The Friday Institute - About The Institute

OUR PEOPLE

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

THE BUILDING

RENTAL RATES

Our Mission
The mission of the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation is to advance education through innovation in teaching, learning, and leadership. We conduct research, create resources, advocate to improve teaching and learning, and provide services to educators and policymakers. Our work focuses on innovations that will help prepare all students, from preschool through college, to live and work successfully in the 21st century.

Our mission reflects the lifetime work of William and Ida Friday, for whom our Institute is named. The Fridays have been passionate advocates for improving education for more than 50 years. William Friday was president of the University of North Carolina system for 30 years and an education advisor to Presidents Johnson and Carter. Throughout his long career, he has been a guiding force for public education in North Carolina and a visionary leader in education for rural and underserved areas. The Friday Institute strives to continue the work and spirit of William and Ida Friday.

How We Work
Innovation refers to how we work as well as what we produce. We form innovative strategic alliances that cut across the academic, K-12, state government, private sector, non-profit, and local schools communities, seeking to bring together the strongest array of talents and the multiple perspectives necessary to successfully address the challenges of building an effective 21st century educational enterprise. We also convene and facilitate professional learning communities that provide the participants with opportunities to learn from each other, share resources, and develop collaborative strategies for addressing common challenges.

The Friday Institute is part of the NCSU College of Education, and many Education faculty and graduate students lead projects, serve as project staff and consultants, and have other affiliations with the Friday Institute. We also have close working relationships with the Department of Computer Science; the NCSU Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) initiative; Science House; and other programs at NCSU.

The Friday Institute is adjacent to the Centennial Campus Middle School, and our close working relationship with its students, teachers, and administrators reflects our commitment to connecting research and innovation with classroom practices. We also work with many schools throughout North Carolina, and expect to be extending our work nationally in near future.

"We must harness creativity and apply it immediately to education, and not let it sit on the shelf."
- William Friday