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MARCH 2003
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Regional Exchange
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Regional Profile
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Great Cities Institute, Chicago, Illinois
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In profile is the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The Great Cities Institute was established with the mission of bringing together public, private and nonprofit sector leaders to develop effective partnerships for strategic community building. As stewards of place, universities are key to organizing and supporting community-based collaborations and conducting applied urban research. By gathering, disseminating and applying interdisciplinary knowledge, the Institute works to improve the quality of life in metropolitan Chicago and other national and international urban areas.
The mission of the University of Chicago (UIC) comprises three traditional elements: teaching, research and public service. A key component of the institutes mission of public service is to help establish within its faculty, students and staff a strong commitment to community. UICs commitment to the communitys neighborhoods culminated in an initiative, known as the Great Cities Initiative, with the aim of building a unique, responsive and strongly supported center of urban research. The College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs (CUPPA) was founded as part of this initiative. Subsequently, the Great Cities Institute was structured as a research unit within CUPPA. David Perry is the current Dean of CUPPA and the Director of the Great Cities Institute.
The Great Cities Institute carries out its work in a highly trans-disciplinary environment, often pursued in partnership with the regions business, cultural and service institutions. Outreach activities fall into six key areas that address urban-related issues. These areas include community development, health and human development, metropolitan sustainability, professional education and outreach, and international partnerships.
The Institute is the home of the UIC Neighborhoods Initiative, a university-community partnership with neighborhoods adjacent to the UIC campus. The Neighborhoods Initiative is currently involved in more than 40 projects in partnership with schools, community organizations, city agencies, and corporate supporters.
The Institutes Affiliate Centers are the Center for Urban Economic Development and the Nathalie P. Voorhees Neighborhood Center. Through a collaborative research arrangement, the Institute and the Centers share administrative and programmatic resources, enabling them to offer community research support and technical assistance. The Institute also publishes the Urban Affairs Review, a scholarly journal on urban issues. For more information, go to http://www.uic.edu/cuppa/gci.
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