Business Activity Impact Report

ACCELERATING ECONOMIC VITALITY

As a rising research powerhouse, UT Arlington advances the North Texas economy by raising the skill level of the workforce, fostering discovery, and cultivating entrepreneurship and associated capital investment. The University’s expanding instructional and research endeavors serve as an ever-increasing catalyst for individual opportunity and economic and social development.

A record 7,647 UT Arlington students earned degrees in the 2010-11 academic year, infusing the region and state with highly educated, well-prepared employees. By generating this ready supply of workers, the University boosts the capacity, efficiency, and productivity of North Texas and the entire state. Such expertly trained personnel help attract major corporations that spawn business growth and bolster the region's reputation as a world-class metropolis.

One of the University’s most valuable assets is its 163,000 alumni. Of that number, about 126,700 live in Texas and almost 112,000 live in North Texas. These outstanding graduates provide an ongoing stream of accomplished workers and entrepreneurs that permeate the entire economy. Many have distinguished themselves in their chosen professions, including business, engineering, nursing, architecture, education, social work, and public administration. In fact, UT Arlington alumni hold leadership positions at all 18 Fortune 500 companies headquartered in North Texas, the nation's fourth-largest metropolitan area.

Beyond providing human capital, UT Arlington supplies innovation that helps drive key sectors of the North Texas economy. Expertise in national defense, information technologies, energy, bioengineering, and biotechnologies creates opportunities for the numerous companies that support those interests to excel in the global marketplace. The University is expanding its prowess in areas critical to economic growth and lifelong health, including medical diagnostics, drug-delivery systems, tissue engineering, and genomics.

With the recent opening of the College Park District residential and retail complex, more than 5,300 students live on the UT Arlington campus. That represents about 16 percent of the student population, the largest percentage of any university in The University of Texas System. It is also a 60 percent increase since 2001. This density of residential students—and the additional 5,000 who live within a five-mile radius of campus—drive demand for new businesses and services and contribute to a robust college town environment.

Driving Business Development

As one of the nation’s most dynamic centers of higher education, UT Arlington is strategically positioned to supply the entrepreneurial ingenuity to keep the North Texas economy competitive and thriving.

TMAC, formerly the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center, addresses the challenges of today’s hyper-competitive business environment. TMAC has helped more than 5,000 Texas companies gain $2.7 billion in sales, achieve $852 million in cost savings, and create or retain almost 27,000 jobs.

Serving more than 22,000 people a year, the Division for Enterprise Development offers a comprehensive array of flexible programs in health care, technology, career development, and other areas. The center provides educational excellence and high-quality service to meet the ongoing learning needs of our fast-paced society.

TechComm, a partnership with the Arlington Chamber of Commerce funded through a five-year, $2.7 million Department of Defense grant, matches business clients with University researchers to refine technology for practical applications and helps move research to market.

The Small Business Development Center for Enterprise Excellence provides comprehensive assistance to small manufacturing companies. Skilled manufacturing specialists help companies integrate their vision, culture, processes, and technologies to achieve a competitive advantage.