Leveraging colleges and universities for urban economic revitalization

Colleges and universities have long been important to urban and regional economic growth. They have also been one of the most valuable assets for urban communities in advancing educational, health, and social service needs of urban residents. However, urban academic institutions are equally well positioned to spur economic revitalization of our inner cities, in great part because they are sizable businesses anchored in their current locations. Unleashing the local economic development capacity of these institutions should be a national priority. While ambitious, it is an agenda that does not require massive new funding or heroic changes in day-to-day operations of colleges and universities, city governments, or community groups.