The Berkeley Corporate Engagement Network (BCEN) is a community of UC Berkeley professionals who engage with industry partners.
The Opportunity
As one of the premier public universities in the country, UC Berkeley has a wealth of opportunities and resources to offer corporate partners. Across campus, corporations partner with individuals and groups in a variety of engagements including:
- research collaborations through gift funding, sponsored and collaborative research (including tech transfer, IP and licensing), and industry consortium programs
- talent development from internships and recruitment through executive education
- networking opportunities to provide industry with access to the expertise of students, faculty and alumni
The Challenge
While the opportunities for corporate engagement are limitless, the lack of coordination and awareness of partnering activities across the campus can lead to wasteful duplication and confusion. By creating a more transparent and coherent engagement model, we will be better poised to identify and seize opportunities to level up on existing engagements.
BCEN Objectives
- Facilitate communication and promote alignment and increased collaboration with industry partners
- Share best practices and updates on campus developments and services to support corporate engagement
- Develop campus-wide tools and strategy to better identify, engage and ultimately partner with corporate entities
BCEN Structure
- Monthly virtual meetings with structured time for presentations, sharing of Wins & Opportunities and small group discussions
- Platform for sharing and seeking assistance from BCEN members in between meetings
- In-person meetings quarterly to build cohesion and brainstorm ecosystem development
- Development of subcommittees as needed to focus on identified obstacles and opportunities to promote corporate engagement across UC Berkeley