Mesa Mayor Scott Smith explains why Mesa hopes to attract branches from universities across the country. Scott Jaschik of Inside Higher Ed explains why partnerships between cities and university branches are beneficial.

Smith says Mesa is trying to round out the type of education options available in the city. The ASU Polytechnic Campus is located in Mesa, but he says he’s looking to add legacy liberal arts schools into the mix as Mesa expands. Jaschik says that towns and universities tend to court each other in order to fill in a gap. He says the partnership helps schools to reach a wider audience and gives the cities more opportunities for economic growth.