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Academic Innovation at Franklin

As Franklin moves forward, we are embracing a bold vision for the future of arts and sciences education. Our Academic Innovation Initiative is designed to modernize curricula, expand opportunities, and empower students, faculty, and alumni to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

A Modernizing Force for Arts & Sciences

Academic Innovation elevates creativity, collaboration, entrepreneurship, research, and leadership as essential components of academic excellence and life-long professional success. To drive this work, Franklin launched the Office of Academic Innovation in 2024 to accelerate the development of high-demand academic programs; expand experiential learning; strengthen student and alumni community; and support faculty, staff, and advisors as they guide students toward meaningful career pathways. Through layered, personalized support, we help students develop a foundation that fuels long-term success through curiosity, creativity, ambition, innovation, and leadership. We call this the Franklin Spark, and it drives our commitment to preparing students for a lifetime of purpose.

Connecting Knowledge to Impact

At its core, Academic Innovation helps students connect the skills they develop across disciplines to professional lives of meaning and impact, while supporting faculty in expanding these efforts. Franklin has always been a home for students who want to think deeply about global challenges and societal issues. This initiative strengthens that tradition while opening new pathways for students to apply their talents for positive impact in the world.

Meeting Students Where They Are

In our increasingly complex world, students need to be able to work across, between, and within multiple disciplines to solve societal issues and global challenges. Franklin’s multidisciplinary programs emphasize collaborative inquiry and experiential learning, with the students leading their own way by designing their education across disciplines. Students combine majors, minors, and certificates to build flexible, applied skill sets that translate directly to career success. Academic Innovation responds to this reality by creating learning opportunities that reflect how students think, learn, and aspire. Faculty, advisors and alumni share this enthusiasm, recognizing the power of multidisciplinary practice and the unique role Franklin plays in fostering it. When students encounter ideas that bridge fields, they discover new possibilities - and often, new ambitions that lead to learning opportunities. 

Learning From Students, Alumni, and Industry

Innovation flows in both directions. Many students are pursuing multidisciplinary degrees and seeking programs that blend fields like computing, global studies, health, and the arts. Our faculty talent is similarly multidisciplinary, creating a strong ecosystem of academic innovation. Through focus groups, surveys, and ongoing conversations, we ensure our academic programs remain responsive to tomorrow's demands while upholding the rigor that defines a UGA education. We also work closely with employers and industry leaders and use these insights to shape programs that prepare students for emerging fields and evolving workforce needs.