Nine academic disciplines were pinpointed as most likely to attract higher education partners in Chula Vista's University Innovation District, according to a paper released Monday.
Health sciences, public health, education, engineering, computer science and artificial intelligence, public administration and public policy, conservation and resource studies, marketing analytics and film and media arts were all those identified by employers from Orange County to Baja California — and 1,000 San Diego County residents — as most appealing for employers and thus for higher education.
The paper, part of a joint effort between the city and Southwestern College, laid out a path going forward to draw a four-year college to the city and how such an institution could be financed and governed.
"This gives us a clear roadmap to create an effective institution of higher education in Chula Vista," said Chula Vista Mayor John McCann. "It takes the research and efforts conducted over the decades for an outline to build a thriving higher education ecosystem in South County.
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"With robust feedback and input from every area of our community, we can strengthen existing educational pathways and incubate ones that will serve our future workforce needs."
Chula Vista is California's 15th most populous city and one of the largest in the nation without a four-year university. Efforts to bring an accredited four-year institution to the city go back to 1993.
The report was prepared by the San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center and conducted a workforce and academic needs assessment to reach its conclusions.
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"These disciplines also reflect binational, regional and academic demands, and articulate with existing transfer programs at Southwestern College," the authors note. "The academic areas also feed into the California State University and University of California systems and university programs in Tijuana."
Chula Vista has 383 acres for its University Innovation District. Monday's paper will also guide work being conducted by Carrier Johnson + Culture for renderings, development plans and possible infrastructure cost for an initial 20 to 30 acres of the district's development.
