Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity (EPIIC) is a U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) program designed to strengthen innovation and partnership capacity at U.S. institutions of higher education.
Through a national investment of nearly $19 million across 48 institutions in 2024, EPIIC supports primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) in developing institutional infrastructure and regional innovation ecosystems.
As part of this initiative, West Texas A&M University is one of the EPIIC Cohort 2 awardees through the SUPER (Strengthening University Partnerships for External Research) project — NSF Award #2413601.
This is a collaborative effort between the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez, Western Washington University, and West Texas A&M University, supported under the NSF EPIIC program.
Through this program, we aim to build institutional capacity, develop sustainable partnerships, and secure future external funding, while strengthening participation in regional innovation ecosystems.
The EPIIC–SUPER Project focuses on enhancing institutional capacity for external partnerships through three overarching objectives:
- Streamline and strengthen institutional processes for building and sustaining partnerships.
- Establish a SUPER Partnership Training Program to prepare faculty and staff for effective collaboration.
- Enrich and diversify networks of external partners across academia, industry, and nonprofit sectors.
Academic partnerships are vital for advancing innovation, applied research, student opportunities, and workforce development, benefiting both universities and external stakeholders
Through its geographically, culturally, and disciplinarily diverse cohort, the SUPER initiative addresses these challenges by implementing standardized processes, improving institutional coordination, and expanding engagement in regional innovation ecosystems. These efforts aim to strengthen partnership sustainability, expand R&D collaboration opportunities, and create lasting positive outcomes for faculty, students, and surrounding communities.
The initiative also emphasizes key technology sectors, including artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, semiconductors, and new materials, aligning with the broader goals of the NSF EPIIC program.
See EPIIC-SUPER Featured Projects