University of Arkansas and University of Arkansas Technology Development Foundation Set to Host AURP 2024 International Conference

AURP's International Conference (Nov. 11-14) to spotlight the dynamic innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem of the University of Arkansas and the Northwest Arkansas region

Tucson, Arizona, November 6, 2024 - The University of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas Technology Development Foundation will take center stage as they host the AURP 2024 International Conference (IC2024), November 11-14.

The Northwest Arkansas region will welcome 200+ leaders from universities, innovation districts and tech hubs plus master planning, architectural and development firms, to network and engage in best practices sharing on a range of relevant topics, including: placemaking and workforce development strategies, innovation district planning and design plus university-led economic development and innovation ecosystems.

AURP's IC2024 will showcase the University of Arkansas’s research and innovation infrastructure, including tours of the Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research (I3R); the Arkansas Research and Technology Park (ARTP) expansion in South Fayetteville; and The Collaborative in Bentonville.

Conference sessions will take place at Ledger in downtown Bentonville, home to the world's first bikeable building, along with access to Bentonville's Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

"On behalf of our global AURP community, we are thrilled our dynamic Community of Innovation will convene at the University of Arkansas and this beautiful part of the country for our 2024 International Conference," said Erin Koshut, AURP President and Executive Director of Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, Alabama.

AURP’s conference – with its theme “All Trails Lead to Innovation” – will highlight the University of Arkansas' burgeoning research and entrepreneurial ecosystem, which is swiftly establishing itself as one of the nation's premier hubs for innovation and entrepreneurship. In the last five years, the University of Arkansas has licensed 226 technologies, making a $2.2 billion annual impact on the state of Arkansas and its communities.

In addition, the University of Arkansas has received the highest classification of research activity from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, earning the prestigious designation of "Research 1" - Doctoral University: Very High Research Activity. With annual research expenditures exceeding $164.4 million, the University of Arkansas is part of the elite 3.7 percent of U.S. institutions classified with "Very High Research Activity."

"Our AURP network is thrilled to see first-hand the thriving innovation ecosystem and scenic beauty of Northwest Arkansas,” said Vickie Palmer, AURP CEO. “With its robust research and development infrastructure and a strong workforce pipeline offering a competitive edge for the innovation community, the University of Arkansas and University of Arkansas Technology Development Foundation are ideal hosts for our 2024 International Conference."

The conference agenda will showcase the economic and entrepreneurial vitality propelling significant impact within the Northwest Arkansas region and beyond. This momentum is further fueled by the presence of Walmart Corporation headquarters, which supports nearly 1,500 innovation and technology-based Walmart suppliers.

AURP also announces the Sponsoring Organizations of its 2024 International Conference:

About the University of Arkansas:
The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among fewer than 4% of colleges and universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring. Learn more: www.uark.edu

About the University of Arkansas Technology Development Foundation:
The University of Arkansas Technology Development Foundation (UATDF) handles all affiliate, faculty research, communications, partnerships, and marketing inquiries for the Arkansas Research & Technology Park (ARTP), as well as leasing and building maintenance inquiries for the Enterprise and Innovation Centers. The mission of UATDF is to stimulate a knowledge-based economy in the state of Arkansas through partnerships that lead to new opportunities for learning and discovery, that build and retain a knowledge-based workforce and that spawn the development of new technologies that enrich the economic base of Arkansas. Learn more: www.research.uark.edu

About AURP:
AURP, a non-profit international organization, with offices in the Washington, DC area at the University of Maryland Discovery District and in Tucson, Arizona at the University of Arizona Tech Park, focuses on creating communities of innovation and education for research parks, both operating and planned, plus innovation districts, incubators, accelerators and the businesses that support the research park industry. AURP and its global membership promote research, institute-industry relations and innovation districts to foster innovation and to facilitate the transfer of technology from such institutions to the private sector. Learn more: www.aurp.net

Media Contact:
Ken Berlack
Communications/Public Relations
AURP
[email protected]