We analyze innovation in university strategic plans to assess whether innovation is a stated priority, to what end innovation is sought, and whether innovation is a comprehensive strategy or more carefully bounded, excluding innovation opportunities. Our analysis utilized Atlas.ti software to quantify word usage and to extract and classify sentences that state innovation intentions. Innovation, entrepreneurship and transformation are mentioned often in university strategic plans, conveying aspirations to change, both inside the university (to improve the institution) and outside (for the benefit of society at large). In recent years (especially since 2015), these terms have become unifying themes of many plans aiming to modernize, improve and become more responsive to societal needs, spanning multiple mission areas. Moreover, the terminology has been adopted by a broad range of American universities, though less often by those that have the highest rankings for their undergraduate education and research programs. Though innovation strategies nudge universities toward change by promoting adoption of technology, service to diverse students, and creation of buildings and spaces for collaboration, strategic plans do not express aspirations for disruptive forms of innovation that alter the direction of higher education.

我们在大学战略计划中分析创新，以评估创新是否已被列为优先事项，追求的目标是什么，创新是一项综合战略还是更仔细地界定（不包括创新机会）。我们的分析利用Atlas.ti软件来量化单词使用量，并提取和分类陈述创新意图的句子。大学战略计划中经常提到创新，企业家精神和变革，传达了大学内部（以改善机构）和外部（以造福全社会）的变革愿望。近年来（尤其是自2015年以来），这些用语已成为许多计划的统一主题，这些计划旨在跨越多个任务领域，对社会需求进行现代化，改进和响应，而且，该术语已被广泛的美国大学采用，尽管在本科教育和研究计划中排名最高的大学较少。尽管创新战略通过促进技术的采用，为多样化的学生提供服务以及创建协作的建筑物和空间来推动大学朝着变革的方向发展，但战略计划并未表达对颠覆性创新形式的渴望，这些创新形式改变了高等教育的方向。