Throughout the U.S., there are more than 500 regional public universities, each serving as a work-force driver to their local economy: educating students in high-demand areas, including business, education, and health care; engaging adult learners in continuing or graduate studies and professional development; and collaborating with employers to inform curricula that better meet their needs.

Yet, in spite of the real (and ongoing) successes that regional colleges have had on preparing students for the professional world, the majority of college leaders at these institutions believe that the American public remain ignorant of this impact on work-force preparedness. This, according to a recent survey conducted by The Chronicle, which explored faculty and staff leaders’ sentiments around how their regional institutions are responding to a changing job market.

In an upcoming Virtual Forum, “Regional Universities and Work-Force Development,” on Tuesday, April 22 at 2 p.m. ET, we’ll gather with experts to touch on survey results and seek to answer questions like:

• How are these institutions stepping up to better provide the skills for adult learners seeking graduate degrees?
• Where are grad degrees going, and what are universities doing to collaborate with employers?
• What are the barriers and best practices in working with employers to capture needed workforce skills?