higher ed

Maryland legislators recently approved a $42.3 billion fiscal year 2017 spending bill that incorporates many of the funding levels included in Gov. Larry Hogan’s proposal. Gov. Hogan made education a main focus of his proposal, and the final bill would hold university tuition increases to no more than 2 percent. In addition, legislators formalized the growing strategic partnership between University of Maryland campuses in Baltimore and College Park.

Although they represent a small proportion of the total number of institutions in the U.S. higher education system, the impact of public research universities is profound and widespread, according to a recently released report from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (The Academy). The report, which is divided in three sections, provides insight into how public research universities act as centers of discovery, drive economic development and social wellbeing, and serve their communities.

Despite its location more than 180 miles south of Gainesville, FL,  Sarasota County – which is far better known for its cultural and environmental amenities than industrial strength – will be home to the University of Florida’s first engineering extension office.

Florida Higher Education – Is the Cheapest Fiscally Sound? provides evidence for the connection between state funding for universities and productivity. Florida Research Consortium and Florida Chamber Foundation combine a variety of data to advance three connections: 1) state funding for universities is exponentially related to total funding for universities; 2) total funding for universities is related to research quality; and 3) research quality is related to productivity within Metropolitan Statistical Areas.

Over the last month, several universities have announced new initiatives that look to spur investments in university-related startups to support economic growth and prosperity within their region or state. These include efforts in Triangle Venture Alliance in North Carolina, Purdue Ventures in Indiana, and a partnership between Oregon State University and a local investment fund.

North Carolina

Over the last few months, a number of universities across the country have launched pre-accelerator programs – a new trend that has emerged in university-led efforts to support entrepreneurial growth among faculty and students. This week, the Digest examines this growing trend and attempts to provide insight into two important questions about pre-accelerators:

Throughout the Great Recession, numerous stories from sources like The Wall Street Journal pointed to the idea of the overeducated and underemployed recent college graduate as a symbol of the economic times. While some recent graduates were able to find work in their respective fields, many did indeed struggle.

Recent doctoral recipients who enter the private sector are more likely to go to firms with high payrolls per worker and other business characteristics associated with high productivity, according to a new report – Wrapping it up in a person: Examining employment and earnings outcomes for Ph.D. recipients.

As universities become increasingly interested in the economic development dimension of their missions, it may be appropriate to consider entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology-based economic development activities in faculty advancement decisions, according to a new report from an Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) task force.

In the face of declining state funding and drawn-out budget negotiations, universities are moving beyond traditional budget procedures to secure funding for their economic development activities. Over the past few months, several universities have leveraged new sources of public and private funds to establish seed funds for university technology. These efforts are intended to increase the number of businesses emerging from their respective educational and research programs and spur regional economic prosperity.