ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the main ways in which universities can contribute to resilience and adaptation in regional economies. While many universities as institutions date from the Middle Ages, their participation in actions and policies for local and regional development only began to occur in the last decades of the 20th century. It begins to explore these processes and associated challenges by outlining the main ways in which HEIs can support the economy of their home region. The chapter introduces three main areas of university activity and impact that underpin their contribution to resilience and adaptation in regional economies. Moreover, the employment and expenditure impacts of universities are largely separate from their qualitatively more important functions for regional development that arise from research and education activities. The primary value of higher education for regional development is in increasing knowledge and skills in the local labour force.
