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As a research university, CWRU drives innovation and ignites the economy

PHOTO: ROGER MASTROIANNI CWRU President Eric W. Kaler

In September, I joined two local academic leaders—one, the president of a public university, and the other, the president of a community college—for a panel discussion at a regional economic development organization. We were invited to speak about our respective roles in workforce development and the local talent pipeline.

For those of us who live and breathe higher education, we know what differentiates the workforce development emphases and outcomes of a research university, like Case Western Reserve University, from the tremendous contributions of a state university, a liberal arts college and a community college. For those who do not, these are distinctions that can go unnoticed, despite their importance in regional and national economic development. With that in mind, I wanted the audience to come away from the event with a clear understanding of how CWRU advances research and education, and, in turn, the regional economy. Among the points I shared:

At Case Western Reserve, research expenditures comprise more than half of our annual spend. This figure reflects the amount spent on sponsored research each year and distinguishes American research universities from other institutions of higher education. It is also the figure that all universities report annually to the National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) survey, which uses the data to rank institutions accordingly. In the most recent HERD survey, CWRU ranked 62nd in the country. This placed us ahead of Princeton University, University of Rochester, Carnegie Mellon University and many others.

The research enterprise that we have envisioned over the last three years is coming to fruition. In October, we held an official groundbreaking for the 189,000-square-foot Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building, located on the Case Quad. This research-only facility is scheduled to open in 2026 and will play a critical role in growing our annual research expenditures to $600 million and advancing collaborative discoveries. In addition, our 11000 Cedar Startup Incubator is now home to more than 25 startups as well as our Human Fusions Institute, and it is poised to become the region’s epicenter of entrepreneurship and commercialization.

CWRU graduates contribute to Ohio’s brain gain. Our undergraduate alumni who report that they will begin full-time jobs after graduation largely stay in Ohio more than in any other state or region. Our most recent First Destination Survey for the Class of 2023 reported that nearly 33% of graduates who were not from Ohio and who found full-time jobs stayed in Ohio for work post-graduation. Similarly, 59% of graduates who were from Ohio and found full-time jobs stayed in Ohio for work.

Our role as an economic engine is significant and gaining momentum. And as we sharpen our tools to accomplish even more together, we look forward to the continued positive impact of our education and research here in Ohio, across the country and around the world.

Sincerely,

Eric W. Kaler
President