Texas A&M University plans to open an Office for Industry Engagement meant to give local businesses one place to start when they want to work with the university, President Susan Ballabina told Bryan-College Station business leaders Monday night.
Ballabina was the keynote speaker for the annual banquet of the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce at the Hilton College Station, KBTX reported. It was her first address to the local business community since she became president, according to the station, which said more than 600 people attended. The A&M System Board of Regents appointed her the university's 28th president in May.
"Texas A&M is large. It's complex. Sometimes it's hard to navigate," Ballabina said, according to KBTX. "We are setting up this office for you to have a first point of entry into our enterprise."
KBTX reported that the work could include joint research, outreach to the community and campus events. The university has not posted its own announcement of the office, and no opening date, location or staffing has been made public.
Surveys and job training
Ballabina also said the university intends to survey the community and hold listening sessions on a regular basis to learn what local industries need, and to grow its continuing education and workforce training programs, KBTX reported.
"We're living in a world that requires constant upskilling," she said.
