Talent, Innovation and Competitiveness

Last week, the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) released a report, Graduate Education: The Backbone of American Competitiveness and Innovation, at a forum held at the Library of Congress in Washington.  CGS is an organization of over 450 institutions of higher education in the US, - plus a small number in Canada and across the globe, - whose mission is to improve and advance graduate education.  I was a member of the report's Advisory Committee and participated in the Washington forum.

Why is graduate education particularly important in today's world?  I think it is primarily due to the changing nature of innovation in the 21st century.  "Interdisciplinary research preparation and education are central to future competitiveness, because knowledge creation and innovation frequently occur at the interface of disciplines," says the CGS report (p18).  In such a world, the ability to analyze and solve problems, even ones you never saw before is particularly important, as is the ability to quickly bring to market new products, services and integrated solutions of all kinds.  This kind of talent is more important than ever, given the increasingly complex, fast changing, competitive world we live in.  These are the kinds of skills that require solid preparation as well as a certain degree of maturity, and that therefore are difficult to acquire in college.  This is what graduate education and advanced degrees are all about.

For decades, the US higher education system has been the envy of the world, attracting a steady supply of the nation's and the world's most talented students.  Their work has contributed directly to sustained economic growth and prosperity.  As the CGS report observes:  "A highly skilled workforce operating at the frontiers of knowledge creation and professional practice is key to America's competitiveness and national security.  Universities, government and private industry each play an essential role in providing the expertise and resources necessary to achieve this objective."

The key concern that led to the CGS report is that the US is at risk of losing the unique advantage it has enjoyed by having such a highly trained workforce due to two key factors.  First, there is new and growing competition from other nations.  More and more countries are making the connection between talent and economic prosperity and are therefore investing in raising the quality of their universities, in retaining the kinds of students that previously came to study in the US, as well as in attracting such students from around the world.  "Other countries have already increased their investment in graduate education, and as a result are beginning to attract top domestic and international students who would otherwise study here," said CGS president Debra Stewart.

According to the CGS report (p 20), international students accounted for over 40% of the doctorates awarded in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields in 2005.  Many of them then remained in this country after receiving their degrees.  Foreign-born workers account for over a quarter of the STEM workforce in the United States.

They came – and stayed – because the US had long been regarded as an attractive setting in which to study and conduct research.  But, in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks, - despite the efforts of the higher education community, - a perception has evolved that the country was no longer welcoming international graduate students.  For three years after 9/11, the number of first-time international graduate students in the US actually declined, although a modest recovery has been made in the last couple of years. 

In the meantime, as mentioned above, other countries have significantly increased their investments in graduate education and in attracting top students.  The report (p 1) observes that, while the number of scientific papers published in the US has been relatively constant in the last decade, the number published in other countries has grown by more than 30 percent.  The visa restrictions and similar policies that make it harder for foreigners to come to study and work here, make it significantly harder for US universities to continue to attract the most talented students from around the world.

Compounding the problem is the fact that fewer US citizens are pursuing advanced degrees in STEM fields.  For example, the report states (p 15) that in 1966 US citizens earned close to 80 percent of the doctoral degrees in STEM fields, but in 2005 they earned just 53 percent.  "If the United States is to maintain its competitive edge, it is imperative that US citizens from all population groups, including those who traditionally have not been highly represented, such as minorities and women, pursue STEM graduate degrees in greater numbers.”

The report offers (pp 24 – 27) an Action Agenda to strengthen US competitiveness and innovation through a renewed commitment to graduate education.  Its key points are:

    -  Develop a highly skilled workforce by fostering collaboration among leaders in higher education, business and government
    -  Expand participation of underrepresented groups in all fields, especially those essential to America’s competitiveness and national security
    -  Create a vision for all US students that portrays careers in the STEM fields as engaging, compelling, transparent and remunerative
    -  Attract and retain the best and brightest students from around the world, and
    -  Enhance the quality of graduate education through ongoing evaluation and research      

It is not surprising that as we live in an increasingly flat, integrated, - and complex - world, and as we are moving from an industrial to a knowledge-based society, talent is becoming the ultimate competitive weapon.  For much of the 20th century the US higher education system played a key role in developing the best and brightest talent, enabling it to become the world’s leader in research and innovation, and resulting in economic growth and enhanced national security.  Strengthening all education - and in particular graduate education - is key to a prosperous and secure future.

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