Evaluating the Impact of Tertiary Institutions on Their Host Communities
Akpotor, J. Ph.D

Abstract
Tertiary institutions are established principally to enrich the academic enterprise and enhance the socio-cultural and economic wellbeing of the larger society through applied research. These institutions have been acknowledged as powerful instrument for economic and social transformation of the localities where they are domiciled. Thus, the host communities are viewed as special places since they are availed of tremendous opportunities resulting from the influx of workers, their families and students. The paper identified some of the gains which include employment and admission, improved standard of living, attending affordable but qualitative staff nursery, primary and post- primary Schools, infrastructural development, basic social amenities and a host of others for the local populace. However, towns that host tertiary institutions are predisposed to unique challenges such as upsurge in crimes of various shades, high cost of living, pressure on available amenities, indecent dressing and clashes between these institutions and hosts communities which were non-existent prior to the establishment of these institutions. Based on these, challenges, the paper recommends among others that to sustain the rapport between “town” and “gown”, there is the need for increased communication, partnership and goodwill between these institutions and host communities as the gains of this relation are enormous.

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