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Forum weighs impact of higher education on economy

April 24, 2006

Universities often are called “economic engines” in reference to the bounty of human capital and new knowledge these institutions produce for their states and the nation.

To address this topic in depth and how it relates to Wisconsin, a group of noted economists, business leaders and University of Wisconsin System chancellors will gather at the University of Wisconsin–Madison on Thursday, April 27, for a forum titled “Higher Education and the State’s Economy.”

The forum will be held in the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St., and is free and open to the public.

Experts will focus their discussion on how public postsecondary education contributes to state economic activity, the function of the university in future economic growth, and necessary approaches for furthering economic development.

Presentations include:

  • “Sizing Up Support for Higher Education: A Comparative Metric for Determining State Commitment,” Justin Ronca, WISCAPE project assistant, 9:45-10:15 a.m.
  • “State Governments, Public Research Universities and the Competitive Setting for Wisconsin’s Future,” Irwin Feller, senior visiting scientist at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 10:30-11:45 a.m.
  • “The Role of Postsecondary Education in Wisconsin’s Economy,” Carlos Santiago, chancellor, UW-Milwaukee, noon-1 p.m.
  • Panel Discussion: “The Business Community Talks about Public Higher Education,” Tom Hefty, co-chair of the Wisconsin Governor’s Economic Growth Council; Scott Milfred, editorial page editor of the Wisconsin State Journal; and Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council, 1:30-3 p.m.

Other commentators include David Ward, president of NorthStar Economics Inc., and UW–Madison Chancellor John Wiley.

Sponsored by the Wisconsin Center for the Advancement of Postsecondary Education (WISCAPE), the event is part of an ongoing series on the changing relationship between states and public universities. WISCAPE is a UW–Madison center that seeks to engage key stakeholders, including researchers, policymakers and practitioners, in an ongoing dialogue about postsecondary education to improve decision-making and leadership practices.