ABSTRACT
Regional engagement of higher education institutions (HEIs) depends to a large extent on the role an HEI chooses to assume for itself, which is driven by a range of factors, including internal leadership, institution size, age and history. The importance of the character of the regional context to the contribution HEIs can make to regional development should not be underestimated. It ascribes an excessively prominent role for HEIs than evidence would suggest is warranted, and which downplays the significance of the challenges in achieving mutually beneficial outcomes. Ambitious programmes for engaging HEIs in regional development that are not grounded in reality will be at best ineffectual, but may even lead to the widening of disparities between the region and other places.
