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A University Town

The city of Irvine would be nowhere without higher education—literally. The city was founded out of necessity when the University of California Regents chose its location for the University of California, Irvine (UCI). From the start, there has been a close partnership between UCI and the local economy.

Almost 40 years later, as a city of more than 200,000 people, there are even greater higher educational institutions. A number of major universities offer satellite branches as extensions of their programs. Also, there are several community colleges in the area, including Irvine Valley College, known for it's modern facilities and equipment. For many, it's a less expensive and effective way to transfer to the larger 4-year universities.

Many of these universities and colleges offer on-going education and e-learning, an advantage that many in the Irvine workforce take advantage of. Some local companies, such as Edwards Lifesciences, have partnered with UCI provide specialized resources and funding that help accelerate innovation and connect them with highly-skilled talent.