The UI System released its 2025 annual report on Jan. 22, which detailed a collection of its three campuses’ recent research, community outreach and economic impact.
“The University of Illinois System was created with a singular purpose: to serve Illinois and its people through education, research, and innovation — to provide strength and opportunity for a growing state and to advance the public good,” wrote UI System President Timothy Killeen in the report.
Research
One researcher detailed was University of Illinois Springfield professor Natalya Zinkevich, who, in partnership with the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, was studying how cancer spreads.
The study involved undergraduate students, giving them experience in working with cells early in their careers.
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“This research has provided valuable hands-on experience with cell culture techniques, allowing me to gain skills that are essential in cell biology and research,” wrote Frankie Molitor, a UIS student, to the UI System.
University of Illinois Chicago professor Andrew Boyd was part of a research team who received a $10 million grant from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health to “integrate health data from a broader range of health professionals, including nurses, physical and occupational therapists, and speech and language pathologists, adding it to data collected from physician visits and lab results,” according to a UI Health article.
The UI System says this research will help transform how data informs patient care.
Computer science, AI
At UIC, the computer science program has expanded over the past decade, with over triple the number of undergraduate students in the field as compared to 2015. Its new Computer Design Research and Learning Center, a 135,000-square-foot building, opened in July to help accommodate the growing demand.
“The future of our state’s growing knowledge economy requires appropriately aligned and world-class educational and research programs,” wrote UIC Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda in the report.
As for the University, Thomas Siebel, alum and C3.ai CEO, donated $50 million in 2024 to create the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science. The school was dedicated in his honor in October 2024.
The Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, a quantum research and development center in Chicago, had its groundbreaking ceremony in October. The park is backed by over $500 million in state funding and is being led by a University professor, according to the report.
“This was a combined effort that took all of us believing in the potential. It’s a powerful testament to what Illinois can achieve together,” wrote Gov. JB Pritzker in the report.
Economic impact
In total, the three universities in the system are responsible for a reported $24.9 billion in economic impact while supporting over 225,000 jobs, according to a UI System-commissioned external study of fiscal year 2023 data released in September.
The UI System itself employs over 37,000 faculty and staff who educate over 101,000 students. Fall 2025’s freshman class at the University marked the largest ever, at 9,207 students. Students can also expect to see a return of $4.80 in higher future earnings per dollar spent on out-of-pocket expenses and forgone income during their studies, per the study.
As a land-grant institution, part of the University’s mission is to serve its home state. In total, 74% of alumni stay in Illinois, adding over $18 billion to the state economy.
