Engagement of Mid-range Universities in Local/ Regional Development

The focus of our paper is on the role of mid-range (mid-size) universities in the development of peripheral regions. After summarizing the literature on the contribution of universities to regional development, the paper looks through the most important theoretical considerations including the developmental role (the third mission) of universities, It presents the main issues in which the mid-range universities in peripheral regions are different from the top universities located mainly in metropolitan areas. Using case studies from Central and Eastern Europe and from Hungary, the paper concludes that not only the position of universities in the collaboration with business sector but their developmental role in the local economy and innovation system is quite different, and there is a need for much more comprehensive and complex economic policies initiating the support of the university sector and starting the development of high tech industries, small-scale enterprises and constructing regional advantage with the stronger community involvement of universities