The Urban University Program provides funding and collaborative opportunities for Kent State University's Center for Public Administration and Public Policy and the Kent State Urban Design Center. Activities include training public and non-profit agency officials, providing technical assistance, and funding research related to urban problems.

The Ohio Urban University Program (UUP) began in 1979 as a demonstration program to link the resources of Ohio's urban universities with urban development needs through the state. Initiated by Cleveland State University, UUP was established by the Ohio General Assembly and the Ohio Board of Regents to provide funding to eight Ohio state universities for that purpose.

The eight universities are Kent State University, Cleveland State University, The University of Akron, Youngstown State University, The University of Toledo, The Ohio State University, Wright State University, and University of Cincinnati.  These universities are required to provide a dollar-for dollar match for their share of the UUP grant.  Each university is given some latitude to develop the program in a manner that best responds to the needs of its urban environment.

Kent State University's Center for Public Administration and Public Policy has focused on training and technical assistance, as well as research.  The Center's emphasis has been support for the small local governments in the region.  The emphasis on training and technical assistance were based on a local government needs assessment. The Center follows the five principles of the Ohio UUP:

• The need for a committed client
• One or more specified problems or issues
• University advisers with genuine and relevant expertise
• Communication between the university adviser and city client
• The need for local financial commitment

In an era of shrinking financial resources, the Ohio UUP program continues to bring the research expertise and practical knowledge of the university community to the public sector.