The Role of Higher Education Institutions in Regional Development. Case Study: The Petre Andrei University of Iasi

The paper presents the experience of a private Higher Education institution which, according to its motto: ‘A University in Community’, promotes an active involvement of the institution in the growth and development of the region. The example is given by the Petre Andrei University from Iasi, one of the urban centers of Northern East Region of Development of Romania. The European Development strategies – especially Europe 2020 – focus, in short term, on coming out from the crisis. On long term, the European Commission established a number of five priorities: for employment; for research and innovation; for climate change and energy; for education; and for combating poverty. These objectives support a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. National development plans all over the Union are designed in agreement with these priorities. On one hand the paper refers to goals to be attained, on the other hand it gives examples of agents which follow through the process of achieving the targets. First of all there are the central government and its local agencies, the city halls strategies and their plans, all of which follow the European directives. Afterwards, other agents with a key role in implementing the strategies may be the universities, state or private. Besides their teaching and research activities, universities have played recently an important function in developing strategic projects. In this article we shall mention projects such as Local Agenda 21, Cooperation for Excellency in Entrepreneurship, Single Registration Record, Correct Information - The key to recognition of studies, partnership with the National Agency of Public Servants, projects which are only a few of the activities commenced and finished within the university, all of them addressing at least one priority of the local, regional, national and European development strategies. The Case study – Petre Andrei University of Iasi - comes to show an example of good practice in terms of fulfilling a mission which promotes growth and development of cities and the entire region.