ABSTRACT
Institutions of higher education in themselves and an increased participa tion in higher education among the inhabitants are, directly and indirectly, seen as important means of alleviating the negative implications of marginality. Higher education institutions are important producers of scientific knowledge. An increase in the knowledge level of the inhabitants and the diffusion of scientific knowledge to those working in agriculture, manufac turing and services are, without doubt, major assumptions in the work of creating development and sustainability (Andersson and Blom eds., 1998). There are, however, few geographical studies in this research field.
