Urban Universities: Anchors Generating Prosperity for America's Cities

This paper articulates the value and role of urban universities as anchor institutions and engines of metropolitan success. Founded on their long-term commitment to the metropolitan areas they inhabit, the power of urban universities is magnified by strong collaboration with their traditional partners in government and the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. By expanding the number and scope of these broad-based, robust partnerships—supported by targeted federal investment—urban universities can help lead our cities and metropolitan regions to long-term competitiveness, environmental sustainability, and enduring vitality as healthy, high-quality communities.