When North Georgia College & State University and Gainesville State College merge as University of North Georgia in January 2013, the newly formed university will have a humongous task to complete- increasing the number of Georgian Graduates.
Gov. Nathan Deal made his plans public Tuesday from each of the public institutions he visited.
Deal had announced a statewide initiative last year to increase the numbers of Georgians completing college in response to the 2011 Georgetown University study, reports North Fulton.
The study found that to meet projected workforce needs, the state of Georgia has to increase the percentage of its population with some level of college completion from a current 42 percent to 60 percent over the next eight years.
As a result of the study, Deal has outlined the ambitious project to add 250,000 postsecondary graduates to Georgia's workforce by 2020.
To reach the goal, North Georgia College & State University and Gainesville State College have developed a combined plan for the University of North Georgia that builds on existing efforts at each institution to promote student success and increase retention and graduation rates.
"With four campuses located across the northern region of the state, and through partnerships with local educational agencies, government, and industry, the University of North Georgia will be strategically situated to address the critical need for an educated workforce for economic growth in the region," said Dr. Bonita C. Jacobs, president of North Georgia College & State University.
The state's initiative looks at three key areas in which higher education plays a role in the state's economic prosperity and assesses how colleges and universities can strengthen contributions in these areas.
These include keeping Georgia competitive in an age where other states and countries are producing a more educated workforce; ensuring the academic quality and standards to which graduates and institutions are held, among others.
In addition, the universities will use technology and online learning to attract students, opportunities to facilitate transfer between schools, and the use of prior learning assessment to give college credits to those who have significant life experiences that cannot be measured by traditional educational standards.
