Chronicle of Higher Ed highlights value of collaboration, CIC

It its Feb. 13 issue, the Chronicle of Higher Education examined how collaborations can help universities leverage their resources as a way to cut costs and expand their academic reach. Institutions are increasingly seeking new partnerships or investing in existing ones in the wake of the economic downturn, the article states.

 

To illustrate these points, the authors cite the CIC and quote director Barbara McFadden Allen: "The slumping economy and interest in cost-saving measures has led to 'a marked acceleration in the depth of the cooperation between our members,' she said.

 

The article gives the example of OmniPop, the CIC's shared fiber optic network, which connets the 12 CIC members to each other and to research “hubs” worldwide with 10 gbps connectivity. By pooling resources, this network has saved each institution hundreds of thousands of dollars.