FARGO – To strengthen policymaking that supports resilient, future-ready rural communities, North Dakota State University and RAND have launched a new research partnership focused on workforce development and other critical issues facing North Dakota.

The collaboration is part of the RAND Rural America Partnership and will combine NDSU’s land-grant mission and research expertise with RAND’s decades of experience providing nonpartisan, evidence-based analysis to inform public policy. Together, the institutions will develop proposed solutions to challenges in workforce readiness, access to rural healthcare, agricultural innovation and economic sustainability, according to NDSU.

Initial commentary, thought leadership and research will focus on workforce trends and developing strategies to expand North Dakota’s workforce tailored to rural industries such as agriculture, energy, and healthcare. The partnership will also explore ways to strengthen local training programs and connect them to emerging opportunities in advanced manufacturing and AgTech.

Early findings from the NDSU-RAND collaboration are expected later this year and will inform state and federal policy discussions on rural workforce development and innovation.

“This partnership exemplifies how research can directly serve communities,” said David Luckey, director of the RAND Rural America Partnership. “By working with NDSU, we’re building a model for how evidence-based policy can empower rural communities to meet 21st-century challenges.”