The University of Colorado has opened its 2026 Innovation & Efficiency (CU I&E) Awards, inviting employees from across its campuses to submit projects that improve university operations. The annual program recognizes initiatives that save time, reduce waste, enhance clarity, and strengthen the institution’s processes.
Among this year’s submissions are three notable projects:
– The MechE MS Thesis Incentive & Milestones introduces a milestone-based framework for graduate students. This system clarifies the thesis process, improves communication between students and faculty, links student progress to funding, and has saved the department over $100,000 in one year.
– The Sustainable Lab Equipment Reuse Marketplace is an internal platform designed to redistribute usable lab equipment within the university rather than sending it to landfills. This approach reduces both waste and purchasing costs while keeping valuable items in use.
– Automating Advancement Report User Guides utilizes a Copilot-powered tool to convert business intelligence report metadata into user guides. Tasks that previously took days now require only hours, increasing accuracy and allowing staff to focus on more complex work.
In 2025, the top CU I&E Award was given to Sustainability in Simulation Operations at CU Anschutz. The current round will award up to $1,500 in cash prizes as determined by a judging panel.
“The CU Innovation & Efficiency (CU I&E) Awards celebrate those forward‑thinking improvements that save time, reduce waste, boost clarity and strengthen the university’s operations,” according to the Office of University Controller.
Employees can view all current project submissions or submit their own ideas through the program’s website.
The awards aim to encourage innovation among staff and contribute to ongoing improvements at the University of Colorado.
