Technology amongst the Fields: Mini Campuses as endogenous Growth Poles in lower Density Regions - a Case Study from the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region

The purpose of this paper is to report about the impact of Ansbach University of Applied Sciences’ specialized mini campuses on their surrounding rural lower density regions by considering theoretical regional innovation models, spatial planning concepts as well as Ansbach University’s mission(s). The approach we use is pragmatic due to the author’s scientific publications and the author’s professional experience. For that, newer scientific publication to the key words mentioned below are used for an interdisciplinary line of sight, and press releases and internal data provided are qualitatively evaluated for this study’s practical part. Our study reveals that Ansbach University’s pragmatic local strategy of appropriately placing specialized mini campuses in rural outskirts has remarkable impact on the innovation processes in the lower density region over time. Our mini campuses follow a clear local Triple Helix (TH) innovation strategy by University-Industry-Municipality cooperations, meanwhile tending to focus also quadruple and quintuple helix stakeholder groups. Besides showcasing local innovation processes triggered by our mini campuses the paper thematises rural-urban interaction scenarios due to the threat of shrinking peripheral areas in metropolitan regions. This case study supports policy makers and regional or local deciders by offering ingredients for the set up of local strategies. For universities in low-density areas the paper can be of value for counteracting a brain-drain to metropolitan centers, thus contributing spatially to equal life conditions by giving modern living, studying, researching and working as well as recreating an attractive local country-side accent.