Universities and colleges are seemingly always in competition with one another. Whether it’s athletics or academics, each school is trying to be the best at something.

Last week, in a move opposite the norm, several leaders from schools in the area collaborated for the good of all students.

Kent State University, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Stark State College, Hiram College and the University of Akron gathered in Washington D.C. on Wednesday to accept a $1 million prize from CEOs for Cities’ Talent Dividend Prize competition. 

According to the website for Cities, the prize is “awarded to the city that exhibits the greatest increase in the number of postsecondary degrees granted per 1000 population over a four-year period.” 

The group of universities, all located in the the Akron, Ohio, metropolitan statistical area, was one of 57 areas competing for the prize, and the money will go toward a national promotional campaign “to showcase local talent development at the national level,” according to the CEOs for Cities’ website.

This isn’t the first time university collaboration has been discussed this year. Kent State President Beverly Warren and Ohio University President Roderick J. McDavis said in August that they will partner for future educational endeavors.

We think the idea of university collaboration is an excellent one. Whether it’s cocurricular events and academic programs, or sharing graduation statistics to gain the edge in a national competition, collaborating leads to success. Universities should focus on students and student success. If working together accomplishes that, university leaders should collaborate more often.

As students, we come to college to gain skills for future success. This is true of students at Kent State and students at any other university. We all have a common goal — to get a quality education — so why shouldn’t we work together and help each other to accomplish it? 

We hope the spirit of collaboration across northeast Ohio, and all of Ohio, continues.