Following the success of the Cities Learning Together [1] conference, PASCAL with partners aims to develop four strands of activity in the future, under the overall banner of Learning Cities 2020 [2]. They are as follows:
1. Networks
The role of networks will be to maintain and very importantly to enhance the current PIE structure by creating policy-focused interactive networks dealing with specific elements that have emerged from previous work. Networks will seek to link with city, regional and national governments, and business and labour organisations, and very importantly establish links with foundations. Two possible examples are as follows:
- Developing a network connecting rural and city learning initiatives
- Building up the EcCoWell network
We will be approaching cities to lead these networks and provide a wider advisory group drawn from PASCAL associates.
2. Learning City Start-Ups
We will offer support services for cities in areas where there are some existing developments (Europe, East Asia) and new territories (e.g. India, Latin America, South Asia, Oceania) wishing to develop as learning cities, utilizing the services of key associates with experience in these areas from Europe (Germany and UK) and East Asia (China and Korea)
3. Research and Development
We will offer a research and development arm through specific project offers. The suite of programmes that we have announced as learningregions2020.org [2] is only one manifestation. In this area we will seek to work with a number of city networks in all continents.
4. Events
We will run a number of workshops. We have already run two events under the banner of EcCoWell/Learning Cities 2020 in Cork and Glasgow. Other events are planned and all are intended to be within a common, but developing theme. Events being planned for 2014 focus on different aspects of the theme – these will cumulatively add to our knowledge in the area. The events already confirmed will be in Tampere (Finland), Pretoria (South Africa) and St Johns (Canada)
More details of this work will be announced shortly and I am very happy to respond to any interests in being part of this work.