The Institute for Emerging Issues was established in 2002 to address challenges facing North Carolina's future through innovation. It identifies the most pressing issue each year in the areas of economy, education, health, and environment by consulting experts statewide. The Institute then convenes partners from different sectors to develop comprehensive, enduring solutions through collaboration. In 2012, it will open the Emerging Issues Commons to expand this work by connecting more people and ideas.

1. This is the Institute for Emerging Issues.

2. The Institute for Emerging Issues was established in
2002 to put ideas into action and to ensure the state’s
future success.

3. We believe NC’s future success is determined in large part
by our ability to innovate at the intersection of four key
areas: economy, education, health and the environments.

4. Each year, we scan the landscape, do our research, and
ask people working in these areas what they think is the
biggest issue facing North Carolina.

5. From that, we look for the drivers of these issues, the
challenges that cut across all these areas. We narrow it
down to one, and that is our new emerging issue.

6. Now we really get to work.

7. We bring people together from across the state around an
emerging issue and identify innovative solutions to
address them.

8. The more people engaged, the more comprehensive
and enduring the solutions.

9. Change is inevitable. That’s the easy part. IEI
and its partners work to ensure
progress in North Carolina.

10. Here are a just few things IEI has
been working on over the years:

11. Reconfiguring Warren Wilson College’s now-leading sustainability program
Expanding green-collar jobs training at the state’s community colleges
Training mid-level managers in state government in being creative
Creating a model program to train displaced workers as health professionals
Overhauling the state’s infrastructure for supporting green companies
Supporting legislative study commission to study public-private partnerships
Growing the creative economy in rural Anson and Stanley counties
Lifting the Medicaid burden from our counties

12. In 2012, IEI will open the Emerging Issues Commons,
allowing us to bring more people together to find realistic
solutions to the problems facing our state.

13. The Commons will be a dynamic center for connecting
people and ideas, for leadership development, for creative
problem-solving and for collaboration.

14. All for the future of North Carolina, its
citizens and its communities.