THE HIGHER EDUCATION AS A KEY FACTOR OF COMMUNITY SOCIO-ECONOMIC VITALITY: ASSUMPTIONS AND EVIDENCES

Abstract

From the analysis of six cases – four higher education institutions(HEIs) from Portugal (Universities of Porto, Évora and Algarve; Polytechnic Institute of Beja) and two HEIs from Spain (Universities of Alcalá de Henares and Lleida) – that applied equal or comparable methods of estimation of socioeconomic impacts, we will reflect on the role that Education, in general, and, particularly, Higher Education (HE) has as the mainstay of societal dynamics, particularly in areas of low socioeconomic density. The investment in HE has a multiplier effect and is a key factor for socio-economic vitality of the communities.