As one of the nation’s leading public science and technology universities, NJIT prepares leaders to design, develop and manage the world of tomorrow through STEM education, applied and scholarly research, technological innovation and entrepreneurship, societal engagement and career excellence.
NJIT will achieve its vision through five strategic priorities that will guide the development of students, the transformation of the curriculum, the growth of scholarly research, the fostering of a global community, and investments in human, physical and technological resources.
The first priority is students, NJIT’s most important asset. They will be a reflection of the university as they employ the values, attitudes, skills, and knowledge they have learned at NJIT. The NJIT community must continue to encourage them to be creative, to take risks and to consider different approaches in applying their expertise to solving problems. Not only will they be experts in their fields, they will also be leaders. Interest in students must begin before they arrive on NJIT’s campus and continue into their professional careers. Because NJIT aims to be the preferred choice for talented students, admission strategies must be exact. While academic standards for them will be high, NJIT will also provide them with support for personal development, academic advising and career guidance that will ensure their successful and timely degree completion.
Learning is the second priority. Students will be engaged by skilled instructors delivering a curriculum that is rigorous and relevant. NJIT’s strength in engineering, design, computing, the sciences, and technology management will continue to make NJIT distinctive. Innovative academic programs, guided by continuous self-assessment, will be responsive to the changing demands of industry and needs of society. Inspired teaching and learning experiences within and outside the curriculum will help the university accomplish these goals, promote inventive thinking, and instill knowledge that serves the public interest. In parallel to formal learning, NJIT’s curriculum will also allow students to acquire talents and learn from experiences outside the classroom. With its focus on educating professionals, an NJIT degree will open the door to fulfilling careers.
Scholarly research, creative work and related activities constitute the third strategic priority. NJIT aims for prominence in these areas, and they will be pursued with ever-increasing excellence. Developing knowledge and applying it for the benefit of society will require talent, substance, and resources. NJIT will actively recruit, develop, support and retain exceptional members of the faculty by providing the environment and preconditions necessary for their success from their appointment to the pinnacle of their academic careers. NJIT also aims to break down barriers to multidisciplinary collaborations; contemporary research demands it. The university values entrepreneurial research supports inventions and facilitates technology transfer. NJIT is already a key partner in business and economic development through the Enterprise Development Center (EDC). Additionally, the New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) will expand NJIT’s leadership in this domain by strengthening university, industry and government partnerships.
Community is the next strategic priority. Engagement by the entire university network of faculty, students, staff, administration, and alumni is necessary to achieve these goals. NJIT recognizes that it is rooted firmly in the City of Newark and its surrounding communities. The university’s connection to and relationship with Newark is special. Moreover, the undergraduate population reflects the diversity of its environment and represents the future of the workforce. NJIT’s graduate population, on the other hand, is largely international, with students from over 100 countries. NJIT’s faculty is similarly diverse and this offers the potential to cultivate a strong global presence in research and education. Although NJIT now lacks the participation of underrepresented minorities in its faculty and administration, the university will do all that is possible to increase that diversity.
Investment, the final priority, must be carefully made in human capital and university infrastructure in order to meet these goals. Faculty renewal continues to be most pressing, although 50 new faculty have recently joined the university. Therefore, the process to bring more faculty of the highest caliber is already underway. Equally important, there is a need for cutting-edge facilities across the board from education and research to athletics, recreation, and entertainment. NJIT’s physical campus presents an image of who it is to the outside world, and the university will strive to keep improving its beauty and function. Recent and current capital projects, such as the residential Albert Dorman Honors College, the Greek Village and the renovation of the landmark Central High School, have set new standards of excellence that will continue.
The university will ensure that 2020 Vision is fulfilled by continuous assessment of the progress of this plan to guide efforts and track success. The goal is to keep NJIT on course to becoming one of the premier institutes of technology in the country, renowned for excellence in education, eminence in research, generosity in service and dedication to economic expansion.
"The goal is to keep NJIT on course to becoming… renowned for excellence in education, eminence in research, generosity in service and dedication to economic expansion."