Center for Economic Development

Cleveland Port by Michael W. Lanstrum
Envisioning Cleveland Photo Contest

The Center for Economic Development conducts research and offers technical assistance on urban and regional economic issues of interest to local, state, and national policymakers.

Primary areas of research include regional economic analysis, economic impact analysis, workforce development, tourism and urban development, strategies for regional economic growth, and the role of urban universities regional development. Emerging areas of research include innovation and entrepreneurship.

Ziona Austrian, the Director of the Center, manages the Ohio Economic Development Information Network, also known as The Ohio ES202 Network, a statewide resource network dedicated to the development and utilization of an employment and payroll database. The database provides information that allows researchers to better understand economic activity in the region. The Center for Economic Development has also served the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce as a designated Economic Development Administration (EDA) University Center since 1985.