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 at Birmingham, and The University of Alabama in Huntsville - as well as the world-class 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 $15 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.