Innovation in the United States (US) has begun to lag behind other developed nations, jeopardizing the nation’s economic health and political influence. While federal agencies and policymakers focus efforts on spurring innovation through business-centered initiatives, universities play a prominent role in spurring innovation long-term by developing the next generation of innovative engineers. 

The University of Arkansas’ College of Engineering (COE) is addressing this challenge by infusing innovation principles and processes into its curriculum by creating new courses and adapting existing ones. These courses will equip COE students with the skills and experiences to become engineering innovators. Entrepreneurs and industry sponsors are partnering with COE to provide real-world innovation experiences, which will ultimately help fulfill employer demand for engineering graduates with highly marketable innovation skills. 

This paper provides an overview of the relevant literature used to design and develop COE’s Innovation Initiative: 1) the First-year Innovation Experience, a two-semester freshman engineering innovation sequence focused on innovation; 2) Industrial Engineering Senior Design/Capstone Experience, an adaptation of a two-semester IE course sequence through which student teams implement complex innovation projects. Finally, this paper reviews the critical role industry plays in course development and how it can continue to refine engineering innovation instruction.