Innovations in science and engineering have driven economic growth in the United States over the last five decades. More recently, technology has risen to become a defining driver of productivity in business and industry. In that context, college graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines provide critical…

Across the United States, civic leaders from all sectors are working avidly to identify education and workforce strategies that can bolster regional economic development. One notable success story is found in Louisville, Kentucky, where a broad coalition of local leaders identified powerful educational improvement strategies and then successfully…

The Federal Pell Grant Program is a critical source of grant aid for many low-and moderate-income college students. Over the past decade, the federal government has expanded the program to serve more students, increasing the maximum level of each award to $5,550 and better ensuring college access and success. However, the House 2012 budget…

"Learn and Earn" programs offer one channel for ameliorating some of the workforce challenges that are of concern. Learn and Earn programs involve partnerships between postsecondary education institutions and employers to provide opportunities for adults to attend college while maintaining their employment. One such example is Metropolitan…

Graduate education in the natural sciences has traditionally emphasized doctoral training for academic or research careers. This training, however, is not meeting the demand for professionals in business, industry, and the public sector, where individuals with a combination of scientific, technical, and managerial skills will be required.…

The Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) is an organization of Fortune 500 chief executive officers (CEOs,) prominent college and university presidents, and foundation leaders working to advance innovative solutions to the nation's education challenges in order to enhance U.S. competitiveness. This paper presents questions and answers about the…

Across the country, cities and regions have used community-wide partnerships to improve the educational attainment of their citizens. The most established of these partnerships have seen substantial education gains during their tenure. The community of Louisville, Kentucky has embarked on a similar effort to improve educational attainment. Nearly…

American students today have limited interest in studying mathematics and science, and academic achievement in these two foundational disciplines is demonstrably low. This reality poses an acute challenge to our ability to keep American society intellectually vibrant and to ensure that our economy is globally competitive. This Business-Higher…

"Forum Focus" was a semi-annual magazine of the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) that featured articles on the role of business and higher education on significant issues affecting the P-16 education system. The magazine typically focused on themes featured at the most recently held semi-annual Forum meeting at the time of publication.…

Investing in research, which drives industrial development and innovation, is essential to ensuring America's economic prosperity, national security, and leadership in a global economy. Although U.S. commitment to research and development (R&D) has traditionally been strong and sustained, federal funding of R&D as a share of U.S. gross domestic…

America's leaders are increasingly concerned about U.S. competitiveness in a rapidly globalizing world. In response, during the 2006 State of the Union Address, President Bush introduced the American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI) to promote policy that bolsters student achievement in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and…

At its Summer 2003 meeting, the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) engaged the questions of America's role in the post-Sept.11, 2001 world. Following a series of panel presentations, BHEF members specifically examined the important issues of sustaining, legitimating, and using American power. Six major foreign policy challenges facing the…

This report warns that if current trends continue, the United States will lose is preeminence in science and technology and its leadership position in innovation. In this report, the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) proposes a four-part action plan in which business, higher education, and policy leaders support P-12 education leaders in…