top of page
official-icon-VIP.png

VIP creates long-term, large-scale projects that unite undergraduate education and faculty research, innovation, design, and entrepreneurship through multidisciplinary teams.

Call for Proposals

ABOUT VIP

VIP engages undergraduate students of all backgrounds and disciplines in ambitious, long-term, large-scale, multidisciplinary, course-based project teams led by UMD faculty members.  The VIP model has been evaluated and refined over more than two decades and is in operation at over 20 universities and colleges around the world.

Launched by the A. James Clark School of Engineering, VIP@Maryland is in operation and currently hosts four successful faculty-led VIP Teams:

VIP@Maryland and OUR are working to collaboratively expand this exciting experiential education model with campus partners who seek to provide new opportunities for their students to engage in research, innovation, and multidisciplinary engagement.

Call for Proposals

​​

Launch: Mid October, 2024

Submissions Close: December 20, 2024

​​

Our annual VIP Call for Proposals seeks to find campus partners who would benefit from hosting a new VIP Team.​

Background on the VIP Model

The first step in considering where a VIP Team might be a good fit for your academic unit or organization is to take time to better understand the VIP model.​  Given that this model has been implemented at a range of colleges and universities, there are many places to learn more about the model and how it works:

vip-website.png

Design Features, Impacts & Outcomes of the VIP Model

Leveraging information provided by the VIP Consortium, consider the following aspects of the VIP model regarding student impacts and outcomes.  Much of the text presented below is available on the VIP Consortium website.

In VIP programs, undergraduate students - from various academic years and disciplines -  work with faculty on ambitious, long-term, large-scale research projects.

 

Structured as semester-long courses, VIP operates like lab groups or think-tanks rather than the traditional lecturer-class model, giving students direct involvement in the research and innovation while earning academic credit.

Faculty-Led Teams: Faculty create projects around their scholarly interests, bringing expertise and enthusiasm to each team. The VIP structure is uniquely designed to advance faculty scholarship and research while emphasizing undergraduate learning.

Collaboration & Mentorship: VIP's long-term nature creates a unique mentorship environment: faculty mentor teams, experienced students mentor new members, and students move into leadership positions as others graduate. Subsequently, students develop leadership and collaboration skills.

Active Participation: Interested students may join VIP teams and earn credits per semester starting their sophomore year. Students are eligible to participate in the same team throughout the rest of their academic careers.

 

This extended timeline provides the time and context for students to: 

  • gain deeper insights into their field of study;

  • learn and practice professional and research skills;

  • make substantial contributions to real-world projects; and

  • experience different roles on large, multi-disciplinary teams.

The VIP Model at UMD - How Partnership Will Work for New VIP Teams

Launched by the A. James Clark School of EngineeringVIP@Maryland has been in operation for several years and is a guide for implementing future VIP Teams.  The ENGR-based team that leads VIP@Maryland has established a framework that will inform the design of teams, facilities, courses, and student recruitment.

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) will serve as the unit that will catalyze the scaling of new VIP Teams across UMD. 

 

OUR will help campus partners implement these teams by facilitating the following aspects of new VIP Team operations:

  • Student messaging & recruitment (including the messaging of undergraduates, facilitation of applications, and team assignments).

  • Course creation & scheduling.

  • Faculty training, academic community & readiness.

  • VIP Team assessment & evaluation.

Campus partners will need to provide the following for all new VIP Teams:

  • Appropriate facilities, equipment, and consumables for research operations.

  • A faculty member who can serve as the mentor and instructor of record role for the associated VIP course.

  • Appropriate course relief or overload appointment for the faculty member role and course instruction.

CATALYZING THE CREATION OF A VIP TEAM
AS A CAMPUS PARTNER

Please consider submitting a VIP Team Proposal linked at the bottom of this page.

The process by which OUR considers new opportunities is as follows:

VIPTeamProposalStepsTimeline.png
bottom of page