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University of Illinois System News
Read the latest University of Illinois System news from the Office of External Relations and Communications.

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  • female student wearing Illini mask at desk in classroom

    K-12 Shield Playbook offers guidance for reopening schools

    A new resource is available to help guide teachers and school administrators as they reopen schools amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, assembled by researchers and experts at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

  • Discovery Partners Institute logo

    DPI, CPS partner to engage high school students in tech

    The partnership helped support and encourage nearly 250 CPS students from a dozen CPS schools to explore the tech field this year. This workshop series helps expand DPI’s efforts to develop promising and diverse tech talent in Chicago.

  • masked women in lab processing test

    SHIELD program a model for effective pandemic management, data show

    A new paper in the journal Nature Communications details the innovations in modeling, saliva testing and results reporting of the SHIELD program that helped mitigate the spread of the virus at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the surrounding community.

    SHIELD has been deployed in schools and communities across the state through the U of I System's SHIELD Illinois unit, and around the world through the university-related organization Shield T3.

  • aerial rendering of future DPI campus

    DPI’s IWERC awarded funding to expand research on Illinois education issues

    The Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative (IWERC) at the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) has been awarded a total of $275,000 in funding from three organizations — CME Group Foundation, Joyce Foundation, and Crown Family Philanthropies —  that will expand IWERC’s research on Illinois education issues.

  • Chicago skyline

    Chicago awarded $18.5M in federal funds to create new jobs in the region

    The Discovery Partners Institute and P33 will spearhead tech-specific workforce development programs in support of an $18.5 million federal Good Jobs Challenge award announced earlier this month.

  • exterior of Specialty Care Building

    UI Health Specialty Care Building opening access to care, jobs

    The newest clinical building on the University of Illinois Chicago’s health sciences campus will open to patients Sept. 26. Leadership from UIC and its health system, UI Health, marked the occasion with a ribbon-cutting event outside the $194 million building Sept. 14. 

  • female scientist processing tests in lab

    IDPH & DPI announce statewide system to monitor COVID-19 in wastewater

    The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) today announced a statewide system to monitor the virus that causes COVID-19 and its variants in wastewater, providing public health officials with early warnings of a potential outbreak on a county-by-county basis.

  • masked female researcher processing lab tests

    IDPH expands COVID-19 testing to elementary schools

    To help ensure schools can more safely resume in-person learning, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced it is expanding access to no-cost and low-cost COVID-19 testing to elementary schools across Illinois.  Schools can choose to utilize the saliva-based covidSHIELD test developed by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). The covidSHIELD test can quickly detect the virus that causes COVID-19, and its variants, including among people who do not have symptoms.

  • Masked Black male with orange SHIELD t-shirt h gloves handing test tube to man

    UIUC receives APLU award for COVID-19 testing program

    The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has received the inaugural Research Response to Community Crisis Award from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities for its COVID-19 testing program.

  • Headshots of Burke, Prabhakar, and Siemionow

    Three U of I System scientists named "Researchers to Know 2020" by the ISTC

    Three scientists in the U of I System were identified as "Researchers to Know 2020" by the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition: Marty Burke at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Bellur Prabhakar and Maria Siemionow at University of Illinois Chicago.

  • Susan Koch in front of UIS colonnade

    UIS Chancellor Koch announces retirement

    Susan J. Koch, chancellor of the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) since 2011, announced Friday she will retire as chancellor of UIS and vice president of the University of Illinois System effective June 30. She is currently the longest-serving chancellor of the U of I System.

  • Chicago skyline

    DPI shares in $7.5M award from NSF to improve science gateways

    The Discovery Partners Institute is among the recipients of a $7.5 million CyberInfrastructure Center of Excellence Award from the National Science Foundation. The funding will support a five-year project to improve science gateways. 

  • rendering of new DPI facility in downtown Chicago

    DPI receives $1.5M grant for clean transportation research partnership

    A multi-institutional and multidisciplinary team led by the Discovery Partners Institute has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation PIRE program to reduce pollution in South Asian cities and accelerate a transition to clean transportation.

  • DPI aerial rendering

    DPI and UIC CHANCE announce expansion of Digital Scholars Program

    The Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) and University of Illinois Chicago (UIC’s) CHANCE program have announced the expansion of its Digital Scholars Program to support and develop promising and diverse tech talent in Illinois.

  • U of I System President Killeen and National University of Singapore President Professor Tan Eng Chye

    DPI, National University of Singapore launch innovation programs, establish Chicago presence

    NUS is Asia’s top university, ranked 11th in the 2023 QS World Rankings. Under this memorandum of understanding, NUS will launch its global entrepreneurship program, the NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC), in Chicago in 2024.

  • 75% pie graph

    U of I System campaign progress soars to 75.7 percent toward goal

    The University of Illinois System and the University of Illinois Foundation announced today an impressive fundraising report for fiscal year 2019 with $462.9 million in new business, comprised of new gifts, grants, pledges, and deferred commitments.

