According to http://www.simcity.com/en_US/game/info/city-specialization, city specializations will influence the look of buildings in your city.
For example, it says
"Plop a university and residences will transform into frat houses filled with partying Sims!"
Has anyone actually seen anything like this happen in the game? I haven't.
Best Answer
One example, since you mentioned the university, is that you wont see any demand for high tech industries before your education quotient (EQ) is higher than 150 according to this page. Those factories will contribute to the overall visual style of your city.
Another example, also related to education, is that only educated sims will put solar panels on the roof. Or so I've heard, I dont have any source for this. Heres a picture of the solar panels: