Public Impact Research Network

Historically, public universities have played a foundational role in the civic life of their communities. But the erosion of trust in higher education has called into question the value of public universities in service to their communities. To rebuild trust, we must demonstrate and deliver more value to our state and local community partners. Schools of public affairs and policy at R1 public institutions are uniquely equipped to lead the way in defining, enabling, delivering and documenting public impact.

The Public Impact Research (PIR) Network is built on the idea that universities can accomplish more when it comes to addressing public problems. In an era when trust in higher education is under pressure and societal challenges are increasingly complex, research that directly benefits communities is more important than ever. Yet this work is often dispersed across institutions and not systematically supported or shared. The Network provides a structure for universities to learn from one another and build stronger systems for producing research that creates public value.