Global electronics manufacturer, Foxconn, and the University of Illinois have partnered on a $100 million smart technology research center headquartered on the Urbana-Champaign campus.
Most press conferences don’t provide breakfast pastries. But in mid-May, when the University of Illinois announced that every public four-year college in the state had signed on to its Innovation Network, the event was staged with some extra sizzle.
University of Illinois officials announced two big projects for the Urbana campus Wednesday: a new data science center and expansion of the Research Park. Both projects will get state funding as part of the Illinois Innovation Network, the U of I’s new statewide research enterprise.
University of Illinois System President Timothy Killeen said he is excited the U of I system will lead the Discovery Partners Institute. The DPI is a new research institute where students will work alongside researchers and businesses. Killeen said this will spur economic growth in the state.
Gov. Bruce Rauner said he wants to expand the University of Illinois system with billions of dollars from private investors. Rauner shared his plan with students and staff at the U of I’s Urbana campus during a tour of the university's electrical and computer engineering building on Wednesday.