  • Close up of test tubes in lab

    Inside the massive SHIELD Illinois testing operation

    WTTW visited a school SHIELD Illinois testing site and one of the SHIELD Illinois labs recently to take a look inside the University of Illinois System's massive COVID-19 testing operation.

  • U of I president Killeen

    COVID-19: Rising to the Challenge

    The University of Illinois System is demonstrating its land-grant mission in real time, marshalling its world-class resources and ramping up its knowledge-generating power to foster solutions that will help steer our state through the COVID-19 crisis. Visit this page for updates, communications, and other resources.

  • men and women in suits and hardhats digging in ground with shovels

    UIC breaks ground on new Computer Design Research and Learning Center

    On July 15, UIC held a groundbreaking event to celebrate the commencement of construction activities for the new $117.8 million, 135,000-square-foot Computer Design Research and Learning Center, which will be located at 900 W. Taylor St., adjacent to UIC’s Memorial Grove.

  • Harker Hall, Urbana, home office of the U of I Foundation

    U of I Foundation releases financial report for FY20

    The University of Illinois System and the University of Illinois Foundation announced today an impressive fundraising report for Fiscal Year 2020 (July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020) that includes both cash and new business figures surpassing $400 million.

  • downtown Springfield building

    UIS takes ownership of future Springfield Innovation Center property

    The University of Illinois Springfield has officially purchased the downtown building that will serve as the new home of the UIS Innovation Center. Scheduled to open in 2025, the center will serve central Illinois as part of the Illinois Innovation Network (IIN) to drive innovation, economic growth and workforce development across the state.

  • compilation of students walking on three university campuses

    U of I System joins initiative to address inequities in access and success

    The University of Illinois System is part of The Power of Systems initiative with other leading university systems across the U.S. to address inequities in higher education access and success. The initiative is being led by the National Association of System Heades (NASH).

  • U of I System Virtual Town Hall Featuring President Killeen

    Virtual Town Hall

    The Illinois Alumni Association recently hosted a Virtual Town Hall featuring University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen. Listen to hear more about the latest system initiatives, and the alumni Q & A with the president.

  • Rendering of future Discovery Partners Institute headquarters with vibrant city building all around

    Discovery Partners Institute creates endowment to support long-term growth

    The fund was seeded last month with $3.5 million in revenue from Shield T3, a business created and owned by the University of Illinois System to expand the use of the saliva-based COVID-19 test created by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers.

  • State budget includes $500 million for U of I-led research center

    A new statewide innovation enterprise led by the University of Illinois System that will accelerate economic growth in Illinois got a major boost when $500 million in funding support approved by the General Assembly in the fiscal 2019 state budget was signed into law Monday by Gov. Bruce Rauner.

  • Discovery Partners Institute building

    Discovery Partners Institute, UIC CHANCE expand Digital Scholars

    The Discovery Partners Institute and University of Illinois Chicago (UIC’s) CHANCE program, in partnership with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, today announced the expansion of its Digital Scholars Program to support and develop promising and diverse tech talent in Illinois.

    Digital Scholars, now in its third year, is an intensive, free, five-week summer program for high school students and incoming UIC freshmen.

  • UIS Innovate Springfield exterior

    Innovate Springfield joins UIS, becomes first hub of Illinois Innovation Network

    Innovate Springfield, a downtown Springfield innovation and business incubator, has become part of the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) under an agreement aimed at expanding economic growth, entrepreneurship opportunities and social progress in the capital city, Chancellor Susan Koch announced today.

  • commencement crowd of students, overhead view

    UIC a finalist for APLU 2021 Degree Completion Award

    The University of Illinois Chicago is one of three universities named finalists for the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities’ 2021 Degree Completion Award. 

  • U of I worker collecting COVID-19 saliva sample

    "This is the safest place in Illinois" - Crain's Chicago Business Op-Ed

    In this Crain's Chicago Business Op-Ed, Don Edwards, Chairman of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees explains how the U of I developed its own COVID-19 test and deployed it more than a million times (and counting).

  • 64.8% raised

    Campaign fundraising for the U of I System crosses $2 billion mark

    In October 2017 the University of Illinois System officially launched a comprehensive fundraising initiative with an ambitious $3.1 billion goal. Now, less than a year and a half into the public campaigns, the U of I System has surpassed the $2 billion mark—or 64.8%—in funds raised toward this goal.

  • students in a computer lab

    U of I System, UIUC commit $50M supporting new Illinois Computes program

    This new initiative led by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) will foster collaboration with researchers at all three system campuses on advanced research computing support and systems over the next five years.

  • Impact Illinois 2019

    2019 report highlights initiatives from across the U of I System

    Impact Illinois 2019, the annual report from the University of Illinois System, highlights recent initiatives of the system, our three best-in-class universities, and our leading hospital and health sciences system.

  • Don and Anne Edwards

    Board of Trustees Chair commits $100K for UIC's frontline healthcare workers

    University of Illinois Board of Trustees Chairman Don Edwards and his wife, Anne Edwards, both alumni of the University of Illinois, have pledged $100,000 to establish the UI Health Employee Relief Fund, which will support health care workers at the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System, or UI Health.

