Louise Kempton is a Senior Research Associate in the Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies (CURDS) at Newcastle University. She is also Associate Dean of Research and Innovation for the university’s faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. She has more than 25 years’ experience in local, regional and international economic development as a researcher, policy maker and practitioner. Her current focus is contributing through research and policy development to the shaping of an evolving understanding of the role of universities as ‘anchor’ institutions in local/regional economic growth and innovation.