Research universities have long been thought of as one of the nation’s powerful engines of economic growth. Given the success of Silicon Valley, the Research Triangle in North Carolina and Route 128 in Boston, it is not unreasonable to assume that strong, local research universities can stimulate high-tech business growth. This fits a common sense story – the more educated the population, the more likely they’ll have the skills and financial resources to start a business. Furthermore, cutting-edge research by top-flight faculty can lead to companies with enormous technological leverage. Every city and university wants the next Google GOOG +1.53%, Yahoo YHOO +2.68%! or Cisco, and a high-quality area university seems like a logical and effective ingredient.
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