Economic Development - University of Georgia

Mission

The mission of the Office of Economic Development is to align the intellectual and physical resources of the University of Georgia with Georgia's economic development needs. We work with companies, local and state government, and non-profit organizations to develop vital, entrepreneurial communities as well as creating and retaining innovative industries throughout Georgia.

Education

A highly educated workforce is the most powerful economic development resource. UGA alumni living in Georgia have considerable economic impact, with an estimated annual salary impact of $10.6 Billion in FY2009. As a comprehensive land-grant and sea-grant institution, the University of Georgia offers baccalaureate, master's, doctoral, and professional degrees in a wide variety of subjects in order to prepare the next generation of business and community leaders for the state.

Community Preparedness

We offer assistance to communities to better prepare them to attract the job force of today while planning for the opportunities of tomorrow. Whether it is help with community improvement strategies, leadership development or strategic planning, UGA has extensive experience and delivery mechanisms to assist communities with these processes.

Community Project Assistance

Communities at times need specific help in attracting a specialized industry or business prospect, and the University of Georgia offers a variety of resources including impact analyses, economic feasibility analyses, community-based leadership and initiatives, and project planning assistance.

Regional Capacity Building

Cooperative Extension, continuing education, public service, experiment stations, and technology transfer enable community vitality throughout Georgia through their roles in economic, social, and community development. UGA can provide assistance with infrastructure planning, business recruitment and retention, and cultivating important partnerships to enable community vitality.

Research

Combining expertise from across its campuses, UGA provides practical, science-based multidisciplinary approaches to addressing major issues faced by society today. For example, UGA has unique strengths in agriculture, forestry, environmental science, engineering, genetics and microbiology enabling us to serve as a knowledge hub for bioenergy research and development in Georgia. Other thrust areas such as infectious disease, water, and applied genetic technologies make UGA a major resource for current research and information in areas of importance to the state.

Research Commercialization

UGA has extensive experience with commercializing pragmatic outcomes from our research enterprise. This is done through intellectual property licensing, technology feasibility analyses, and core labs and testing facilities, among other resources.

Business Assistance

UGA works with new and existing companies, small businesses, and entrepreneurs to provide business assistance, advice, and incubation services. These services are tailored to technology-based entrepreneurship, new venture formation, and assistance with specific business issues.