The University of Alabama System is Alabama’s largest higher education enterprise, comprised of three dynamic research universities, The University of Alabama, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, and The University of Alabama at Birmingham, and a world-class medical center, the UAB Health System. Committed to excellence in teaching, research, and service, the UA System is the state's largest employer and a major driver for economic, intellectual, and cultural growth. The overall economic impact of the UA System exceeds $10 billion a year, but the true impact of these institutions extends far beyond any financial measurement. Established in 1969, the UA System is governed by the Board of Trustees. This structure provides for a definitive, orderly form of governance, and secures and continues responsive, progressive, and superior institutions of higher education.