What is Industry Forward?
Industry Forward is a program facilitated by Business Engagement in conjunction with other industry-facing units to empower faculty and staff toengage productively with industry partners. This program is comprised of different types of professional opportunities, each of which focus on the following core competencies: industry culture, UGA processes and procedures, communication, networking, and relationship management.
Who is this for?
Faculty and staff who want to build productive university-industry partnerships to advance their work at UGA.
What will I learn?
CORE COMPETENCIES
1. Industry Culture
Develop a strong understanding of an industry partner’s business model, funding cycles, and market needs, along with a working knowledge of intellectual property and licensing to create mutually beneficial agreements in alignment with faculty member’s strengths and UGA’s competitive advantages.
2. UGA Processes & Procedures
Effectively navigate UGA’s internal infrastructure for establishing industry partnerships, including the processes for research agreements, intellectual property management, and technology transfer.
3. Communication
Learn to articulate the value and impact of research to industry audiences in an easily digestible manner, while proactively managing expectations and reporting outcomes to demonstrate the partnership’s tangible value.
4. Networking
Develop the skills to strategically identify and build initial connections with potential industry partners, laying the groundwork for deeper, more collaborative relationships.
5. Relationship Management
Create a working relationship with an industry partner that facilitates mutual, long-term engagement and impact because of consistent communication, transparency, and stakeholder management.
How will the program be facilitated?
The Industry Forward Symposium
The symposium is a conference-style, 1-day, annual event for faculty to develop basic knowledge and skills around all five core competencies. The symposium will include a mix of large group presentations, breakout sessions, panel discussions, and networking activities.
Cohort-based Training
This program, aimed at faculty, will provide a deep dive into all five core competencies. The program will take place over a semester and include three 2-hour sessions. Each participant will have a faculty mentor and will develop an industry engagement plan.
Lunch and Learns
Lunch and learns are open to all faculty and staff and are designed to facilitate networking and skill building to support industry engagement.
Thematic Partnering Workshops
These workshops bring faculty and industry partners together to explore collaboration around a specific business challenge, industry sectors, or research focus.
Industry Forward Symposium
University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel
February 23, 2026
The symposium is a conference-style, 1-day, annual event for faculty to develop basic knowledge and skills around all five core competencies. The symposium will include a mix of large group presentations, breakout sessions, panel discussions, and networking activities.
This year, the symposium will be organized around UIDP’s Pitch Perfect curriculum and also will include an industry partner panel, along with breakout sessions dedicated to best practices and emerging trends.
Networking is a key component of the symposium. In order to encourage this type of engagement, bios of panelists will be shared prior to the event, and faculty will be connected throughout the day to colleagues with similar research interests.
The general schedule is as follows and attendance will be limited to the first 75 faculty members who register.
| Start Time | End Time | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30am | 9:00am | Check-In |
| 9:00am | 9:30am | Welcome |
| 9:30am | 11:00am | Pitch Perfect |
| 11:15am | 12:00pm | Breakout Sessions: Round 1 |
| 12:00pm | 12:45pm | Lunch |
| 12:45pm | 1:30pm | Industry Panel |
| 1:45pm | 2:30pm | Breakout Sessions: Round 2 |
| 2:30pm | 2:45pm | Break & Networking |
| 2:45pm | 3:30pm | Breakout Sessions: Round 3 |
| 3:40pm | 4:00pm | Closing |
Contact: Nic Laconico, nic.laconico@uga.edu
