Trade association says economic impact of North American research parks exceeds $31B

Washington, DC – Research parks in the United States and Canada directly employ more than 350,000 people and contribute more than $31 billion annually to the economies of the United States 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,” said Austin Beggs, AURP president. “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 US total employment enabled by research parks is over 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 very significant role in the economies of North America,” said Eileen Walker, AURP program director, who compiled the survey data. “But going beyond the economic role that research parks play, there is also the fact that the science which is commercialized in research parks has the potential to solve many problems. Such innovations as new types of medicine, new technologies for energy savings, new ways to communicate and many other beneficial concepts are first developed in research parks,” she added.

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

The Association of University Research Parks (AURP) is a trade association representing 350 members and associate members in the university research park industry.