  • Illinois Commitment graphic

    Illinois Commitment will help in-state students from middle-income families

    Through a combination of institutional, federal and state aid, including Pell Grants and Monetary Award Program grants, Illinois Commitment will provide financial awards to cover the tuition and campus fees at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for in-state students whose family income is less than $61,000, the current median family income in Illinois.

  • Screenshot from CNBC

    COVID-19 testing strategies allow universities to open

    CNBC (Aug. 28) On CNBC's "Sqauwk on the Street," University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen discussed the pioneering saliva-based testing program that allowed the system’s three universities to resume face-to-face instruction this fall.

  • President Tim Killeen portrait

    President Killeen touts the U of I System's innovation agenda

    President Tim Killeen recently spoke with CEO Magazine on the trajectory of the University of Illinois System, its innovation agenda, and its collective impact on economic vitality and the public good.

  • Illini graduates

    Illini Success report documents graduates' post-college experiences

    Graduates from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s undergraduate programs continue to experience exceptional success in securing a “first destination” – defined as a job, enrollment in graduate school or a volunteer position – within six months of graduation, according to the newly released Illini Success report.

  • artist rendering of proposed DPI

    City Scholars program expands at Discovery Partners Institute

    The Discovery Partners Institute and The Grainger College of Engineering are expanding the City Scholars program to now include the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech).

  • Discovery Partners Institute logo

    DPI wins $5M NSF award to explore clean energy, equitable transportation solutions

    Working alongside the University of Birmingham, DPI will establish the NSF-led Global Center for Clean Energy and Equitable Transportation Solutions (CLEETS). CLEETS will bring together eminent climate, energy, data science, and transportation experts to search for ways to reduce carbon emissions in road transportation.

  • Rendering of future DPI home at the 78 in Chicago

    Walder Foundation awards DPI $1.25M

    The Walder Foundation has awarded a Discovery Partners Institute science team led by the University of Illinois at Chicago $1.25 million to develop a prototype capability for detecting COVID-19 outbreaks and trends in Chicago’s wastewater.

  • future home of DPI

    DPI & CDPH system to monitor COVID-19 in Chicago wastewater extended

    The Discovery Partners Institute, part of the University of Illinois System, and the Chicago Department of Public Health have announced the citywide system to monitor the virus that causes COVID-19 and its variants in wastewater will continue for two years, leveraging $2.14 million in federal funding.

  • Avijit Ghosh

    Ghosh named vice president, CFO for U of I System

    Avijit Ghosh, a former business school dean who has served in senior leadership positions across the University of Illinois System for nearly two decades, has been named the system’s permanent vice president and chief financial officer, President Tim Killeen announced today.

  • Main street in pandemic

    IGPA task force's roadmap for safely reopening state's economy

    The Institute of Government and Public Affairs assembled a task force of interdisciplinary faculty experts from all three universities in the University of Illinois System to assess COVID-19’s effects on the state. This essay represents the work of several task force members to create a roadmap for safely reopening the state’s economy.

  • four campuses: UIUC, UIC, U of Chicago, and Northwestern

    UIUC, UIC part of new $15.5M mathematical institute

    Mathematicians and statisticians from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois at Chicago and will join researchers at two other leading universities in Illinois as part of the new Institute for Mathematical and Statistical Innovation.

  • Rendering of future DPI at the 78 in Chicago

    DPI awards more than $1 million in R&D grants

    The Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) is launching eight, world-class research teams from the University of Illinois system and partner universities with more than $1 million in seed funding.

  • Dr. Lauren Forsythe holds Duchess the cat, and Dr. Alex Gochenauer holds Loki the corgi in the Illinois Veterinary Hospital Medication Dispensary

    Pawsitively Collaborative: A new partnership in veterinary pharmacy

    A new veterinary pharmacy residency program serves as an example of the collaborations that unite University of Illinois System entities around advancing health and other missions.

  • DPI rendering

    Gov. Pritzker commits $500 million to IIN and DPI

    Highlighting his dynamic, long-term vision for economic development built on state-of-the-art technology, robust higher education and private partnerships, Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday announced that the State of Illinois is moving forward with $500 million in capital funding for the University of Illinois System’s Illinois Innovation Network (IIN) and Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) – a network of research and innovation hubs that will serve as a magnet for technology and talent.

  • Illini Angels logo

    Illinois Ventures and Illinois alumni collaborate on launch of Illini Angel network

    The University of Illinois System's venture capital arm and prominent alumni join forces to finance, support, and mentor early-stage companies with university roots.

  • Tim Killeen headshot, Virtual Town Hall

    U of I System hosts Virtual Town Hall

    On May 13, 2020 the University of Illinois System hosted a tele-town hall for advocates and legislative staff. President Tim Killeen discussed the system's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and took live questions from callers.

  • aerial rendering of future DPI campus

    DPI aims to diversify Chicago's tech sector

    The U of I System-led Discovery Partners Institute's Pritzker Tech Talent Labs are a resource to help increase the diverse supply of tech talent for Chicago-area businesses. DPI Director Bill Jackson writes about why it is so important in an OpEd in Crain's Chicago Business.