How Universities Make Cities Great

When thinking about how to revive economically lagging regions, especially in the Rust Belt, I often talk about the importance of universities. Big, high-quality research universities have been essential for creating technology clusters in Austin, Raleigh and San Diego. But even small colleges in rural areas can have big benefits for the surrounding area.

Why are colleges so great? To use universities as a tool for economic development, it’s important to think about the many ways they contribute to local growth -- and some ways they don’t.