The University Innovation Alliance (UIA) organizes a fall convening each year, bringing together member institutions from across the United States to collaborate, identify barriers to student success, brainstorm solutions to remove those barriers, and work together on UIA-initiated projects to ensure student success.
This year, the UIA Fall 2026 Convening took place from Sept. 28-30 at the University of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
As one of the founding members of UIA, Michigan State University was represented by Jeremy Van Hof, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI); Stratton C. Lee III, director of University Advising; Joy Hannibal, MSU UIA NISS project lead and strategic innovation manager, Undergraduate Student Success; and Wasek Sazzad, MSU UIA fellow and student success project manager, Undergraduate Education.
UIA Fall 2026 Convening: Strengthening collaboration across universities
At the UIA Fall 2026 Convening kickoff, UIA CEO Bridget Burns welcomed the University of North Texas as the 20th member institution of UIA, expanding the alliance to 20 universities across 20 states. The opening also featured a session with the University of New Mexico’s president, highlighting the importance of institutional leadership and collaboration in advancing student success.
During the convening, MSU was awarded UIA funding for the Work+ project, an initiative focused on helping student workers and their supervisors align on-campus employment experiences with vital career competencies that employers seek in MSU graduates.
Collaborative learning and UIA initiatives
Throughout the second and third days of the convening, UIA member institutions participated in collaborative discussions, interactive sessions, and shared learning opportunities focused on addressing student success challenges and exploring innovative approaches across campuses.
The convening also provided opportunities for member institutions to discuss the progress and future direction of several UIA initiatives, including:
Chairs and Deans Academy
Chairs and deans also need support and training to become great leaders. The initiative focuses on strengthening academic leadership through professional development, collaboration, and training to better support student success.
Based on participation in this breakout session, Joy added:
Effective leadership among chairs and deans is essential to student success. At the UIA Convening, chairs and deans joined student success professionals in a discussion that highlighted how academic leaders must balance operational responsibilities, budgeting, and personnel management while working to remove barriers to student achievement. The session reinforced the importance of investing in leadership development, collaboration, and strategic decision-making so that academic leaders can create the conditions that help students thrive and achieve their goals.
College Choice Redesign (CCR)
The initiative focuses on helping prospective students explore academic pathways and make informed decisions about their college experience. At MSU, focus group discussions (FGDs) have started with students interested in business-related academic pathways, including the Broad College of Business.
Based on participation in this breakout session, Stratton added
The UIA College Choice Redesign session was a dynamic challenge to begin imagining how experiences can be implemented for prospective students, supporters, and K-12 influencers by providing intentionally designed early-exposure resources and tools that help align skills, passions, interests, academic strengths, and majors over time.
Future Ready Students
The initiative explores how universities can help graduates re-skill and develop competencies to remain competitive in the job market in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Based on participation in this breakout session, Jeremy added
The UIA convening featured multiple conversations on the effects of generative AI in higher education. It was enlightening to hear how peer institutions are navigating the complexities surrounding AI and empowering to offer insights from MSU’s experiences that can influence change around the country.
Continuing collaboration beyond the convening
The Convening concluded with opportunities for member institutions to reflect on shared learning, identify areas for future collaboration, and discuss next steps for UIA initiatives focused on student success.
Following the UIA Fall 2026 Convening, UIA CEO Bridget Burns visited Michigan State University during the first week of October. During the visit, she met with MSU President Guskiewicz, Provost McIntyre, Vice Provost for Academic Innovation Marcio Oliveira, and MSU’s UIA Liaisons to foster stronger collaboration between MSU and the alliance.
MSU is currently participating in UIA initiatives, including the National Institute for Student Success (NISS) and the College Choice Redesign (CCR) project. In addition, campuswide implementation of the newly funded Work+ project will begin in collaboration with MSU’s Career Services Network and Career Connected Spartans.
As a founding member of the University Innovation Alliance, MSU remains committed to working with peer institutions, sharing innovative practices, and strengthening collaboration to ensure student success.