Message from NJIT President Teik C. Lim

Published: Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Dear Highlanders,

It is incredibly exciting to write to you today as the 9th president of NJIT after officially beginning my tenure last week on July 1. I am humbled by this opportunity and very enthusiastic about the future of our university, and I would like to thank NJIT Board Chair Robert Cohen for his welcome message last week, which contained the following video with thoughts shared by Trustees, Overseers and others.

 

I was drawn to NJIT by its amazing trajectory, its vibrant community of learners and scholars, and its history of delivering social and economic impact while producing alumni who are innovative and entrepreneurial leaders in their fields.

We are a very strong institution, and I have a vision for NJIT’s future that builds upon its current strengths and positions us to seize the myriad opportunities that will present themselves. In fact, higher education is in the midst of a digital revolution that is more than simply delivering classes online. For NJIT to take its next leap forward, we must do two things:

  1. We must create the technological and physical infrastructure that will enable our core teaching and research enterprises to be unbound by space or time. Doing this will open the world for business and industry partnerships, will make possible academic and research collaborations of monumental scope, and will enable us to grow enrollment among international and non-traditional students, such as working adults and professionals who can benefit from skills development and competency attainment.
  2. We also must assure that our university is accessible to students of all backgrounds, including those with limited financial means, and is a truly welcoming and inclusive community where everyone is afforded the opportunities for success and the respect that they deserve. I believe that talent exists everywhere but opportunities do not, and institutions like NJIT should be positioned to provide access to opportunities.

These two core initiatives will strengthen NJIT by attracting resources and talent, fostering collaboration, and enhancing its impact on the world.

I look forward to leading our university in this direction and to working with each of you as we build upon the legacy of NJIT as the pre-eminent public polytechnic research university in New Jersey and our region! Thank you for your support and your dedication to our university. Now let’s get to work!

Sincerely,

Teik C. Lim
NJIT President