Urbana University Eyed The $3.5 Million Investment, Support For Health and Development fields

Urbana University, sitting in the city of Urbana, Ohio, has had quite an interesting history. In 2020, it was purchased by Franklin University. This went on until January 2021, where the university was sold to EEI LLC amidst the Covid crisis enveloping the United States. Although most assets are now under EEI, they have allowed Franklin University to use the Urbana brand in their marketing materials as a separate entity from the actual university.

The University specializes in Computing Sciences and Human Developmental studies, offering unique programs for each of these fields. They also cater to postgraduates that want to further their professional lives through advanced knowledge and lessons. Urbana University caters to all students, inviting them into a professional environment where they can hone their skills further.

During the covid pandemic, the university went for an online interface that came with its own unique problems. One of the most prevalent problems was technical issues for both students and faculty members, slowing down productivity and decreasing the quality of education. Another would be the declining enrollment numbers during this crisis. All these factors painted a grim picture of the future for the university, still just floating by using digital platforms to continue their programs.

More and more, universities around the country have been coping with this new push towards digitization. Urbana University has coped, adapting itself according to the trends set by its peers. However, it has been noted that the online interface, as well as the current enrollee numbers, has caused a scenario wherein they are in need of financial aid.

Urbana University, in need of support, is now slated to receive an EEI Investment of about $3.5 million. They will also be receiving an annual budget of $3 million for use in R&D projects. The lion’s share of this will be going towards various improvements in the curriculums of Health and Human Development.

Thomas Richards, the president of Urbana University, has said in statements that they want a more “focused direction towards creating a knowledge-based institution.” He further added that “This will be targeted towards improving the capabilities of our various faculties. Our main focus will be improving on the fields of Psychology, Healthcare Informatics, Public Health, and training for Allied Health Professions.

With all of these financial incentives and maneuvers being done for this push towards reopening, some parties have expressed concern about certain aspects of these potential deals. These include potential disadvantages, such as limitation of choice and freedoms in academic researches and especially issues in branding deals. The administration under Urbana University President Thomas Richards aims to steer clear of these issues by staying true to their goals and enforcing ethical practices for all parties.