SUPER is a collaborative initiative between the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez, West Texas A&M University, and Western Washington University. The program aims to enhance external partnerships through three overaching objectives:
Streamline and strengthen institutional processes for building and sustaining external partnerships.
Establish a SUPER Partnership training program.
Enrich and diversify our network of external partners.
Academic partnerships foster innovation, applied research, student opportunities, and workforce development, benefiting both academic institutions and external stakeholders. However, primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) and emerging minority-serving institutions (eMSIs) often face challenges in managing industry and NGO partnerships due to limited institutional frameworks and visibility.
Through the SUPER Cohort—characterized by its geographical, cultural, and disciplinary diversity—seeks to overcome these challenges by implementing standardized processes, enhancing institutional coordination, and expanding participation in regional innovation ecosystems. These efforts will improve partnership sustainability, increase R&D collaboration opportunities, and create positive outcomes for faculty, students, and surrounding communities.
University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez
University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez is advancing its role as an emerging minority-serving institution by strengthening internal systems for building and sustaining industry and NGO partnerships. Through the SUPER initiative, UPRM will implement customized strategies to support faculty training, enhance institutional frameworks, and connect students to real-world research experiences in high-growth sectors such as semiconductors and biotechnology.
Western Washington University
Western Washington University (WWU) is using its position within the Cascadia innovation corridor to expand institutional capacity for industry and NGO partnerships. Through the SUPER initiative, WWU will centralize partnership infrastructure, train faculty across STEM departments, and connect students to applied research experiences in areas like AI and biotechnology to strengthen both workforce readiness and regional innovation.
West Texas A&M University
West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) is leveraging the SUPER initiative to develop institutional infrastructure that supports long-term, scalable partnerships with industry and non-governmental organizations; by focusing on applied research and faculty development, WTAMU will expand student engagement in key technology fields and contribute to economic growth in the Texas Panhandle region.
