New University Venture Designed To Keep Talent In-State

University of Illinois President Timothy Killeen and Governor Bruce Rauner have announced a new initiative to create and keep high-tech jobs in the state.

The University of Illinois-led initiative is called the Discovery Partners Institute, which will be built in Chicago’s south loop. DPI for short, will partner with businesses in high tech research.

The Discovery Partners Institute is to be part of a new Illinois Innovation Network of collaborative ventures involving businesses and universities. Governor Bruce Rauner announced the Innovation Network Thursday.

Speaking on the Illinois Public Media talk show The 21st, Killeen says the DPI will focus on three main areas -- health and wellness, big data computational analytics and food and agriculture. "The direction will be set in large part by the aspirations and the energy of our great faculty who will be driving this program and co-designing it with others in partnership," Killeen added.

Killeen expects the DPI to expand research into other areas over the years. The university will recruit 100 new faculty for the institute, who will work alongside existing faculty.

The University of Illinois is looking for business partners to help fund the $1.2 billion venture.

The state and the university hope to have the institute open by 2022.

Meanwhile, the University of Chicago announced plans for another research center -- also in collaboration with the U of I -- that will be part of the Illinois Innovation Network.