For Other Universities
Launch Your Own Collaboratory
The Valparaiso University Collaboratory is a model for Emerging Research Institutions (ERIs) looking to establish their own industry partnerships and research centers. On this page, we provide practical advice and example files to guide universities through the process of creating a Collaboratory on their campus. From structuring industry councils and advisory boards to developing faculty liaison roles and responsibilities, our resources offer step-by-step templates, including Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), partnership agreements, and processes for student engagement in research projects. These documents are designed to help universities build successful partnerships, streamline communication with industry, and create impactful research collaborations that align with their institutional goals and community needs. All resources will be updated after the NSF planning period to reflect best practices and insights gained from our development process.
Also included on this page is the 2025 Phase One Report which shares data and results of the planning phase which was based on a bioscience pilot with thirty faculty members to explore how Valpo can build and sustain industry partnerships. The research and findings in this report were based on data collection that was reviewed and granted exempt status by the Institutional Review Board at Valparaiso University.
“This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number 2433851. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.”
Resources and Sample Documents
These resource files can be useful to universities that would like to create university-industry partnerships. If there is a sample document you would like to see that is not listed here, please email us at collaboratory@valpo.edu
- Memoranda of Understanding (MOU)
- Sponsored Research Agreement (SPA)
- Letter of Intent
- Lease Agreement
- Brochure
- Slide Deck for Launch
- Diagram of Collaboratory Model
- Feedback Posters for Launch
- Project Menu
- Internal Process Workflow
Valpo created a prototype with Scholarly to capture faculty expertise and then translating this expertise using AI to align with industry needs. Learn more about this platform here.
