University development and the Economic Development Officer

Abstract

This paper sets out to identify elements in the relationship between universities and community economic development, and to recognize the role of the economic development officer on the integration of university activity with community economic development.  Specifically, the objective is to identify the areas of common interest and between educational, government, and non-government economic development institutions using the Greater Saint John, New Brunswick context to inform and illustrate. The author concludes that Economic Development Officers (EDOs) and policy makers must incorporate university strategies and capacities into regional development, and put systems and practices in place to support economic developers in forming innovative partnerships with post-secondary institutions.

Keywords: university, community economic development, EDO, regional development