List of literature on colleges & universities in economic development

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Making an Impact

September 2007

This article from University Business, a publication for presidents and other senior officers at two- and four-year colleges and universities throughout the U.S, discusses a variety of benefits to commissioning economic impact studies and the factors at play in pursuing them.

Can higher education foster economic growth? A conference summary

March 2007

This article summarizes an October 2006 conference held by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the Midwest Higher Education Compact on higher education's role in economic growth. Conference speakers included Richard Lester from MIT, Michael Luger of the University of North Carolina, Ned Hill of Cleveland State, Sean Safford of the University of Chicago, Larry Isaak of the Midwest Higher Education Compact, and Randy Eberts of the Upjohn Institute.

Measuring the moment: Innovation, national security, and economic competitiveness

November 2006

The Task Force on the Future of American Innovation has developed a set of benchmarks to assess the international standing of the United States in science and technology -- in education, the science and engineering (S&E) workforce, scientific knowledge, innovation, investment and high-tech economic output. This is an update to its 2005 report.

Defining a role for community colleges in economic development

October 2006

The author focuses on three aspects of community colleges' role in economic development in this presentation:

  • Community colleges are the "other half" of higher education. They are by design and in practice central to economic development of a city or region.
  • History, financing, and regulation constrain the role of community colleges in economic development.
  • Multiple strategies exist - some beneficial and some possibly harmful - to enhance the role of community colleges in economic development.

Mind To Market: A Global Analysis of University Biotechnology Transfer & Commercialization

September 2006

This 2006 Milken Institute report examines the effectiveness of U.S research universities in dominating global biotechnology research and, further, the ability to turn this research into commercial applications.

University research and local economic development

August 2006

This paper reviews studies that examine the extent to which university research promotes local economic development. These impacts include: attracting industrial laboratories, the start-up of technology businesses, and opportunities for collaborative research that can help enhance industrial products.

The economic impact of colleges and universities

May 2006

In this working paper, the authors highlight common mistakes made by universities -- and consultants hired by universities -- in evaluating their economic impacts on a region. Common pitfalls include: double counting impacts, using unrealistic multipliers, and counting all impacts as "net new."

The young and the restless in a knowledge economy

December 2005

The report documents the importance of college-educated 25 to 34 year-olds (referred to as the "young and restless" in the report) to local economies -- and how cities can attract and retain them.

Universities, Innovation, and the Competitiveness of Local Economies: A summary report from the Local Innovation Systems project

December 2005

This report shows how universities can support local economic development through their contributions to local industrial innovation processes.

The knowledge economy: Is the United States losing its competitive edge?

February 2005

The Task Force on the Future of American Innovation has developed a set of benchmarks to assess the international standing of the United States in science and technology -- in education, the science and engineering (S&E) workforce, scientific knowledge, innovation, investment and high-tech economic output.