UWG News Archive

ARCHE Report 2003

September 22, 2003

CARROLLTON, GA - Atlanta continues to hold its position as a national leader in higher education, according to a study released by the Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education (ARCHE). The University of West Georgia is one of the 21-member institutions in ARCHE and is included in the study.

The study, titled “Higher Education in America’s Metropolitan Areas,” was co-sponsored by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Power, and United Parcel Service, and ranks the higher education capacity of American’s 60 largest metro areas in such areas as enrollment, degrees granted, research spending, and employment.

The study finds that metro Atlanta ranks in the top eight among America’s largest metropolitan areas in 20 different measures of higher education.

“This study shows that Atlanta remains a national center of higher education and indicates how colleges and universities promote economic and work force development,” said Michael Gerber, president of ARCHE. “Atlanta is as leader because its many institutions work together to create an educational atmosphere if diversity and strength.”

Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna, UWG president, is on the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees for ARCHE. He notes the significance of UWG’s inclusion in this organization.

“The University of West Georgia is an important part of the growth, and intellectual and economic vibrancy of the metro Atlanta region, and we are pleased to be a member of ARCHE,” Sethna said.

“At times of fiscal pressures, it is particularly relevant that this study demonstrates beyond doubt that University education is vital to the area — not just in the arena of intellectual development, but also as an exceptionally powerful economic engine. Active support and resources for the enhancement of University education needs to be an intrinsic part of our strategy if Georgia and Atlanta wish to retain their leadership positions in the South and in the nation,” he stated.

Business leaders say the Atlanta region’s high rankings make it more attractive to industry than other metropolitan areas.

“One of metro Atlanta’s strongest selling points in recruiting new business from various industry sectors has been the ability to offer a well-educated and skilled work force,” said Sam Williams, president of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. “In particular, our universities’ leadership in research spending and degrees granted in biosciences, supports metro Atlanta’s competitive advantage in growing our biosciences industry base.”

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin attended the event and applauded metro Atlanta’s higher education community for being an asset for the business community and the city.

“With 45 colleges and universities, metro Atlanta’s higher education system is an asset that very few cities and regions in the United States can claim in such abundance,” said Franklin. “We should be especially proud of our institutions’ ability to attract intelligent and capable students, faculty, and staff from around the world to this area. These people live, work, study, and play here, and contribute to the collective life of the region in many important ways.”

Particularly important to the Atlanta region’s growth in key industries are the number of people earning degrees in highly demanded fields such as engineering and biological sciences, in which Atlanta ranked second and seventh in the nation, respectively.

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