A new report from the National Academies' National Research Council urges the U.S. federal government, state government, business and universities to act in concert to preserve the competitiveness of the nation's research universities. The report, a follow-up to 2005's Rising Above the Gathering Storm, suggests that a number of ongoing trends threaten U.S. global leadership in higher education. The most critical of these issues are declining federal funding for university research and the erosion of state support for higher education in general. By restoring university funding, easing regulatory and reporting requirements, building stronger university-business research partnerships and addressing attrition rates within graduate programs, the U.S. can restore its national research ecosystem, according to the report.
The report, Research Universities and the Future of America: Ten Breakthrough Actions Vital to Our Nation's Prosperity and Security, was commissioned by Congress in 2009 to assess the competitive position of American research universities. A committee of 21 luminaries, including industry CEOs, university presidents, a former U.S. Senator and a Nobel laureate, prepared the report as a strategic plan for university research policy and investment over the next five to ten years. The committee provides ten specific recommendations for action by the White House, federal agencies, state governments, universities and the private sector to bolster the country's research infrastructure.
To read the full, original article click on this link: SSTI Weekly Digest for the Week of June 13, 2012
