There used to be a tacit agreement between universities and their host cities to get along while mainly remaining isolated from each other. The more prestigious the institution, the more it looked inward, taking a cue from the great colleges of Cambridge and Oxford in England.

Now, almost universally, colleges and universities are thought of as engines of economic growth for both their host cities and regions. Both encourage a porous interdependence and academic/private partnerships. The nature and manifestation of this interaction can be controversial—despite the economic benefits, some don’t like free-enterprise real estate developers encroaching on what they see as sacred academic ground. Discussing this sometimes contrary interdependence, Susan S. Szenasy, director of design innovation at Metropolis, led a lively panel at the SmithGroup in Boston on August 9 to discuss town/gown engagement and ways host cities can improve quality of life for all.

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