The role of higher education institutions in ensuring integrated and sustainable regional development

Abstract

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) impact the development of their host regions. Systematic empirical research into the effects of HEIs on their host regions likewise has a long tradition. Even more, countless studies demonstrate the positive impact of HEIs on their regional environment. Various politicians, administrators and researchers have emphasised the role of HEIs in developing of territory there HEIs are operating. In addition, the focus of practitioners and academics has been on role of HEIs in ensuring integrated and sustainable development of their administrative territory. Taking into account before mentioned, the aim of the paper is to analyse the role HEIs in ensuring integrated and sustainable regional development of the territory there HEIs are operating, especially in case of Latvia. The tasks are formulated as follows: 1) to review the theoretical background on the role of HEIs in ensuring integrated and sustainable regional development; 2) to analyse empirical research on importance of HEIs in ensuring integrated and sustainable regional development; 3) to analyse case of Latvia, namely how HEIs in regions ensure integrated and sustainable regional development. In order to achieve the aim, following research methods have been used: scientific literature studies, statistical data analysis and case study method. Main results and conclusions of the paper: the analysis of the scientific literature and empirical studies shows that HEIs matter the development of the host region and affect the integrated and sustainable regional development via channels of teaching, research and outreach activities. In case of Latvia, regional HEIs have dissimilar impact on integrated and sustainable development of the region through different teaching, research and outreach activities.