The role of universities in fostering urban and regional sustainability

For centuries, universities have been centers and hubs of knowledge production and dissemination. In these functions, universities have shaped our societiesdirectly, through fundamental discoveries such as X-rays by Röntgen, or more indirectly through educating leaders in economy, civil society, and politics. Often located in cities and embedded in urban dynamics, Russo et al. (2007: 199) argue that universities have a special potential to be a “driving force” for urban development, due to knowledge spillovers, student participation in urban culture, and other factors. Yet, universities that endorse a strong sustainability agenda need to foster very different urban and regional development pathways than the urbanization processes that have shaped modern cities over recent decades.