“Global Competitiveness and Technology Policy: How the U.S. Can Compete to Stay Ahead”

1. “Global Competitiveness andTechnology Policy:How the U.S. Can Compete to Stay Ahead” Karin Hudson Mehlman Vogel Castagnetti, Inc. EDUCAUSE Policy Conference Washington, DC April 6, 2005

2. Starting Point: Three Key Premises • Competitiveness is a REAL challenge that we must face now. • Information technology plays a critical role in ensuring continued U.S. competitiveness and global leadership. • Education is still the key to ensuring a skilled and competitive workforce, new ways of thinking about education are required, and industry and higher education must work together to achieve this goal.

3. What’s The Big Deal:Is U.S. Competitiveness Really Being Threatened? China India 250 Million Skilled Workers 250 Million Skilled Workers Japan 25 Million Skilled Workers 2025 2025 1985

4. What’s The Big Deal:Is U.S. Competitiveness ReallyBeing Threatened? THEN Total U.S. R&D Spending Billions of Dollars

5. NOW “Does the United States choose to compete? The rest of the world is competing. The U.S. must decide if it will follow that path. It can build on its strength or it can atrophy.” Craig Barrett, CEO, Intel

6. Other Signs of Trouble U.S. Graduate Institutions: Foreign Students Outnumber U.S. students • Patent applications from China, India, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan grew 759% from 1989-2001. • The U.S. share of S&E papers published worldwide declined from 38% in 1988 to 31% in 2001. • China, South Korea, and Taiwan increased gross R&D investments by about 140% from 1995-2001. the U.S. increased its investments by 34% during the same period. • The U.S. ranks 6th in the number of undergraduate engineering degrees awarded behind China, Japan, and Russia, India and the EU-15. • The U.S. has dropped from 1st to 5th in how we take advantage of IT.

7. Americans Are Concerned About the United States’s Global Leadership Position BUT….. Americans increasingly recognize that the United States is being pushed more and more by its foreign competitors. U.S. based companies are far ahead of their foreign competitors. 9% U.S. based companies are still ahead, but their foreign competitors are catching up. 34% U.S. based companies and their foreign competitors are on an even playing field. 16% 30% Foreign competitors have surpassed U.S. based companies. Source: CSPP National Survey, March 2005

8. ….This Doesn’t Necessarily Result in Policy Action Given Other Nearer-Term Crises National Security Resource Crunch Consumer Privacy Offshore Outsourcing

9. Good News: The U.S. Can Remain an Innovative Leader – If it Chooses To Challenge U.S. Response The U.S. increased investments in our space exploration program and committed to improve math and science education. “Sputnik Crisis” 1950’s “Rise of Japan Crisis” 1980’s The U.S. increased investments in innovation to make the country a world IT leader. “Creeping Crisis” 2005 ?

10. IT Policy: How it Fits in, How it Impacts our Place in the Global Market and Why it Matters Internet Tax Digital Rights Management Spectrum Management Export/Knowledge Controls Immigration/ Visas U.S. Competitiveness Broadband Deployment Education Reform Trade Retraining Assistance Healthcare IT

11. A Key Ingredient for Continued Success: Keep Producing the Best and the Brightest "We cannot afford to leave education and training behind in the technology revolution But, unless something changes, the gap between technology's potential and its use in education and training will only grow as technological change accelerates in the years ahead.“ Philip J. Bond, Under Secretary for Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce "In addition to growing new generations of innovators, we must also empower the workers of today. For many workers in the innovation space, the economic ground often feels like it's shifting beneath their feet, and many of them are uncertain about the future.“ G. Wayne Clough, President, University of Georgia

12. What’s Missing: 21st Century Skills “How students learn” is different from “How students live” today. Need to Focus on and advocate a 21st Century Skill set in education for a 21st Century environment to create lifelong learners. • Critical Thinking • Problem Solving • Communications • Collaboration • Self-Directed Learning • Accountability & Adaptability • Information & Media Literacy • Social Responsibility • Creative & Intellectual Curiosity

13. How Have Institutions of Higher-Ed, Industry and Government Partnered Together • The Business-Higher Education Forum • The Partnership for 21st Century Skills • The Interagency Working Group on Advanced Technologies for Education & Training (Dept. of Commerce/Education) • National Science Foundation “Science of Learning Centers” • On-going Joint Education-Industry Partnerships

14. Where Does Higher-Ed Fit in to the Competitiveness Challenge? • Become a “Creeping Crisis” Advocate - Aggressively continue to beat the “creeping crisis” drum and be a leader in convening a discussion with all stakeholders. Demand leadership from others to ensure we invest in innovation, entrepreneurship, infrastructure and education. • Engage – Maintain an on-going dialogue with industry about what their workforce needs are and continue to partner and collaborate on programs and solutions. • Rethink – Look at current curriculum design and begin the process of incorporating 21st Century Skills. Make redesign a priority at the highest levels of campus leadership. • Get Involved – Seek opportunities to get involved with existing initiatives, whether at the local or federal level. • Inspire – Focus on ways to get more young girls and women involved in S&E/information technology education and careers. It’s not just for geeks anymore!

15. Thank You