Cross—Campus Collaborations

The success of the Innovation Campus is inextricably linked to the stature of Virginia Tech as a whole.  The campus will build on the 150 years of academic distinction and premier student education afforded by the Virginia Tech legacy.  A crucial aspect of this plan is to maintain “tethers” between the Innovation Campus and the other Virginia Tech campuses.

The following programs are designed to maintain and enhance collaborations among faculty and students across campuses.

Faculty Exchange Program

Virginia Tech and the Innovation Campus will jointly sponsor faculty exchanges between campuses for up to four semesters.  Visiting faculty will engage in research and teaching while on the exchange.  Funding for the faculty members will come from their home campus assuming the exchange between the two campuses is approximately in balance.

Student Exchange Program

We will develop experiential exchange opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in related technology majors to participate in both short (one week or less) and semester-long experiences at the Innovation Campus.  Likewise, Innovation Campus students will have the opportunity to participate in seminars, events, and courses that take place on the other campuses.

Joint Research Program

The Innovation Campus, with support from the collaborating campus (Blacksburg, Roanoke or one of the Northern Virginia campuses), will jointly sponsor up to two research projects that are proposed by at least one faculty member from each campus.  Projects will receive initial support for two years with the option to reapply for an additional two more years.  Following that period of seed funding, the participating faculty will be encouraged to compete for federal, state, or corporate funds to continue the collaborative project.