University Towns, Medium and Small-Sized Cities: Analyzing the Process of Establishing New University Campuses

Abstract

Over the last decade new federal public universities have been built throughout Brazil,particularly in medium- and small-sized cities. In addition to providing greater access to higher education, the new campuseshave had important economic, political and cultural impacts within cities. In economically stagnant regions as well as in those of strong industrial or agribusiness dynamism, the new campuses were established with the express intent of promoting urban and regional development through the introduction of knowledge and creative economies. In this text, we analyze, among several possibilities, some of the relationships which arise between universities and medium and small-sized cities, using research results from Bahia State.