The Leeds Anchor Network (or system) was established in 2017 with eight founder organizations. In 2024, membership was 14 and represented 1 in 7 of the Leeds city workforce. Leeds Beckett University is a founding member. This paper explains how the system originated and developed, the role Leeds Beckett University has played in that process, and…

There is broad recognition that anchor institutions--universities, hospitals, and other locally embedded organizations--can leverage their economic and human resources to revitalize and empower distressed neighborhoods. In Milwaukee, five anchor institutions, including Marquette University, collaborated with residents, city officials, and other…

This case study of one comprehensive university's economic-development engagement in its region was designed to better understand perceptions and actions by higher education leaders and economic development professionals. Findings indicated that one regional comprehensive university was an effective economic development partner because its leaders…

Tertiary vocational programs offered in a small remote town in Aotearoa, New Zealand, were delivered in partnership with indigenous community organizations and other stakeholders to prepare people for future regional developments in primary industries. An evaluation investigated the impact of these programs on students, their families, and the…

Many Extension programs are turning to the input-output software IMPLAN to demonstrate economic impacts. IMPLAN is a powerful tool that can be used to estimate the total economic activity associated with an industry, event, or policy. One possible application, therefore, is to use program spending data to estimate the economic effects of…

This chapter presents the state of Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin System as an ongoing case study for best practices in systematic, intentional, statewide programming and initiatives connecting undergraduate research and economic development.

The Rural Entrepreneurship Teaching Unit (RETU) is designed to acquaint university retailing and hospitality majors with rural entrepreneurship opportunities. The unit is an outcome of a federal grant focused on the contribution of the local retail sector to rural community resilience. The RETU integrates knowledge regarding rural development,…

This article examines the benefits and challenges a college president faces when attempting to cultivate relationships with the community in which the college resides. Throughout history, the relationships between institutions of higher education and the communities that house them have often been turbulent, but much good can be realized when true…

This report was created in conjunction with the Association of Canadian Community College's (ACCC) review of the federal government's contribution to reducing poverty in Canada. Colleges and institutes are fundamental partners in the socio-economic infrastructure and development of their communities. Colleges deliver a comprehensive array of…

At a time when many regions are grappling with economic challenges and universities are struggling to demonstrate their public value, the question of how regions and universities might partner effectively begs to be addressed. This qualitative case study examines the engagement of six land-grant institutions in regions not proximate to their…

Explores an effort by Colgate University (New York) to enhance economic development in two low-income hamlets in New York through community-visioning programs. Describes the process of community visioning and shows how Colgate has been instrumental in its promotion. Argues that universities are better situated than governments or nonprofits to…

Discusses two areas central to the development mission of the University of Massachusetts (Lowell): (1) restructuring activities for a transformative effect on the regional economy while maintaining academic standards, and (2) who should be involved in these decisions. Reviews projects undertaken by the university under a community-outreach…

Presents a case study of the Campus Affiliates Program, a collaborative venture designed to revitalize the most severely impoverished sectors of New Orleans (Louisiana). Focuses on processes that created the program; organizing principles; obstacles encountered; and impacts of the program on faculty, students, staff, and institutions. (DSK)

America's universities are facing unprecedented scrutiny and criticism. As pressure for institutional change has mounted, universities have taken steps to more effectively respond to the needs of their stakeholders. All of these activities are part of a broad movement to develop new and productive connections between the university and its…

This paper describes a community-based learning (CBL) project involving the economic redevelopment of two environmentally contaminated former industrial sites or "brownfields." The study was conducted over four semesters by several economics classes and involved assembling a database, measuring the impact of the brownfields on…