Universities are increasingly innovating how research support is delivered as demands for advanced information technology grow. As one example, Texas A&M AgriLife is piloting a new model for tech access that could reshape how institutions keep up.

Texas A&M AgriLife’s Center for Managed Technology Services has gotten a $1.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to launch a 24-month pilot program. What makes this forward-looking is that it provides a cost-recovery service block framework for commoditized time blocks of IT expertise rather than permanent hires or costly outside consultants.

Here is how this can help in academic and research:

• Enable smaller or growing research universities to access specialized skills without full-time staffing.
• Make costs more predictable and sustainable through the service-block model.
• Level the playing field for institutions in rural or under-resourced areas.

Looking to the future, this pilot could mark a shift in how universities nationwide organize research IT support, helping move to a more shared, scalable, and equitable service delivery. The plan includes creating a publicly available pilot-to-scale blueprint so other universities can adopt or adapt the model.