There are three main centers of higher education in the Memphis region.
Memphis benefits from universities and colleges in the three-state 60-mile regional area. The largest concentration of educational resources lies in the Memphis metropolitan area, containing the University of Memphis, Rhodes College, LeMoyne-Owen College, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Christian Brothers University, and six other institutions of higher learning. Together they enroll about 30,000 students. Surrounding the metro area are two principal public educational centers: Jonesboro, home to Arkansas State University, and Oxford, Mississippi, the location of the University of Mississippi. There is also an educational cluster in Jackson, Tennessee consisting of two private universities and one public college.

The region benefits from the strengths of each of its public and private institutions.
Higher educational facilities located in the regional area feed the Memphis area job market. The region's three major universities are all important research centers. The University of Mississippi, the most highly ranked of the region's public institutions, awarded 80 doctoral degrees last year in 22 disciplines including business administration and engineering. The University of Mississippi is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as being one of only 128 Doctoral/Research Extensive universities in the nation. The University of Memphis granted 87 Ph.D.s in 11 areas, with the heaviest concentration also in education (between 26 and 30%). While Arkansas State University granted only two Ph.D. degrees in education, it is emerging as an important center for agricultural research. Rhodes College is the leader among the region's private institutions and consistently ranks among the top 10 national liberal arts schools annually.

Recommendations

Define the regional education mission.
The new knowledge-based economy is a product of innovations created in national centers of educational excellence. To fully participate in this emerging economy, the Memphis region must clearly define its mission, objectives and goals with regard to education. It is important that the region's educational mission statement take into account economic development, quality of life and common visions regardless of state boundaries and jurisdictions. There should be a region-wide effort to develop advanced logistics degrees.

Create a regional education strategy
A collaborative higher education strategy among all regional institutions (universities and community colleges) is necessary to strengthen the educational resources of the region. An important strategy would be to build the University of Memphis into a flagship institution for the region. The University Presidents Council could be used as the basis for business, public sector and university/college leaders to collectively develop the regional strategy. In the last 15 years, the University of Alabama - Birmingham has successfully formed itself into a major research center. It could serve as a model of strategic development for Memphis.

Expand the new economy through stronger universities, colleges and research centers.
The competitiveness of the region is dependent, in large part, on the quality and strength of its workforce. The skills of the workforce, in turn, are dependent on the quality of the regional and metro universities, colleges and research centers. The quality of universities is the determining factor in attracting bright young people to the region. The region's educational programs can be threatened if there is a decline of funding for its centers of higher education in Tennessee and Arkansas. The University of Memphis, ASU and the University of Mississippi are focused on areas important to strengthening the region's presence in the new economy such as science and engineering. Funding programs for education should be supported aggressively by the business community, leadership from academia, public officials and area residents.

The Memphis region can attract the "best and brightest" and can become a major participant in the new economy by developing its institutions into top-quality universities with strong research capabilities that can lead to the commercialization of research products.

The regional economy can also be strengthened by increasing its correlation to education. For example, Memphis is strong in the business of logistics, but has only one university program for continuing education in this area. In the medical arena, Memphis has a strong educational program but few local business ventures, such as the Smith & Nephew / Memphis City Schools Partnership, addressing bio-med or other medical business opportunities.

Develop reciprocal relationships between state colleges and universities across state lines.
State lines create an economic barrier for regional residents wishing to attend the region's universities. With the exception of Arkansas State University, out of state tuition is charged for students from the Memphis region who attend colleges and universities that are within the region but across a state line. This regional reciprocity would facilitate higher educational access for all of the residents of the Memphis region.

Strengthen the role of community colleges in the region's development process.
Community colleges play an important role in the life of the region's development. They serve as a bridge between high school and college, are important in workforce training, offer a broad range of continuing education for citizens at all levels, and lower the cost of higher education for the region's citizens. Better coordination of curriculum, tuition and access to community colleges would benefit all parts of the region.

Address the disparities in the regional K-12 systems.
The quality of the metro's human resources, including people in the workforce and university students, is dependent on the quality of high school graduates. While some of the region's K-12 systems are very strong, others are weak. Various factors contribute to the regional disparities among systems. These factors include lack of funding, quality of facilities and resources, quality of staffing, community and parental involvement, poverty levels, etc.

This uneven quality of the K-12 system adversely affects the regional future and must be improved to meet today's standards and prepare students for the workforce and entrance to college. Early childhood development programs are an important part of establishing a good foundation for the individual's education. Regional K-12 issues need to be addressed when creating local solutions, because local decisions have significant effects on the entire region's future.

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