PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES AS AGENTS IN URBAN AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF MEDIUM AND SMALL-SIZED CITIES: A THEORETICAL, METHODOLOGICAL AND EMPIRICAL APPROACH

Abstract

The universities have an important role in our society to promote social, cultural and economical development. In many countries universities has been installed in small and medium-sized cities since the 70’s to promote the development and ‘modernization’. Some of them are very successful and the economical development is visible and unquestionable. Our empirical study focuses the cities of the Federal University of Reconcavo da Bahia (installed in 2006) and Passau/Bavaria/Germany (University of Passau, installed in 1978). Our goal is to propose methodological approach to support a research based on the integration, fragmentation and conflicts between the city of the local population and city of the Universities. Our major conclusions are connected with the increase of the real estate market, diversification of commercial and service activities, intensification of regional role. From the social point of view, however, there are weak and punctual connections with the cities, promoting spatial and cultural conflicts between the students/professor and the local population.