This project aims to activate the innovation potential of peripheral university towns to foster entrepreneurship, create jobs, and reduce regional disparities. It aligns with the EU's priorities to enhance competitiveness and promote business development for social inclusion. The focus is on addressing challenges such as brain drain, limited local entrepreneurial ecosystems, and insufficient collaboration between firms and universities. The project has three main objectives. First, it conducts a socio-economic classification of peripheral university towns to capture their diversity and identify supportive environments for business success. Second, it develops customizable teaching materials that enhance entrepreneurship by addressing the unique needs of local entrepreneurial ecosystems, empowering students and fostering innovation. Third, it formulates policy recommendations for stakeholders and universities to strengthen entrepreneurial activities and improve the economic impact of universities on their regions. These objectives aim to transform university locations into vibrant innovation hubs by integrating local resources and engaging regional stakeholders.
This project addresses the challenges faced by peripheral university towns, including brain drain, limited economic opportunities for graduates, and weak connections between universities and local industries. While universities often stimulate local demand and act as employers, they frequently fail to retain graduates or leverage their human capital for regional development. This creates a reliance on redistributive financial mechanisms rather than fostering innovation and growth. The project responds to the need for stronger regional innovation networks, entrepreneurship, and economic vitality in peripheral regions. Many of these locations suffer from structural issues such as bounded firm vision, weak absorption of new ideas, and limited entrepreneurship, which hinder flexibility and innovation. By focusing on the unique challenges and opportunities of university towns, the project seeks to enhance their role in driving economic growth, fostering entrepreneurship, and reducing structural disparities across EU regions.