University Network of the European Capitals
of Culture – Maribor Conference
18-19 October 2012
How to Build an Effective Learning
Partnership ? The Experiences of
Learning City Projects
Terez Kleisz Phd
EU LLL Programme
•
R3L+ Learning regions in the light of the
Common Quality Assurance Framework
2009-2011
•
www.learning-regions.net;
www.learningregion.pbworks.com
•
European Storehouse on the Local and
regional Dimension of LLL (Eurolocal)
2010-2011
http://eurolocal.info/
Key features/labels of
contemporary developed societies
 Transformations within the societies generating
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change of the societies
Late modern / Postmodern ( J. F. Lyotard)
Postindustrial ( Daniel Bell, Alain Touraine)
Knowledge Society/Economy ( Alvin Toffler, Nico
Stehr
Information Society ( Frank Webster
Network Society ( Manuel Castells
Creative Society ( Richard Florida)
The Consumer Society ( Zygmunt Bauman)
The Learning Society (transforning the culture of
society)
City branding :developing a shared
vision of the city in years to come –
create distinction on the global
landscape ( symbolic capital)
 Smart cities
 Digital cities
 Educating cities
 Science cities
 Knowledge cities
 Creative cities
 Healthy cities
 European Cities of Culture
 LEARNING CITIES, LEARNING REGIONS. LEARNING
COMMUNITIES
Under that Label
Educating City Movement
At present :371 European 58 American, 16 Asian,
6 African cities
UK Learning City Network ( 80 cities); Southampton
(1997) Liverpool(1996)
Germany: 2000-2006; 2006-2008 70 + 91 learning
regions
Finland: 20 cities: ESPOO
Greece: The Polisnet Programme
Gothenburg, Dublin, Kaunas , Limerick
Under that Label
Canada: Halifax, Vancouver
Australia: Victoria State, Adelaide
Japan: Kakewaga,Okayama
South-Korea: 76 cities (since 2001)
China : 2011: appr. 210 cities
South Africa: Cape Province
Curitiba in Brazil
Udaipur ( India)
According to Jin Yang ( UNESCO): est.: 1000 in
the world
UNESCO-Global Learning Cities
Network
A global network of learning cities would
provide technical backstopping to many cities,
and promote policy dialogue and peer-learning
among them, as well as capacity development.
The development of a comprehensive
framework for assessing learning cities and for a
Global Learning City Index.
Learning Regions
A TOOL for collective capacity development : a
system that works;
• Partnership networks, specific cooperation
structure as an organizational response to the
diversity of needs: dynamic and open
network
• Sufficient size to encompass and mobilize the
key players for the purpose of LLL
• Across organisations/ sectors:
Business + Community +
University/Research Inst./Academia
• Cooperative and collective learning
Definitions
…. is a city in which communities attempt to
learn
to learn collectively as a means of changing their own
futures. ( OECD 1993)
„ as collectors and repositories of knowledge and ideas
and that provide … an environment or infrastructure
which facilitates the flow of knowledge, ideas and
learning.”- Florida
Learning region is providing a structure and a
perspective to aid forward planning (Nyhan/
Heydebreck(2004)
„Learning regions … do not only adapt to new circumstances,
but also reflect critically on their own institutions and
learning processes – in a double loop understanding.”
(Presisinger-Kleine, 2011)
Definitions
 A Learning Community is a City, Town or Region which
mobilises all its resources in every sector to
develop and enrich all its human potential for the
fostering of personal growth, the maintenance of social
cohesion, and the creation of prosperity.(Longworth 1999)
 collaborative action, as “a way to envisage how all
actors sharing the same local context learn to
cooperate with one another in addressing economic
and social innovation.” (Nyhan, 2007)
Learning Region
 a geographical area or locality of a certain size whose
inhabitants share common objectives or problems.
 This does not have to be a statutory regional entity
 All learning regions are unique, based on their own
particular characteristics, history, strengths and
weaknesses
Not one size fits all !
Learning
 the combination of processes throughout a
lifetime whereby the whole person – body
(genetic, physical and biological) and mind
(knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, emotions,
meaning, beliefs and senses)
 – experiences social situations, the content of
which is then transformed cognitively,
emotively or practically (or through any
combination) and integrated into the individual
person’s biography resulting in a continually
changing (or more experienced) person.
Jarvis, 2009,p.25
Learning is Social
 It is in relationship – in the interaction of the
inner person with the outer world – that
experience occurs and it is in and through
experience/reflection/experimentation that
people learn.
