Michigan is going to need to almost double the amount of college graduates living in the state by the end of the decade in order to have a competitive, knowledge-based economy, according to a report released Thursday. Business Leaders for Michigan released their report "Business Leaders' Insights: How Higher Education Can Help Michigan Become a Top Ten State" Thursday morning. Doug Rothwell, president and chief executive officer of the group, said higher education has a major role in Michigan's economic growth strategy. According to the report, 34 percent of Michigan residents have a college degree. Rothwell said that number needs to be closer to 70 percent by 2020 for Michigan to compete. Rothwell said all universities need to play a certain role, and not all schools in Michigan are set up to do the same thing. He said research universities -- like University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne State University -- were set up with different missions than schools like Northern Michigan University.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/02/12/business-group-state-needs-focus-higher-ed/23286017/
http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index.ssf/2015/02/michigan_needs_twice_as_many_w.html
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20150212/NEWS/150219937/business-executives-urge-more-state-spending-on-higher-education
http://www.metrotimes.com/Blogs/archives/2015/02/12/study-michigan-needs-more-college-graduates-in-the-workforce-by-2020