A means to create a strategy and process for Regional Economic Development in El Paso:

Regional Economic Development, the ‘Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)’ and the engagement of the Higher Education Institutions in the region as a means to create a strategy and process for Regional Economic Development

This is an initiative to pursue regional economic development in the greater El Paso, Southern Dona Ana County (New Mexico), and northern Chihuahua (Republic of Mexico) areas by the interaction of the institutions of Higher Education and the vision for economic growth and sustainability within the existing economies.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), headquartered in Paris, France and of which more than 30 industrialized nations are members, including the U.S., has engaged a regional economic development study and evaluation for the last 7 years in various regions of the world to assess the interplay and strategy for economic development based on the interplay of higher education and business demand. They are now in their second round, and they were focused on finding a regional border application in the U.S., which, to date has not been a participant in the studies and assessments.

El Paso, in 2007, completed a study done by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), out of Boulder, Colorado, that confirmed that for El Paso to move forward, its emphasis would have to be on growing, organically, higher end jobs and employment opportunities to better retain the key talent that otherwise El Paso exports because of the lack of use and demand presented by the status of the present economy. The opportunity to parlay this study into a practical and strategic direction for its implementation was not something we could resist, particularly since I was involved with key groups in setting the platform for the NCHEMS study to answer the issue as to whether El Paso had a brain drain or ‘supply problem’ or instead had a ‘demand problem’ pertaining to the ability to use college level graduates at a high enough level within the existing economy. The short answer to the assessment was that it was a ‘demand problem’, not a supply problem. This meant that economic demand and had to be developed.

Working with several business leaders in the community through an organization of this leadership called The Paso Del Norte Group (PDNG), I have undertaken, as part of my policy practice, in conjunction with key staff at The Paso Del Norte Group, the opportunity to assist in the engagement with OECD on this regional study. This struck us as the next logical step in this progression of taking findings and knowledge and converting them to practical strategies and implementation.

The region, through its institutions of higher education, is expected to conduct a “self-study” of the regional characteristics and opportunities, as well as obstacles, for the interaction and inter-engagement of regional economic demands and resources and capabilities at the institutions of higher learning. I and the staff of the PDNG are in the process of putting together the self-study assessment and evaluation and submitting it to OECD in late August for their assessment as they come out to the region in late October to make their observations, suggestions and determinations as part of their “experts” role in the OECD self-study assessment.

From a community standpoint, we regard this as a rare opportunity to gain the insights from a global perspective with the type of knowledge and expertise that generally resides in the OECD, for the eventual betterment and strategic planning for our particular region. OECD is intrigued by the dimensions presented by three states and two countries interacting and dealing with one another in this type of setting; a very different context from their previous efforts, not only because it includes the U.S., but also because of the national diversity in such a close, but complex proximity given enforcement and security considerations as they play out on the border, in addition to the commercial qualities of commerce in the region.

The challenge in bringing together University leadership at a Dean or above level to work through the project much like their staffs are generally tasked to do, is also a particularly rewarding and, also, difficult engagement because of the independence and self-reliance found within university professors. Yet, to garner the breadth of the experience it is necessary, and the diversity of thought and knowledge they bring to the table cannot be readily duplicated. This is a value resource that must be harnessed as it is unleashed. A challenge, though, is that this type of engagement between academics and business leaders is not usual and not customary outside of collaborations with a limited objective and mission. This is an integration of resources for a longer term direction.

The shepherding and organizing process, plus the drafting of the narratives in the self-study report, is the characteristic necessary to understand the prospects for a regional strategy, in spite of barriers, geographic as well as political, that must be integrated and overcome to make this effort succeed. Additionally, where the longer term implementation will reside is dependent on the effects and findings of the self-study process and the input from OECD. In this regard, the effort represents another opportunity by the region to plan and direct its way to a sustainable economy and economic base that will supply the fundamentals and keys to ultimate economic growth and sustainability.

The tie in between higher education, higher income, and sustainable economic growth are well documented and known. The resurrection and competitive structure of any economy is driven by these fundamentals; the OECD self-study and report, it is expected, will assist the region in positioning itself for stronger economic factors for wealth creation and sustainability; and do so in a planned and opportunistic manner reflective of the organic growth that is required for any economy to sustain itself and its growth prospects.

The skills required bringing such a diverse and intelligent group together, makes the effort all the more engaging, utilizing the breadth of skills underlying any policy development and implementation process through groups or organizations.