The Institute for Policy Research and Engagement at the University of Oregon bridges the divide between academia and practice to remove barriers to the state’s economic development.
The IPRE helps economic development practitioners in the Pacific Northwest use best practices and emerging research to innovate solutions to regional economic issues through the university’s Economic Development Administration designated University Center, according to a June 1 U.S. Economic Development Administration release.
“In June of 2020, we put out a white paper on a framework for economic recovery from the pandemic. Obviously, we didn't know at that point that the federal government would have the response that they did,” Bob Parker, IPRE’s director of Strategy and Technical Solutions, said, according to the release.
Researchers at the University of New Hampshire validated IPRE’s strategic advice given to Oregon policymakers, noting that it was among seven states with strong pandemic-era job growth compared to employment levels in February 2020, the release said.
Parker, who recently retired as executive director of the IPRE and moved into the strategy role, said the University of Oregon’s EDA program is one of the most unique things the federal government does, allowing the IPRE to work with communities to advance economic development, the release reported.
“That partnership of bringing the capacity of higher education into practice is so important,” he said, according to the release.
