UNIVERSITIES LEADING THE WAY IN TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH

UNIVERSITIES LEADING THE WAY IN TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH

Kentucky's universities have also jumpted on the high-tech bandwagon in a big way. Noting that three-quarters of economic growth in the U.S today is the result of technological advances, nearly all of which comes from university based research, the state's institutions of higher learning are becoming increasingly technology-driven.

In an article in The Lane Report, a Lexington business publications, University of Kentucky President Lee Todd, Jr., commented on the university's aggressive efforts to achieve "Top 20" status as a research institution, an effort that has been further enhanced by the annoucement that the university recently surpassed the $ 1 billion mark in its fundraising efforts.

"The future of the American economy lies in the commercialization of university-driven research ," says Dr. Todd. " We can no longer compete in the low-wage economic sectors where China, India and other Asian and Latin American countries can offer cheaper land and cheaper labor," he says, adding that"we must compete with innovation, and in the 'brain game,' universities must lead the way."

In its effort to lead the way, the UK Board of Trustees has approved the establishment of the Institute for Workplace Innovation (iWIN) to improve work environments for Kentucky-based companies. Among the proposed services are creating a corporate roundtable of top employers to discuss developing and maintaining high-quality work environments; conducting research on Kentucky's workforce and the practices of Kentucky-based employers; and engaging the business community in adopting innovative workplace practices by offering services such as executive and management coaching and organizational consultation.