Strategic Planning

WMU strategic plan goals

  1. Ensure a distinctive and supportive learning experience that fosters success.
  2. Promote innovative learning, discovery and service.
  3. Advance Western Michigan University as a major research university.
  4. Ensure a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture and community.
  5. Advance economic and environmental sustainability practices and policies.

Research action plan goals

  1. Build and enhance the discovery enterprise of Western Michigan University.
  2. Increase the productivity of WMU’s research, scholarship, and creative activity.
  3. Increase the number and value of external funding submissions and awards.
  4. Assure that WMU is, and remains, in compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and University policies.
  5. Increase WMU’s research visibility.
  6. Increase the generation and commercialization of WMU intellectual property.

Mission

The Office of Research and Innovation advances the overall discovery enterprise of the University by strategic planning and initiatives, supporting the discovery initiatives of WMU faculty, staff, and students, ensuring compliance, and supporting technology and knowledge dissemination.

Vision

The Office of Research and Innovation at WMU will be a leader and catalyst for excellence in discovery, comprising research, scholarship, and creative activity, involving stakeholders within and external to the University.

Values

Discovery

The Office of Research and Innovation is committed to innovations in discovery and will support the pursuit of inquiry, discovery and innovation.

Respect

We respect others and ourselves in professional and personal interactions.

Integrity and ethical behavior

Office members will uphold high integrity and ethical behavior and will cultivate an environment in which individuals engaged in research are trained in understanding the requirements for integrity and ethical behavior in all aspects of research.

Excellence

The Office of Research and Innovation is committed to promoting excellence and supporting its constituents in achieving excellence in research, scholarship and creative activity.

Collaboration

WMU is committed to advancing knowledge to address societal challenges through fostering collaborations.

Diversity

The Office of Research and Innovation is committed to ensuring inclusion on a global scale of diverse ideas, disciplines and individuals in research activities.

Research—key performance indicators

The Office of Research and Innovation commits to providing leadership in research, scholarship and creative activity. We recognize that the research and discovery enterprise involves the work of the faculty, research staff and students at WMU. Many members of the University community will need to engage if we are to continue our success in research; research impacts the lives of others by the knowledge generated through scholarship and discovery. We are committed to build capacity through our centers and institutes, build upon collaborative efforts and forge new ones, and grow the research enterprise in compliance with governing policies. We commit to the generation and commercialization of WMU intellectual property, commercialization and licensing. Our collective success in research is measured by the degree to which our University community excels, in part, with regard to the following:

  1. Grant proposal submissions increase as well as awards and award dollars.
  2. Increased generation and commercialization of WMU intellectual property, patents, and licensing.
  3. Invest in supporting junior faculty and undergraduate and graduate students in research and creative activity.
  4. Grow research partnerships and collaborations.
  5. Build capacity in compliance and export control.
  6. Increased visibility and communication of our research enterprise.

Comprehensive strategic plan

Download the comprehensive Office of Research and Innovation 2017-2020 Strategic Plan, complete with goals, objectives and strategies.