The role a college can play in
the economic development of
a region
The concept of a Centre for Rural Living
• I firmly believe that the role of the
community college integrates well with
the role of a regional development
agency - they are mutually symbiotic
• Neither of them create jobs – but they
do create a climate for job creation
• They do this by such things as training,
research, modelling best practices
• The primary factor in the
competitiveness of a nation state
becomes the skills and knowledge of its
workforce.
• Robert Reich “ The Work of Nations: Preparing Ourselves for
21st Century Capitalism
• “LED is the process by which actors
within local governments
(barangays, cities, municipalities and
provinces) work collectively with the
result that there are improved
conditions for economic growth,
employment generation and quality
of life for all”
• Companies that previously would have
located in close proximity to natural
resources and transportation corridors
now place a premium on choosing a site
where there is an educated and skilled
workforce and high-speed network
communications.
• The fundamental principle underlying a
knowledge economy that attaches a
premium to human resources is not far
removed from the Greek root of the
word education, iretrea, which means
to heal, in the sense of empowering and
enriching others.
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Population Distribution
16,000
14,000
12,000
Number
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
0-14
15-24
25-34
35-54
Ages
55-64
65-74
75+
FISCAL
• In three years our campus has brought
in over $11million to our local
community by applied research
• Obviously some is specialised
equipment, but such things as supplies
and construction are done locally
PERSONNEL
• The addition of highly qualified personnel into
a rural community provides not only
additional living requirements, but provides
the community with an intellectual capacity
which it did not have before.
• To date we have increased personnel
numbers from 0 to 20, and up to post doctoral
fellow
Examples of contributions to
community
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Specific studies for niche agriculture
Evaluation of rural aspects of health
Location analysis for wind power sites
General environmental projects
Acadien genealogy project
Business incubation – whatever that
means!
• DANIEL BAKER KENNEY
WESTPORT, BRIER ISLAND
INTERVIEWER; CINDY GRAHAM, CHRIS CALLAGHAN
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Click for video
CG That’s on? Okay. Okay, we’re going to get started. What is your
full name?
DBK Daniel Baker Kenney.
CG Daniel Baker Kenney.
DBK Mmm hmmm.
CG That’s a surprise!
DBK Why?
CG I thought it was Benjamin!
DBK No, Benjamin was my father. My father’s name was Daniel
Benjamin, and I was named after [Lorne] Baker, who lives in
Yarmouth, was a lawyer, and my middle name was Baker. My son,
Danny, his name is Baker, but his son is Benjamin. Daniel Benjamin.
So it’s gone on for four generations.
Applied Research & Innovation Brochure
It’s the intangibles that really
count !
• Profit and economic benefit are not
always measured in dollars
• A knowledge base for local
entrepreneurs and businesses
• A sense of pride
• A sense of having an ability to meet the
future
The Centre for Rural Living
(CRL)
• The Centre is a concept that harnesses
the activities of a college and a local
regional development agency
• The goal is to create a “learning
community”
• Use both formal and in-formal sector learning
resources
• Share the training resources (economic and
educational) with each other and the
community
• View learning as the common denominator of
education & training
• Value social and intellectual capital and utilize
it for competitive advantage
• Recognize learning as an investment
• Recognize and promote learning as a social
process that provides a comparative
community advantage for socio-economic
development
• Thrive on the greater autonomy of
decentralization
• Support innovations that are focused on
interactive learning among learning
organizations within the community
The core activities in the Centre
for Rural Living may include
• Programs for Community Economic
Development in Rural Canada
• Customized courses to offer training in health
services, entrepreneurship, tourism, heritage
and culture.
• Learning services to the community, e.g.
consulting on technical business
opportunities, counseling on NSCC
opportunities for youth, etc.
• Applied research on environment and human
health issues
• Business Innovation, starting first with known
technical areas of expertise and expanding to
other areas.
• Encouraging community organizations to
bring their knowledge and experience to
enrich the quality of campus life in a rural
setting
CONCLUSION
• A carefully planned strategy of using
modern electronic and computational
facilities, in projects created by an RDA,
and supported by the college, will result
in a community which is vibrant, forward
looking, and confident of its future.