The Path Forward: Penn Engineering 2030

Where some might see uncertainty, engineers see an open space for innovation. After all, uncertainty and ambiguity often indicate that the time is ripe for new technologies, solutions and markets.

Today, uncertainties in higher education are in no short supply. In an environment where changes in enrollment and government funding, financial aid, and tax and immigration policies can occur rapidly, institutions are also grappling with the profound transformation of education itself: Traditional boundaries of disciplines are disappearing, technology is evolving at lightning speed and global challenges like climate change and cybersecurity demand solutions that are both immediate and imaginative.

“Uncertainty rewards those who can pivot,” says Vijay Kumar, Nemirovsky Family Dean of Penn Engineering. “We see this moment not as a threat, but as an invitation to innovate, and with deep expertise in engineering education and the scientific fields central to solving today’s global challenges, Penn Engineering is ideally positioned to lead.”

At the beginning of 2025, leaders across the School came together to construct the framework for a new strategic plan that will guide the School through the next five years and beyond. The result, Penn Engineering 2030, was then developed through a School-wide, collaborative process grounded in In Principle and Practice, Penn’s shared vision for shaping the University’s future.

Launched in September, Penn Engineering 2030 prioritizes investments across programmatic, facility and community needs and is supported by four strategic pillars: Reinventing Engineering Education, Advancing Research Excellence and Impact, Strengthening Community and Culture, and Reimagining Organizational Agility and Sustainability.

“Penn Engineering 2030 and its goals exemplify the leadership and resilience of the School’s community,” says Rob Stavis (ENG’84, W’84), University Trustee and Chair of Penn Engineering’s Board of Advisors. “These efforts are not confined to campus; the Penn Engineering community encompasses a global network of alumni and partners whose expertise and experiences are critical to its success.”

Computing pioneer Alan Kay is known for saying, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” As Penn Engineering invents the future of engineering education and research, our alumni, collaborative partners and friends will be instrumental in building it.

Read the full story in Penn Engineering magazine.