• Formal/nonformal/informal learning
• Action learning / Dialogue of Active Players
• Collective self-reflection, deliberation, genuine
change of ideas: transformation/ change
Development of the Idea of LLL
 Earlier orientations: for the humanity of the learner
– for HUMAN GROWTH developing learners as
persons ( critical awareness, knowledge ,
informed citizens etc.) IDEALS like
EMANCIPATION
 Dewey (1916): Education and Democracy; Lindeman
(1926): The Meaning of Education;Yeaxlee/ British
Assoc. Of Adult Education:1919 Report
 1970s:UNESCO Fauré Report (1972): Learning to
be
 Delors Report(1996):Learning to know/ to be /to
do/to live together / to care for the planet
Worklife education / Work-based
education: LLL ( 1995 EU)
Learning organisations as a means to adapt, as a sort
of management theory; investing in people;
means to other ends: a human capital
concept; HRD
 Continuing professional development
 Recurrent education
 Lifelong Education
 Eurich (1985): Corporate Classrooms
Lifelong learning has become a major
focus of policy attention Why LLL?
 Economic imperatives of the competitive global
capitalism, knowledge-intensive economy;
Employability-agenda;
New forms of KNOWLEDGE and SKILLS =
STRATEGIC RESOURCE; HRD
Sociocultural Needs: Social Inclusion, Integration –
Active Citizenship, Participation
Political needs: Innovation in Public Policy, new
Governance
Environmental Imperatives
• PROFIT- PEOPLE- PLANET MAKING
• THINK and ACT both Global and Local !
EU initiatives
LLL „is the key to employment, economic success and
allowing people to participate fully in society.”
The EU ‘Year of lifelong learning’ in 1996
• 2000 Lisbon Strategy; The Lifelong Learning ( Memorandum
(EC, 2000)
• Towards a European Learning Society (TELS) projects 19982001 (Survey of Lifelong Learning practice in 80 cities)
The European networks of learning region programme (R3Ls)
2002;
PALLACE (2003-2005): Promoting Active Lifelong Learning in
Australia, Canada, China and Europe
LILARA: (Learning in Local and Regional Authorities)
R3L+;
EUROLOCAL
INNOVATION - Creative Capital
+ New Economy discourse
Technology / Talent / Tolerance
 Florida: The Rise of the Creative Class (2001)
 Knowledge Co-Creation, knowledge transfer
 Innovation- Creativity – Connection
 HUB: geographical closeness, metropolis: stimulative
creative milieux, chance encounters; placecompetitiveness; attracting talents;
 Bohemian Index; Melting Pot index; Diversity or Gay Index; Human
Capital Index (BA-s) etc.
OECD
• Regional competitiveness and skills (1997);
Economic and cultural transitions towards the
learning city – the case of Jena (1999);
• Cities and regions in the new learning
economy (2001);
• Learning how to innovate – knowledge
regions (2001);
• Learning how to innovate – the role of social
capital (2001)
Innovative regions
 Innovation as a community-based ‘collective
learning’ process
 Innovative regions are identified as those having the
capacity to set up collaborative learning networks –
webs of interactions – on how to improve their
practice.
CEDEFOP The European Centre for
Development of Vocational
Training
 Ref. Series 68. (2005)
 Learning together for local innovation: promoting
learning region
 Bjorn Gustavsen
 Barry Nyhan
 Richard Ennals
 Typology follows
Critique
 The regional innovation systems approach is not
particularly predicated on learning, not even
referencing such literature (Cooke, 1992), but rather
on knowledge and innovation.
 what ‘triple helix’ advocates see as easy is, in fact,
exceptionally problematic. there are major
institutional barriers between industry, research
universities and governments
Learning Cities’ Diversity
Not one size
fits all !
 A geographical area or locality of a certain size whose
inhabitants share common objectives or problems.
 This does not have to be a statutory regional entity
 All learning regions are unique, based on their own
particular characteristics, history, strengths and
weaknesses
What works ?
