The purposes of the New England Higher Education Compact shall be to provide greater educational opportunities and services through the establishment and maintenance of a coordinated educational program for the persons residing in the several states of New England parties to this compact, with the aim of furthering higher education in the fields of medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, public health and in professional, technical, scientific, literary and other fields.   [PL 1981, c. 693, §§ 5, 8 (NEW).]