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S.C. Centers for Economic Excellence need you!

Submitted by: John Warner on Nov 02, 2003 at 6:00 am Tagged with: General Archives Source:

S.C. Centers for Economic Excellence need you!

South Carolina Business Journal On-line

By John Warner
The global economy presents both enormous opportunities as well as serious
threats to South Carolina industry. There are billions of people around the
world reaching a level of affluence that will allow them to be consumers of our
products and services. This workforce is also creating tremendous pricing
pressure on South Carolina companies, especially those manufacturing commodity
products.
To be successful in a globally connected economy, South Carolina industry must
be highly innovative so we are competitive with the best in the world. That
requires South Carolina industry to have access to top talent in areas that are
strategic to our companies.

Dr. George Kosmetski, architect of the country's most successful
knowledge-based economic development plan, created the foundation of Austin's
highly innovative community through partnerships between major industry and
research universities to attract and develop best-in-the-world talent.
University and industry partnerships which make both more globally competitive
are at the core of innovative communities across the country.
Through the Research Centers of Economic Excellence Act, the General Assembly
has allocated $60 million in 2003 and 2004 to fund matches for private sector
contributions to "endowments for professorships in research areas targeted to
create well-paying jobs and enhanced economic opportunities for the people of
South Carolina."
Under the program, companies and other private partners will provide funding
for endowed chairs to recruit pre-eminent scholars in areas strategic to them.
The state will provide equivalent matching funds for chairs approved by the
Research Centers of Excellence Review Board.
Pre-eminent scholars will attract top graduate students, and knowledge will
transfer from the university to industry as students graduate and become
employed.
To be most successful, the endowed chairs program must have the input of the
business community to identify those areas that are most strategic to them and
then to work with the universities to develop research programs in those areas.
Over the next several months, the S.C. Chamber of Commerce, the S.C. Department
of Commerce, and the Carolina Crescent Coalition, along with the research
universities, will lead a broad based effort to reach out to the S.C. business
community.
The S.C. Centers of Economic Excellence Forums will be modeled on the very
successful series of regional "Grass-Roots Meetings," in collaboration with
local chambers of commerce. To ensure strong participation by the business
community, a steering committee is being organized to serve as a point of
contact with the companies participating in the Forum.
More than 200 years ago, Adam Smith observed, "It is not from the benevolence
of the butcher, the brewer or the baker that we expect our dinner but from
their regard to their own interest."
The magic of South Carolina's future economic success will derive from
companies and universities working together in their enlightened self-interest
to attract and develop best-in-the-world talent in focused areas.
S.C. Centers of Economic Excellence Forums needs the involvement of your
company to understand what is in your enlightened self interest. For more
information on getting involved, please contact Randy Bradley at the S.C.
Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-799-4601 or randyb@scchamber.net.