The global, knowledge-based and technology-driven economy continues to offer both challenges and opportunities for New Jersey and the nation. With intellectual capital and human resource development underpinning economic prosperity and quality of life, colleges and universities play an integral part in ensuring the state's continued competitiveness and future prosperity.

New Jersey's colleges and universities prepare the human resources necessary to fuel economic growth, sustain technological advantages, create new knowledge, improve education from preschool to graduate school, and provide leadership for the future.

• Governor Corzine Unveils Economic Growth Strategy
  Governor Jon S. Corzine has unveiled a comprehensive economic growth strategy to strengthen and grow New Jersey’s economy while creating well-paying private sector jobs. The strategy is designed to ensure that economic growth benefits all cities and regions of the state creating new economic opportunities for all New Jersey citizens.  The Commission on Higher Education and New Jersey's colleges and universities are involved in many aspects of the strategy, a copy of which can be viewed here.

• Office of Economic Growth
  The Governor's Office of Economic Growth, headed by Gary D. Rose, was created in January 2006 to mobilize state government to grow the economy.  Higher Education will play a critical role as New Jersey focuses its resources on strategic efforts to create jobs, expand business opportunities, and enhance workforce development and academic research.

• OP-ED - New Jersey’s Economic Competitiveness  (pdf version)
  New Jersey and the nation are at an educational and economic crossroad. Our future economic prosperity depends on our ability to compete in a global, knowledge-based economy that requires most workers to have higher levels of education....Fortunately, New Jersey is in a better position than most states to address these challenges of changing demographics and the global economy.

• New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology
  Established in 1985, the Commission is responsible for the development and oversight of policies and programs promoting science and technology research and entrepreneurship in New Jersey.  Their Mission is to encourage economic development and job growth in New Jersey by:
  • Promoting strong ties between industry and universities in order to accelerate commercialization of technology
  • Supporting entrepreneurial technology businesses in areas of strategic importance to the state and
  • Strengthening research collaborations among universities to create new potential for increased federal funding and private investment

• Community College Network for Occupational Training and Education (NOTE)
  Each year community colleges train over 250,000 members of New Jersey's workforce, playing a vital role in the state's economic development.

• New Jersey Small Business Development Centers
  The New Jersey Small Business Development Centers offer a wide range of services to the state's small business owners and to those considering starting their own businesses. For information or assistance, visit SBDC,call (800) 432-1565 or contact the SBDC office nearest you.  SBDC Offices are located on several NJ college and university campuses:
  • The New Jersey Institute of Technology Procurement Technical Assistance Center
  • Rutgers Graduate School of Management - New Jersey Small Business Development Center -
  • Bergen Community College - (Serving Bergen & Passaic Counties)
  • Kean University - (Serving Union & Hudson Counties)
  • Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Campus at Camden - (Serving Camden, Gloucester, Salem & S. Burlington Counties)
  • The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey - (Serving Atlantic, Cape May & Cumberland Counties)
  • Brookdale Community College - (Serving Monmouth and Ocean Counties)
  • Mercer County Community College - (Serving Mercer & N. Burlington Counties)
  • Warren County Community College - (Serving Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Somerset, & Western Morris Counties)

• The Technology Centre of New Jersey
  The Technology Centre of New Jersey offers young, growing firms, as well as large established companies, a way to afford modern laboratory and production facilities that are customized to fit their specific research and development needs.  Located on Route 1 in North Brunswick, the Centre is convenient to both New York City and Philadelphia. Moreover, its proximity to well-known institutions of higher learning and major research corporations provide occupants with access to a highly educated and skilled labor pool. Educational institutions include Rutgers and Princeton universities, the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, the Medical Center at Princeton and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ).
• Certificates and Degrees Awarded by NJ Institutions of Higher Education, 1998 - 2005