Based at the Watershed Media Centre in central Bristol, the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement [NCCPE] was established in 2008 as part of the £9.2m UK Beacons for Public Engagement initiative.

PASCAL colleagues may wish to register themselves to receive the Centre’s very useful newsletter direct (a summary of the latest release included below).

Whilst economic capital and human capital have been readily incorporated into policies on regional and community development, it has been much harder for policy to get to grips with social capital.

The European Civil Society Platform on Lifelong Learning (EUCIS-LLL) gathers 20 European networks working in education and training, and may be of interest to colleagues. Together, these organisations cover all sectors of education and training including networks for higher education, vocational education and training, adult education and popular education; networks for students, school heads, parents, HRD professionals, teachers and trainers. 

In 2011, I want to make visible stories about our universities, communities and social movements creating and using knowledge together in new ways that will support organising for change and creating space for collective action for a more just, sustainable, inclusive and joyful world.  I want to see stories on how our collective capacities to 'name the world' as Paulo Freire said, can make a difference to everyone including whom Gandhi referred to, using the Sanskrit word, as 'Antyodya', the last person.

I have found the EUCEN Observatory on Lifelong Learning developed by the European University Continuing Education Network (EUCEN) a good introduction to European policies in the field.

Its objectives are to provide an understanding of the major European reforms that are taking place in Higher Education concerning Lifelong Learning. The observatory provides information on the major European Policies and three Processes for University Lifelong Learning: