What “Civic University” really means, and which are the relations with the city/territory where the University is seated? Which is the link between Civic University, Quadruple Helix approach and sustainable local development? How knowledge and innovation can be produced and transferred for the benefit of the (local) society)? These are some of the questions that the paper tries to answer.

The paper was published in the Journal of Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development (RESD) (Volume 7, Issue 1, June 2021 - ISSN 8569-2356) issued by the Academy Publishing Center of the Arab Academy for Science and Technology and Maritime Transport - AASTMT, Alexandria-Egypt.

In the last 20 years, crisis and challenges of any kind, are forcing universities to revise their role and to reconnect with their Cities, namely, to “re-invent the civic university”

This means delivering benefits to society as a whole: local, regional, national, global by rediscovering the role of “anchor institution” in place making, innovation, economic and social development.

But realizing the potential of a civic university does not depend only on what the university does, but also on the capacity of its city partners in the public and private sector.

The vision of MED-QUAD project is that Universities must become “Civic Universities” and along with industries and local governments must fully play the role of Institutions that are OF the city not just IN the city. MED-QUAD foresees the creation of innovative model of cross-border living labs where Universities, firms and cities acquire the capacity for remaining the key spatial units where knowledge is produced, transferred and talents are attracted.

MED-QUAD project provides an example of university civic engagement in the Mediterranean region, including EU (IT and GR) and non-EU institutions (EG, TN, JO, PA).

Read the paper in PDF by clicking HERE