Oklahoma State University to Bolster STEM Education with Polytechnic Initiative

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OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma State University plans to increase its STEM education opportunities statewide through a new polytechnic initiative.

The university will reimagine its hands-on science, technology, engineering and math education to meet industry needs through OSU Polytech, President Kayse Shrum announced Tuesday.

Through the initiative, the university will take steps to expand its STEM and technology-driven programs and degree offerings at the OSU Institute of Technology in Okmulgee to campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

OSU also plans to make academic programs more flexible and accessible to Oklahomans in all stages of their lives.

The announcement comes as Oklahoma’s colleges and universities are shifting gears to try and meet workforce needs as demand grows for worker trained in STEM fields.

“As Oklahoma’s largest university system, we must ensure Oklahoma is open for business when it comes to science and technology,” Shrum said in a news conference on the OSU-Tulsa campus.

The University of Oklahoma announced plans last year to build a new polytechnic institute in Tulsa to meet workforce demands.

OSU Polytech will offer innovative STEM-based curriculum that is closely aligned with the workforce needs of industry leaders. Academic programs will be flexible, allowing students to pursue everything from a certificate to a doctoral degree on their own schedule, Shrum said.

“OSU Polytech graduates will be able to hit the ground running on day one and add value immediately to their employers,” she said.

To ensure OSU Polytech academic offerings continue to align with workforce demands, the university will launch an advisory council made up of representatives from key workforce sectors. The council will include representatives from the aerospace, energy, advanced manufacturing, health care, supply chain and information technology industries.

Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: info@oklahomavoice.com. Follow Oklahoma Voice on Facebook and Twitter.

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