Last Friday I reported an initiative by Cork to conduct two Learning Neighbourhood pilot projects in neighbourhoods with considerable disadvantage. Cork has now been joined by the Taipei Learning City which will also conduct two Learning Neighbourhood pilot projects over the coming year. Cork and Taipei are both participants in the EcCoWell Network so that these pilot projects provide opportunities to test EcCoWell ideas in local neighbourhoods. The outcomes and findings of these pilot projects will be available for the PASCAL International Conference at the University of Glasgow on 3-5 June 2016.

Taipei will select two neighbourhoods which are less developed among the twelve administrative districts of Taipei. In addition, Taipei is planning to hold a Learning Community Workshop in the Taipei City Library on June 17, 2015 at which there will be case presentations of 13 neighbourhoods by the Principal of the Community College in that district and the community delegate. The EcCoWell concept developed by PASCAL owed much to my visit to Taipei in 2011 where I observed the broad cross-sectoral approach being adopted by Taipei in planning its Learning City initiative aligned with a good deal of community learning at a local neighbourhood level in such areas as evironment. Taipei has been innovative in environment initiatives in such areas as transforming an existing library in Beitou as an eco-library.

The involvement of both Cork and Taipei in Learning Neighbourhood pilot projects will lead to important developments in localising learning city initiatives into neighbourhoods so that residents in these communities benefit. PASCAL welcomes involvement by other cities in this program which we see as a key area for development of sustainable learning cities. If you are interested in participating, please contact me. This program will connect ideas from the EcCoWell, Inclusion, and Culture Networks of PASCAL and will provide opportunities for some creative developments in building sustainable learning cities.