University of Illinois System
On 23 June 2023, Cardiff University signed a new Strategic Partnership Agreement with the University of Illinois System (UI).
Our two institutions have developed close ties through the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI), UI’s interdisciplinary private-public research institute and hub of the Illinois Innovation Network in the heart of the City of Chicago.
The strategic partnership aims to strengthen joint research in key areas:
- Energy systems and Net Zero emissions
- Cybersecurity
- Data science and artificial intelligence
- Cancer research
- Geo-sciences
- Entrepreneurship and innovation
- Water and prairie research
- Journalism
The University of Illinois hosts 94,000 students across three campuses: Chicago, Springfield and Urbana Champaign. Providing the state’s largest system of higher education, UI has its own hospital, clinics, airport, research facilities and extension offices.
Partnership collaboration in all subject areas is welcomed; read on to explore how you can become involved.
2019
Cardiff University joins Discovery Partners Institute
2023
Strategic Partnership is signed
2024
Inaugural Cardiff-Illinois Seed Grant Programme is launched
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is one of the original 37 public land-grant institutions created after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Act in 1862.
The university is in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana (total population 207,000) in east-central Illinois. Situated about 140 miles south of Chicago, 125 miles west of Indianapolis, and 180 miles northeast of St. Louis.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has 29 Pulitzer Prize winners, and invented the first graphical web browser.
It has 56,000+ students from all 50 US states and over 100 countries.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has 15 Colleges and Instructional Units:
- College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
- College of Applied Health Sciences
- Gies College of Business
- College of Education
- Grainger College of Engineering
- College of Fine and Applied Arts
- Graduate College
- School of Labor and Employment Relations
- College of Law
- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- School of Information Sciences
- College of Media
- Carle Illinois College of Medicine
- School of Social Work
- College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Illinois Chicago
The University of Illinois Chicago is the city’s largest university and its only public Carnegie Research 1 institution.
Its 16 top-ranked colleges (including seven health sciences colleges and Chicago’s only public law school) serve more than 33,500 undergraduate, graduate and professional students.
UIC is recognized as one of the best public universities and one of the most ethnically rich and culturally diverse campuses in the nation.
Located in the heart of Chicago, it is an integral part of the educational, technological and cultural fabric of one of the world’s greatest cities.
University of Illinois Springfield
Established in 1969 as Sangamon State University by the Illinois General Assembly. On July 1, 1995, became a campus of the University of Illinois, thereafter known as the University of Illinois Springfield.
UIS celebrates its diversity with a campus comprised of students and faculty of various ages, backgrounds, and ethnicity.
It has 4 Colleges: Business and Management; Health, Science and Technology; Liberal Arts and Social Sciences; Public Affairs and Education.
UIS has a total enrollment of over 4,500 students, 60 undergraduate programmes of study and 44 graduate programmes of study.
It produces approximately $7 million annually in research funding.
UIS is located in the Southeast side of Springfield, Illinois, near Lake Springfield. Approximately 200 miles southwest of Chicago and 100 miles northeast of St. Louis. Its campus stretches out over 746 acres.
Discovery Partners Institute
The Discovery Partners Institute empowers people to jumpstart their tech careers or companies in Chicago.
Led by the University of Illinois System in partnership with top research universities, DPI does three things: train people for high-demand tech jobs, conduct applied R&D, and business building to grow Chicago’s tech ecosystem.
Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) is an interdisciplinary private-public research institute and hub of the Illinois Innovation Network. Cardiff is an Academic Member of DPI (since 2018) along with a small number of other international partners.
Cardiff's Interaction with DPI has already led to three applications to the US National Science Foundation and a successful seed grant from DPI on “Pathway to Net Zero” for electric vehicles in the Chicago area.
DPI is the anchor of a new neighborhood, in which 13 million square feet of office, retail, residential and hotel space has been mapped.
DPI’s facility includes:
- Computational and engineering labs
- Classrooms
- Startup offices and labs
- Meeting & event space
- Public space
Partnership News
Find out how our partnership has enabled international collaboration for staff and students alike:
University of Illinois System Collaboration Funds
Through the strategic partnership, two types of funds have been established to support the development of the Strategic Partnership between Cardiff University and the University of Illinois System, across common areas of research, teaching and education.
There are two available funds that staff may apply for through the University of Illinois’ online application systems:
- Joint Research and Innovation Seed Grant
- Travel Grant
Further information about how to apply can be found on the staff intranet.
Get in touch
For inquiries relating to the strategic partnership with the University of Illinois, please contact:
Rhys Evans
- evansr9@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 (0)29 2087 9610
If you are interested in developing a relationship with us and would like to become a partner please email us with details of your proposal.