SIF179 NoVA Academic/Research Opportunities

Project Manager: Greg Fairchild

Approved: Summer 2021

The purpose of this award is to expand UVA’s academic programming and research impact in the Northern Virginia area.

Project Dates: 7/1/2021 – 6/30/2025 

Total Funding: $10,368,354

Executive Summary:

The expansion of a UVA | Northern Virginia presence is featured in UVA’s 2030 Plan as Key Initiative #10, Broadening Our Horizons. This initiative will be symbiotic between UVA and the Northern Virginia metropolitan area, which includes Washington, DC, and Maryland. As stated in the 2030 Plan, UVA | Northern Virginia “provides a significant opportunity to increase our impact by growing our research footprint, reaching more learners, and developing new partnerships.” Further, UVA | Northern Virginia will offer academic programming that meets the learning and skill-building needs of professionals in the Northern Virginia region, including technology, government, policy, education, and engineering. Programming will feature all learning modalities – in-person, online, and hybrid instruction – and engage in a One and All UVA ethos, which emphasizes UVA as a university with presence in Northern Virginia but also underscores the uniqueness of each entity at UVA.  Programming will include a range of educational programs – professional master’s degrees, executive education programs, and certificate programs – with direct integration of global private and public sector leaders as well as individual learners (with an emphasis on UVA alums).

Status: Active

Progress

UVA|Northern Virginia was announced publicly in September 2021, with the appointment of Dean and CEO Gregory Fairchild. Due to COVID and specifically late summer and early fall COVID variants, the initial UVA|Northern Virginia team beyond the Dean – Executive Director and 2 Business Development Directors – were hired in mid-February 2021.  An additional FTE – Project Manager – was hired in November 2022. The milestones below represent the work the team has done or are planning to do in Y1 and Y2. In these initial stages, we have built and continue to build awareness of the UVA | Northern Virginia expansion within and outside UVA, engage alumni, establish enrollment practices, conduct outreach to Charlottesville-based faculty and researchers, and prepare to launch degree and non-degree programs. revenue and supporting contributions. Although initial efforts will focus on launching a few programs that replicate existing programs in Charlottesville, future efforts will involve a deeper bench of programs (for example, J-term courses and externships).

During the current Y2 reporting period, we have done the foundational work as highlighted in this report. For our Fairfax location, we worked with UVA Facilities Management and Architecture on creating “test fit” plans for construction to commence in 2024 and be move-in ready by January 2025. For our market strategy, we have gone from ideas to creative concept to media buy, preparing for promotional market entry in March 2023. For programming, we have one new UVA program starting in Northern Virginia in Summer 2023. Additionally, we have finalized a service agreement with our first corporate client that starts February 2023.

In the second half of Y2, we will field marketing in Northern Virginia (digital and physical advertisements, websites, increased PR), will launch our first new degree programs and execute training for our first corporate client. We will also launch the Northern Virginia Summer Enrichment Program, a non-residential program for rising 10th-12th graders.