This past week brought a couple of indications -- as if we needed more -- about the appeal of the two nationally prominent research universities that anchor our side of the Research Triangle region.

Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine once again ranked The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill the number-one best value in public higher education in the country.

Think about that: of all the public universities in the country, our state's flagship (which happens also to be the oldest) delivers the best combination of high quality and relatively low cost.

Any public university, especially any of the 100 public campuses that Kiplinger's says offer strong blends of academics and affordability, would be delighted to earn that honor one year.

No other one ever has, though, because UNC has held the top spot every year since Kiplinger's began publishing the rankings in 1998. That's a record of consistency that outstrips that of even Tar Heel sports coaching legends.

It's worth noting, though, that a 13-year winning streak is no guarantee of repeating -- not without diligence and sound public-policy decisions. That's why UNC system President Erskine Bowles' and Chapel Hill Chancellor Holden Thorpe's efforts, partly fueled by the recession, to pare inefficiencies and unneeded costs are important.

And it's why it's important the General Assembly heed the university's plea to let tuition increases continue to help fund the campuses and to underwrite scholarship needs rather than be poured into the state's general fund.

The good news at Duke last week was a record number of applications for admission. More than 26,400 students have applied this year, setting a record for the third year in a row.

"We've seen a 30 percent increase in applications in the last two years in spite of the worst economic news in a generation," Christoph Guttentag, the dean of undergraduate admissions, said in a Duke news release.

The record-setting number of applications comes after a record for applications in the early-admissions process. More than 2,000 students applied for early admission, and 602 were admitted -- also a record.

Duke and UNC, and their world-class medical schools and research, have been powerful engines for this region. Beyond the intellectual capital they attract and the benefit that ensue from that, they have proven more resilient in a recession than many industries.

To have their strength and appeal reaffirmed in by national accolades and a clamor to attend only serves to remind us of that role.