Decision 2020 Electing Indiana's Future: Higher Education

Abstract

Higher education in Indiana, as elsewhere, is at a crossroads. While in the past, those with a high school diploma fueled Indiana’s economy with high-paying jobs in fields like agriculture and manufacturing, education beyond high school is now essential for economic security. And while agriculture and manufacturing remain essential parts of Indiana’s economy, the job requirements have changed, as have the skills needed in other growing sectors such as health, life sciences, information technology, and business services. Our citizens, our employers, and our state need higher education to become more flexible and innovative. To meet these realities, we must flip the model of higher education to put students, not state agencies or institutions, at the center. Creating a state environment that is a hub for opportunity, economic growth, and personal well-being requires an educational system that affords all Hoosiers the benefits associated with a degree or credential.