edge capabilities and commercialization opportunities for faculty, staff, and students. The outreach, communication and celebration of our research success increases the ability to attract  students to UNH. It also puts the university in the position of providing valuable research and scholarly data to support and respond to issues facing the people and communities in our State, as well as regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Embrace New Hampshire

REEO impacts the well-being of the people and places of NH. We do this by leveraging our networks to identify current and emerging needs, then connecting REEO representatives and resources with communities and businesses to develop, support, or facilitate collaborative solutions including life-long education programs for kindergartners through senior citizens. We enhance New Hampshire's workforce of today and tomorrow by providing professional education, accelerating business development and entrepreneurship, as well as offering access to cutting-edge technology.

Build Financial Strength

REEO expands revenue generation and research pathways for the university by providing expertise and resources that increase competitiveness of awards/contract proposals, support efficiency, and engage UNH with industry and other institutions of higher education. REEO also facilitates product development, provides intellectual property expertise, and enhances entrepreneurship. We enhance the reputation of the university locally, nationally, and internationally by communicating research and program impact and promoting faculty and staff for recognition awards.