The University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees voted Tuesday (Jan. 27) to move forward with the development of a new “Innovation Campus,” an interdisciplinary initiative designed to strengthen workforce readiness, expand applied research and support economic growth across central Arkansas and throughout the state.
The board of trustees approved a lease agreement with the Conway Development Corporation for approximately 70,800 square feet of space at 355 Ledgelawn Drive, which will serve as the home of the UCA Innovation Campus and the expansion needs of the UCA College of Science and Engineering. The initial lease term runs from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2029, with options for renewal.
UCA President Houston Davis said the Innovation Campus represents a strategic shift in how the university prepares students for the workforce.
“This is not just another building – it is a new and dynamic model for how UCA connects education to opportunity,” said Davis. “The Innovation Campus will bring students closer to the industries they are preparing to enter, give employers a direct role in shaping talent development and create real value to Arkansas’s workforce and economy.”
The collaborative effort among UCA, Conway Development Corporation and the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton (UACCM) will feature co-located academic and workforce training spaces, including engineering faculty offices and laboratories, open project areas for student-led engineering work, and administrative and instructional space for the Arkansas Coding Academy.
UCA will lease approximately half of the office complex, with the other half being occupied by regional businesses and employers actively hiring UCA students, creating direct pathways for internships, applied learning and job placement.
The project is designed to support workforce needs in engineering, technology, health informatics and skilled trades, while providing flexible space for research, innovation and reskilling initiatives. University leaders say the model is scalable and positions UCA to respond quickly to evolving industry demands.
“UACCM is grateful to the UCA Board of Trustees and President Davis for the exciting opportunity and the trust they place in us as a true education partner,” UACCM Chancellor Lisa Willenberg said. “This collaboration represents a commitment of both institutions to combine efforts ensuring students and business/industry in the North Metro and the River Valley region have expanded access and training opportunities in both the engineering and advanced manufacturing sectors.”
Under the public-private partnership, the Conway Development Corporation will oversee facility infrastructure, maintenance, custodial services and security, with all property-related investments remaining with the site.
UCA will be responsible for interior instructional and technology build-outs, including modular classrooms, audiovisual systems and flexible learning spaces.
Classes and lab activities will begin in August 2026.
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