Our Story

Formed in 2005, the Purdue Center for Regional Development (PCRD) answered the call for our nation’s research universities to become more engaged in promoting regional prosperity. And for good cause. Our nation’s competitiveness is tied to our regional economies where sophisticated clusters of innovative businesses form and grow. Our research universities help accelerate this innovation with innovative approaches to regional engagement that are agile, adaptive and responsive.

Pioneering these new approaches comes naturally to Purdue, and this purpose—defining the contours of regional engagement for the 21st century research university—defines the work of PCRD. The energy to pursue this purpose is rooted in our values. We build sophisticated collaborations quickly by relentlessly looking for mutual benefits and behaving in ways that build trust and mutual respect.

We anticipate dramatic changes to the academic and market landscapes for our nation’s research universities in the coming years. Our proactive response is to continue to explore new ways to co-create value with those willing to invest in their future prosperity. In defining the tools, frameworks and strategy disciplines to guide these sophisticated collaborations, PCRD stands at the forefront of this important work.