Economic Impact of Research Parks in North America Exceeds $31 Billion

Research parks in theUnited States and Canada directly employ more than 350,000 people andcontribute more than $31 billion annually to the economies of the UnitedStates and Canada, according to new data compiled by the Association of University Research Parks (AURP).

"This data underscores the scope and importance of work being done today in research parks across North America," says AURP President Austin Beggs. "Universities, industry and governments are collaborating on work that enables North America to compete in an increasingly global economy."

The AURP data shows that the estimated U.S. total employment enabled by research parks is more than 712,000 jobs, with an additional 90,000 total jobs provided in Canada. The impact of the wages provided by these jobs is more than $31 billion annually to the North American economy.

"Our survey results demonstrate that research parks play a verysignificant role in the economies of North America," says AURP Program Director Eileen Walker, who compiled the survey data. "But going beyond theeconomic role that research parks play, there is also the fact that thescience which is commercialized in research parks has the potential to solve many problems. Such innovations as new types of medicine, newtechnologies for energy savings, new ways to communicate and many other beneficial concepts are first developed in research parks," she adds.

The AURP data was collected from research and science parks throughout the United States and Canada during 2006 via surveys, interviews and Internet sources.

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