A Times Higher Education article written by Rachael Pells featured UCLA’s recently released Report on University-Led Grand Challenges. The article acknowledges the efforts of 20 higher education institutions within the United States and Canada currently pursuing grand challenge programs, and examines strategies and recommendations for leading successful grand challenges detailed in the report. UCLA is the first university to carry out institutional “moon shots” with two grand challenge initiatives in progress and, hence, has taken the lead in advising other universities interested in beginning their own grand challenge programs. Pells interviewed Michelle Popowitz (UCLA Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research & Co-Founder for UCLA Grand Challenges) on the benefits of pursuing solutions on such a large scale. “By planning to work together up front towards a common goal and framing research so that it fits together, we expect to have faster results,” said Popowitz. In addition to highlighting approaches from a few U.S. universities (University of California, Los Angeles, Indiana University, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Texas at Austin), and key ingredients for success, Pells notes a trend of the U.K.’s biggest charities restructuring priorities in recent years, emphasizing tackling bigger challenges over longer periods and moving away from the traditional model of handing out smaller grants for shorter time frames.
Read more at Times Higher Education.
See related stories:
UCLA releases Report on University-Led Grand Challenges UCLA Grand Challenges News, Feb. 13, 2018
UCLA launches a Community of Practice for universities currently leading or exploring leading Grand Challenge efforts UCLA Grand Challenges, Jan. 31, 2018
UCLA Grand Challenges leads workshop on University-Led Grand Challenge Community of Practice UCLA Grand Challenges News, Oct. 9, 2017
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