Interinstitutional Collaborations

Outside collaborative efforts have become very important to Rice. Two in the social sciences are worth noting.

The first is numerous productive partnerships with the institutions of the Texas Medical Center. These partnerships, large and small, bring to the table significant resources in education and research, and Rice has been immensely enriched by these interactions. Rice, in turn, brings to the bargain strengths in management education, policy studies, psychology, philosophy, religious studies, and other areas, in addition to our expertise and leading-edge research in nanotechnology, biotechnology, and information technology. Universitywide, the Rice–Texas Medical Center partnerships number nearly 90, and over the years, they have become a force of influence and inspiration by serving educational, research, and outreach needs at many levels.

Rice also has developed several programs with the Houston Independent School District. Currently, Rice sponsors or hosts approximately 60 initiatives in educational outreach. The majority of these programs focus specifically on K–12 education, and many engage teachers in professional development in specific fields, enabling Rice to magnify the impact on students. In practice, this also enhances the benefits of these programs to our own faculty and undergraduates, who convey their knowledge, and in the process, gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned at Rice.