What is Industry Forward?
Industry Forward is a program facilitated by Business Engagement in conjunction with other industry-facing units to support and equip faculty and staff to engage productively with industry partners. This program is comprised of professional development opportunities dedicated to relationship building, networking, instruction, and resource-sharing in order to grow the University of Georgia’s industry engagement efforts across its mission.
Who is this for?
Faculty and staff wanting to learn more about university-industry partnerships and to equip themselves with tools to best manage these multi-faceted partnerships.
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 dedicated to assisting faculty to engage with industry partners and increase industry investment across the university.
Additional professional development opportunities including events on relationship management fundamentals, emerging trends, as well as networking opportunities with both colleagues and industry partners will be facilitated multiple times each fall and spring semester starting in Spring 2026
Cohort-based Training
This program, aimed at faculty, will go in more depth on the basics covered in the symposium. The program will take place over a semester and include three 2-hour sessions. Each participant will have a faculty mentor and will develop a 12-month industry engagement plan.
Lunch and Learns
Faculty and staff professional development programs to facilitate networking and skill building to support industry engagement.
Industry Forward Symposium
University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel
February 23, 2026
The Industry Forward Symposium will bring together industry-facing staff, faculty, and industry partners to engage in discussion and professional development to improve the industry-university collaborative ecosystem at the University of Georgia. This will be done through facilitation of UIDP’s Pitch Perfect curriculum, industry partner panels, and breakout sessions dedicated to best practices and emerging trends.
Networking is a key component of the symposium. In order to encourage this engagement, bios of panelists will be shared prior, symbols will be placed on nametags and suggested seating will be organized to identify faculty of complementary research interests, as well as other networking strategies.
The Symposium will be one component of the Industry Forward program. The general schedule is as follows:
| 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
