Title: Changing from a univer(s)city to a knowledge city: the case of Coimbra

Authors: Paula Casaleiro

Addresses: Center for Social Studies, Associate Laboratory, University of Coimbra, Colegio de S. Jeronimo, 3001-401 Coimbra, Portugal

Abstract: In this paper, we aim at exploring the role played by scientific institutions in the recent socio-economic transformations and development of Coimbra, a medium-size Portuguese univer(s)city, in the path towards the creation of a knowledge city. We argue that, in the 21st century, the century of knowledge society, one of the features that have always distinguished Coimbra, the university, offers to the city a new and unique opportunity for restructuration, reconfiguration and recovery at the national level. Indeed, the evidence of a positive evolution of Coimbra prevails in spite of the shortcomings identified in its organisational capacity. In the last years, Coimbra has registered significant transformations, in its economic structure, with the growth of knowledge-intensive sectors such as health and information technology.

Keywords: knowledge society; knowledge cities; medium-size cities; scientific institutions; knowledge-based development; Coimbra; Portugal; socio-economic transformation; universities; higher education; urban development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKBD.2011.041246

International Journal of Knowledge-Based Development, 2011 Vol.2 No.2, pp.166 - 184

Published online: 28 Nov 2014 *

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