University of California System Articulates
How It Helps the State's Economy

The UC system has created a useful website that examines how UC supports and contributes to California's economy. As a start, it has identified the various areas in which it provides help. That is a good first step in building greater awareness and hopefully creating a comprehensive university-based ED strategy for the future.

In addition to the system's economic impact on the state and California regions through its budget spending, UC provides support to industry cluster development. This is important because many cluster initiatives in the U.S. and abroad that we have examined need more help to get economic results. Human capital strategies for clusters are very important.

Other UC economic development priorities include: world-class graduate education initiatives for business, engineering and science, innovative technology commercialization, workforce development and assistance to the state's large agricultural sector.

My take is that state funding for higher education has taken a big hit in California, as it has in many states. Hopefully this increased attention to economic development will help to attract more government, corporate and foundation dollars to the UC system.

This is not an easy time for most state-assisted universities. The UC move is a good one if it can increase collaboration with the private sector and local communities and it can grow the state's return on its higher education investments. It's not a perfect world and many Californians are still looking for more for their colleges and universities, but I like the UC "integrated" look at economic development that cuts across all UC campuses. More states should look at this example.

Want to know more. Go here.