The Benefits of University Collaboration Within University–Community Partnerships in Europe

Abstract

This article demonstrates and explains the benefits accruing to communities that involve universities in their local community-based projects. We include concrete arguments intended to stimulate the transfer of the universities’ accumulated knowledge to local (urban) community projects in order to overcome the challenges of contemporary cities. A multiple case study analysis of relevant university–community partnership (UCP) projects in Europe is used to provide evidence for the value of urban community–university partnerships. This article as a whole represents an attempt to bring to light the unexploited but considerable potential of universities, which should extend their focus (metaphorically and physically) outside the purely academic sphere and magnify their capabilities within local university–community partnerships.