Louise Kempton is a Senior Research Associate in the Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies at Newcastle University. Her current work is focused on the relationship between universities and regions and particularly the role of universities as ‘anchor’ institutions in regional innovation and growth. Louise is the co-author of the European Commission Guide ‘Connecting Universities to Regional Growth’ which is designed to help managing authorities of structural funds to promote the active engagement of universities in regional innovation and development. She also manages the Civic University Study Programme (CUSP), a programme of research and engagement with policy and practice around the development of a new model for higher education institutions. She is the author/co-author of several recent academic and policy publications exploring the barriers and drivers to universities’ involvement in regional smart specialisation strategies and has acted as adviser to a number of local, national and international organisations on the same topic.