 Enabling structures to learn together from each other
 Real life-issues, action learning; Across boundaries:
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Channels for Dialogue and Cooperation
Team working, stakeholder networks, synergy, crossorganizational participation;
Binding together a community with a diverse
population mix;
Shared values, principles, goals and concerns,
Learning climate in the community; The Culture of
Change; Network Culture;
Proactivity to the needs of the environment
What works
 Wider supporting legal and policy contexts (
convergence)
 Engagement/ Publicity/ Accountability:
Each local community partnership is required to publish
an engagement plan and a local community plan and to
monitor and publish various engagement indicators and
other outcome measures of meeting the specified local
aims and objectives
Quality Dimensions of Learning
Cities
Quality Framework
• PARTNERSHIP AND NETWORK:
• PARTICIPATION
• PROGRESS AND SUSTAINABILITY
• LEARNING CULTURE
1. Partnership and network
• Common and shared vision of the partnership/network
explicitly defined and promoted
Opportunities are created to commonly map and
exchange expectations and scenarios about possible futures
There is clearly defined principles and methods to
seek / gain input on hopes and aspirations for the partnership
and to gain, analyse and prioritize common themes for
the partnership
The vision statement is easy to understand,
regarding clarity and lack of ambiguity, vivid and clear picture,
description of a bright future, memorable and engaging wording,
realistic aspirations, alignment with organizational values and
culture.
There is a clear public expression of the
vision statement and clear responsibilities to communicating the
vision regularly, creating narratives that illustrate the vision.
It is ensured that the vision statement of the
partnership/network is reviewed and revised if necessary, based
on achievements and progress
Partnership and network
• Common mission of the partnership/networks
explicitly defined describing the reasons for
existence, fundamental purpose and values
of the network.
There is working methods in place to
stimulate discussion and gain input on aims and
objectives.
Availability of founding document of
partnership / network expressing joint agreements
Clear public expression of aims, objectives
and target groups of the partnership/network
PARTNERSHIP and NETWORK
• Objectives and quantifiable targets specified and
commonly shared
• Principles and protocols to govern ongoing
collaboration are explicit and shared
• Clear channels of communication between
partners and networks exist
• Formal structures exist for managerial and
operational responsibilities
• Coverage: scope of stakeholders represented in
partnership
• The act of stimulating actors to form a partnership
and keeping them motivated on an ongoing basis
throughout the cooperation.The ability to flex,
adapt and re-shape as unforeseen circumstances
emerge is both important and a pre-condition to
keep partners on-board adapting to THEIR needs
which were not initially identified.
PARTNERSHIP: Trust and openness amongst
partners exists (even within competitive
conditions)
Conditions and communication channels are ensured that information is
shared among partners.
Conditions are ensured that disagreements that could occur are
managed through a constructive dialogue by all members of the
network.
Achievements are recognised within partnership and impact of specific
results are documented/promoted within the network.
Self-organisation of partnership
Equal opportunities of visibility
Equal opportunities to access relevant information
Disclosure of relevant information, both internal and external (among
partners and at a wider audience)
PARTICIPATION
-Relevant key stakeholders are actively engaged
in the partnership/network
-Involves and mobilizes the wider public or
community
-Network is known and understood by general
public - Visibility
-Clear measures to involve those most distant
from learning opportunities
-Partnership is flexible, elastic and open for
change
-Dissemination strategies exist to inform
constituents
PROGRESS and SUSTAINABILITY
• The capacity to continuously understand results, reasons;
and the capacity to use this understanding to influence
ongoing planning
• Monitoring and evaluation informs strategic direction and
both policy and practice.
• Evaluation and review (quality) are prioritised and
internalized – seen as a core activity and not just an add-on.
• Results and findings of monitoring, evaluation and review
must be able to be widely understood. .
• Flexibility and openness of partners to accept results
(failures as well as successes) and act on results.
• Benefits identified are broad-based
(not just education-linked). Links between all these
dimensions (as to the value of learning) are understood and
demonstrated for the sake of sustainability, for the sake of
influencing policy and professional practice at wider levels
LEARNING CULTURE
• Learning-based strategy to be mainstreamed into
integrated local and regional development strategies.
Inclusion of learning as a key element to respond
creatively to the forces of change.
• Learning gaps are documented and related with the
quality system
• Capacities for learning promotion are
created/developed
• Motivational strategies are in place for adults within
the community of learners.
• Creating a climate for open dialogues, an
environment of challenge and trust , exploring issues
from many points of view and perspectives , acting as
"critical friends" .Consciously work through groups
and alliances in order to build support for joint
actions.
Deficits/hindering quality
• in the case of big partnership projects won
through bidding when mainly the core
organizers initiate the idea and attractive
resources are promised to invite partners to join
the project without proper elaboration of
common concerns and mutual interests, without
the effort to build up coherent understanding.
• Field of POWER-aspect
• Sustainability
A quote from Proust
• The real voyage of discovery consists
not in seeking new landscapes but in
having new eyes.
• Thank you.