The Role of Engaged Universities in Economic Transformation

A Regional Conference inspired by the National Academies Study,
"Rising Above the Gathering Storm".

October 15-16, 2007 at Rackham Auditorium

WHAT IS NEXT?
You can now view all of the Plenary talks and panels (via Windows Media Player - for Windows, for Mac) and download the slides for those who used them. See links by Program day.

A transcript of the prepared talks and panel discussions as well as summary reports of the workshops is being prepared and will posted at this web site.

Check here for other news of conference outcomes, or contact us at 734-763-1290 or ritterj@umich.edu.

Program / view talks and slides:   Day 1   |   Day 2  

Press Accounts Related to Conference

Program Booklet [PDF]   |   Conference Resources

A knowledge-based economy may be the best hope for long-term economic recovery by states like Michigan that were built upon manufacturing as the core industry. To realize this hope, the conference organizers believe that universities can and should play an important role in building such a knowledge-based economy. It is this belief and the publication of a National Academy of Sciences report, "Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future," that provide the impetus for a conference that will address several questions:

• How does a state or region that has had its economic focus on manufacturing transform itself into one based on a knowledge economy that maintains a complementarity to its traditional base?

• What elements define the significant role of research universities (and of higher education in general) of the state or region in effecting and being engaged in such a transition?

• What incisive collaborative steps must be taken as part of state or regional initiatives and university strategies to catalyze this transition?

The conference goal is to develop plans and implementation strategies that universities and other partners can adopt to promote the transformation from manufacturing-based economies to knowledge-based economics.

Plenary talks will be presented on Day 1 (10/15/07) by leaders from academia, government, business and think tanks. Speakers: Sandy Baruah (Assistant U.S. Secretary of Commerce), Mark Murray (President, Meijer, Inc.), Richard Snyder (Chairman and CEO, Gateway Computers), Derrick Kuzak (Group VP for Global Product Development, Ford Motor Co.), Mary Sue Coleman (President, University of Michigan), John Austin (Director, Great Lakes Initiative), Vivek Wadhwa (Harvard Law School) and Charles Vest (President, National Academy of Engineering and former President of MIT).

Day 2 (10/16/07) will begin with a plenary session and then provide concurrent workshops aimed at developing action plans for key players in the intended economic transformation.

The conference was organized by the University Research Corridor. Funding for the conference is provided by the Richard Lounsbery Foundation.

Questions? Contact 734-763-1290 or email ritterj@umich.edu.