(a) The policies of higher education in the state shall be consistent with the following goals adopted from the recommendations of the Planning Commission for Higher Education in the strategic master plan for higher education developed pursuant to section 10a-11b:

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(1) Increase the education levels of the adult population of the state, on or before January 1, 2025, to a target of not less than forty per cent of adults having earned a bachelor degree and not less than thirty per cent of adults having earned an associate degree or sub-baccalaureate certificate for purposes of ensuring the state has a workforce with the skills necessary for achieving and sustaining a competitive economy by measures including, but not limited to (A) reducing socioeconomic disparities, (B) reducing the achievement gap between whites and minorities, as defined in section 10-155l, (C) improving the lives of residents living in the most urbanized areas of the cities of the state, and (D) ensuring that the quality of postsecondary education is improved;

(2) Develop a globally competitive workforce and economy in the state by cultivating an environment that attracts and retains a highly educated, diverse population by (A) aligning postsecondary degree attainment with the workforce needs of employers in the state, (B) contributing to the expansion and diversification of the state’s economy through research and innovation, (C) establishing partnerships between institutions of higher education and business, civic and cultural leaders in the state, and (D) increasing the number of students engaged in community service, internships and other workplace-based learning experiences; and

(3) Ensure that higher education is affordable for the residents of the state by (A) narrowing the gap between the cost of attendance at an institution of higher education and family income, (B) reducing, on or before January 1, 2025, the average student loan to the national average, and (C) increasing, on or before January 1, 2025, by five per cent the number of recent high school graduates in the state who enroll in institutions of higher education in the state.

(b) For purposes of this section, “sub-baccalaureate certificate” means a postsecondary award earned on a for-credit basis and conferred upon successful completion of a formal postsecondary program below the baccalaureate level.