Regional Cooperation
UniverCities Connection
Exchanging Insight, Implementing Ideas
Southeast Michigan could greatly benefit from increased communication between local governments and universities. For example, most mature suburbs in metro Detroit do not have the means to contract expensive professional consulting services to conduct redevelopment and administrative projects.
At the same time, there are highly-qualified, graduate-level planning and public administration students at local universities that desperately desire practical, hands-on experience. By bringing these students into their local governments, both parties would benefit: cities, from the students' cutting-edge ideas and well-informed insights, and students, from the opportunity to apply their skills and gain real world experience and connections.
Our UniverCities Connection project strives to match municipal and academic resources and create stronger, lasting relationships between the region's universities and local governments. Through city-hosted classroom projects and internships, students and professors from Michigan's top academic institutions are connecting with our member cities and experiencing local government first-hand. Ultimately, these relationships will improve the quality of public service in southeast Michigan and encourage Michigan 's future professionals to continue making a difference in the region after graduating.
UniverCities Connection is being built around three components. Click on a link below to learn about how they are developing.
