Each year, the University of Colorado (CU) highlights efforts by its employees to improve university operations through the CU Innovation & Efficiency (CU I&E) Awards. The 2026 program is now open for submissions, and new entries are demonstrating innovative approaches across CU’s campuses.
Among this year’s submissions is the MechE MS Thesis Incentive & Milestones project. This initiative introduces a milestone-based framework that clarifies the thesis process, enhances communication, and links student progress to funding. According to the submission, “The structure boosts accountability and has already saved the department over $100,000 in one year.”
Another entry is the Sustainable Lab Equipment Reuse Marketplace. This internal marketplace allows for reusable lab equipment to be redistributed within CU rather than being discarded. The system aims to decrease waste and reduce purchasing costs while keeping valuable items in use.
A third submission features Automating Advancement Report User Guides. This tool uses Copilot technology to transform business intelligence report metadata into user guides quickly. As described in the entry, “Documentation that once took days is now completed in hours, improving accuracy and freeing staff for higher-value work.”
Last year’s top award was given to Sustainability in Simulation Operations at CU Anschutz. The winning campus for 2026 has yet to be determined.
Winners selected by a judging panel can receive up to $1,500 in cash prizes.
The Office of University Controller encourages employees to submit their projects and contribute ideas that could shape future improvements at CU.
