University and city: a necessary reconciliation

Abstract

This predominantly essayistic article discusses the social responsibility of the university in specific territories, highlighting the cities or regions where universities are located. The construction of the article is grounded on two analytical paths: one is based on the understanding of knowledge fluxes between those who produce it and those who can use it, mostly public policies agents, and the other one is constituted by materialized factors, mostly the impacts caused by the university on urban structures. The first path refers to qualitative and theoretical sources, while the second refers to a brief bibliometric study concerning how Brazilian urban management appropriates the assets produced by the university. Conclusions attest positive advances in how universities consider and understand social urban demands, and a fragile understanding by the urban management of what universities may offer. Although changes are visible, the article detects structural problems that render the final reconciliation between cities and their universities even more difficult.