Strategic Partnerships & Applied Research

Leveraging the combined expertise of a 70+ person team, we strengthen Maryland's communities and address opportunities and challenges; create engagement and enrichment opportunities for individuals and organizations; and solve real problems facing our region alongside the business, nonprofit, and government sectors.

• January 2004: President Robert Caret created the Division of Economic & Community Outreach to further TU's role as a premier metropolitan university. The Division's charge was to provide a focus for engagement with the external community and to provide a path into TU's research and project talent. James Clements served as the Division's first vice president.
• December 2012: Under the leadership of President Maravene Loeschke, the Division was renamed the Division of Innovation & Applied Research. During this period, Vice President Dyan Brasington led the Division with a focus on innovation, business incubation, and problem solving as they related to workforce and economic development issues.
• July 2018: The Division is renamed the Division of Strategic Partnerships & Applied Research to more closely align with the current goals and initiatives of Towson University. The new name builds upon the Division's strong foundation in applied research and creates new pathways for the Division to expand strategic partnerships across the state.

Under the leadership of President Kim Schatzel and Vice President Daraius Irani, the Division is positioned to lead the way by doing what we do, and have always done, exceptionally well—putting the knowledge and resources of Towson University to work for the communities it serves.

• The Center for GIS (CGIS) empowers clients with GIS technology and solutions through data development and analysis, application design and development, and training.
• Our Continuing and Professional Studies offerings jump-start careers through professional certification courses that address critical skill gaps in high growth industries.
• IT Services provides secured cloud and managed hosting services. Some of the most visible public facing web sites in Maryland have been developed and are hosted in our data center.
• Leadership and Organizational Development designs and delivers customized courses and programs that strengthen capacity building at the individual, team, and organizational level.
• The Office of Partnerships & Outreach manages the presidential priority BTU—Partnerships at Work for Greater Baltimore and provides communications and convening support to faculty and staff as well as external partners.
• The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Towson University provides continued learning and cultural enrichment through academic and social programs for adults, age 50 and older.
• The Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI) is the leading expert on Maryland’s economy and provides economic and policy analysis services across the region.
• Venture Creation induces regional economic development through mission-driven business incubation via TU Incubator. 

We are Innovative

We discover, research, and build new skills to advance solutions and remain competitive. 

We are Collaborative

We reach across networks and organizations to achieve maximum results.

We are Problem Solvers

We are efficient, tenacious experts who get stuff done.

We are Passionate

We are purposeful, hardworking professionals who energize, engage, and inspire others.

 In 2016, the Division undertook a comprehensive strategic planning process to develop goals and strategies. Five work groups, made up of 50% TU faculty and staff, 40% Division staff, and 10% external partners, created goals with measurable objectives and identified resources necessary to carry out these goals. The resulting goals will guide the Division through 2022.

• Goal 1: Support TU academic endeavors, operations and administration, and external outreach. 
• Goal 2: Position TU as the regional leader in professional education. 
• Goal 3: Provide improved access to TU for community partners. 
• Goal 4: Elevate TU as a nationally-recognized university for applied research.
• Goal 5: Advance TU as a national leader in education technology (ed tech) innovation.