The Realization Mode Of American Universities' Regional Economic Functions And Its Referability

The global economy is experiencing tremendous changes nowadays. Ever since the late 1970s, the world has entered into an era of high technology with information technology as its heart. The legend created by Bill Gates ushered the world into a time of "knowledge-based economy". The contribution of knowledge to the world economic growth has increased from 5% at the beginning of this century to 60% or 70%. "Knowledge is power", a slogan by Francis Bacon of 400 years ago has turned into reality. Knowledge has become the main motive force and source of the global economic development.Education breeds knowledge, knowledge drives economic growth, the overall and leading importance of education is more and more outstanding. As the cradle of high level talents and the source of technology innovation, universities are extremely important to the regional economic growth. Its functions of technology innovation, talents training and social service have been the decisive key factor of regional economic growth. When we in China debate whether education should be industrialized or not, the United States has realized the importance of giving full play to the universities' regional economic functions. The consumption, employment, human resources training, technology innovation and industrialization have brought energy to the American regional economy. Technology innovation and industrialization is the most important function among all of them. The benefit it has created is the most influential and potential regional economic growth factor. This thesis is dividing the universities' functions into two categories: technology innovation (^industrialization and non-technology functions. It will study how American universities realize those two categories of functions. China is on the critical phase of higher education reform and development. It is practically important to combine our national conditions and American experiences to analyze and propose effective suggestions to giving free play to Chinese universities' functions.This thesis consists of six parts as follows:1. Introduce the research background, classify the universities' regional economic functions on the basis of economic theories and present the research contents and methods of the thesis.2. Analyze the effects of American universities on national economy in the whole country.3. Case study on how American government and universities give full play to the technology innovation function of American universities and analyze its experiences.4. Case study on how American universities give full play to its non-technology functions and analyze its experiences.5. Propose suggestions based on the current situation of China and the experiences of American universities.6. Conclusion.The results of the thesis are as follows:First of all, technology innovation is the primary function of universities in the regional economic growth. The policy support of government and efforts made by universities themselves are necessary conditions to give play to this function . "Innovation through industrialization" is the most important experience of American universities and it is referable to Chinese universities.Secondly, the non-technology functions are secondary and stable, and less influential on regional economic growth. "Marketisation" is the most important reason of its success in regional economy. And there are also negative effects. We need to assimilate with discrimination the experience of American universities. In conclusion, we should learn from the American experience to our national conditions, give full play to the functions of universities in regional economy and realize the contributions of universities to our regional economy.