North Carolina's Global Position and Higher Education's Role

North Carolina needs new vision and leadership in the public, private, and academic sectors to build a competitive economy in the face of complex economic and social change. Achieving this vision and leadership will require unparalleled collaboration across sectors and a no-holds-barred attitude toward education and business. If the state continues to tolerate the loss of human capital and business opportunities—that is, if it continues tosee itself as a victim—economic decline may become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

This article discusses various indicators of globalization and describes North Carolina’s status on each one. It then discusses the role of one key player, higher education, in mobilizing action.