The Research Enterprise Under Strain

This session gives research leaders a clear and practical view of the pressures reshaping the university research enterprise and the steps VPRs can take now to safeguard and strengthen their portfolios. The past decade brought steady growth, yet today’s environment features cancelled grants, politicized funding priorities, proposed caps on F&A, and sharper competition for funding and talent.

We will look closely at the pressures directly impacting research offices, including shifting federal priorities, reduced agency staffing, expanded compliance risks, and the widening gap between institutions with strong scale and institutions struggling to keep pace. The session will also explore long term risks such as faculty departures, weakening PhD pipelines, and declining public trust in science. These forces will influence research capacity for years to come.

VPRs will leave with actionable frameworks that help them prioritize scarce resources, reinforce the stability of their research enterprise, and position their institution to compete successfully in a range of uncertain futures.

Session

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Attendance is best suited for vice presidents for research, chief research officers, and their teams.

• Friday, February 20, 2026 | 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time