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Reaching higher: higher education targets economic development.

Article Excerpt
PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES are inextricably linked to Indiana's ability to compete for the best jobs in growth industries. Their impact ranges from breakthrough research leading to high-tech start-ups to on-site worker training programs. "But more broadly, there are 300,000 students in college every year that are going to be entering the workforce," says Stan Jones, commissioner of the Indiana Commission for Higher Education.

In its "Reaching Higher: Strategic Directions for Indiana" report the commission established several economic development recommendations and is pushing for funding in the 2009-2011 budget--a tough sell in this economy. Incentive funding for IU, Purdue and IUPUI, begun in 2002, would continue if they are successful in capturing additional federal research grants. "In the governor's recommendation it's included, albeit at a lower level," says Jones. It also supports funding for IU and Purdue's year-old collaboration in the life sciences called the Indiana Innovation Alliance--the toughest sell. Then there's $500,000 for Ivy Tech and Vincennes University to deliver more on-site training programs for businesses. "Those are three areas where I think we are making some modest progress; modest because of the state's fiscal outlook," says Jones. Absent from the radar screen are earlier recommendations from both the commission and the governor to provide two years of free college tuition.

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Indiana Innovation Alliance. Through the Indiana Innovation Alliance, IU and Purdue will leverage their core strengths, says Bill Stephan, IU'S vice president for engagement. These strengths include infrastructure, equipment, faculty and students, to support or complement the work that's going on in the private sector. Indiana has reached a...

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