The University Economic Development Association is pleased to announce the launch of the brand-new Journal of Economic Development in Higher Education. From now until August 15^th, we are seeking submissions for the inaugural issue of the journal, which we expect to publish in December 2015. In addition, we are seeking editorial board members and peer reviewers with expertise in a wide range of fields.

The Coordination Team of the Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) at the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), announce that they are about to publish case studies showcasing examples of twelve cities from around the world which use the learning city approach to achieving a range of economic, social, cultural and sustainable development goals.

We are very pleased that from tomorrow the U21 undergraduate Summer School, Cities and Citizen Engagement in the Digital Age will start in Glasgow. Students and staff from the majority of U21 universities will be with us for two weeks. The programme for the two weeks is attached, and i am pleased that the chair of the PASCAL Board, Professor Josef Konvitz and PASCAL Director, Professor Michael Osborne will be speakers.

In the past few days here at the Ural State University we have been composing an informational letter about our Scientific Research Group for the PASCAL website to follow the posting of my colleague Tatiana Bystrova on Ekaterinburg the Open City.

PASCAL is a founder and lead player in the Big Tent initiative started in 2010. Here is a draft towards a communique for our Catania Conference in October. Please try to read and work and comment so we can get the best and strongest possible outcome – one that will be heeded and help to make a difference. We want something that will not be easily ignored. The Pope's new and unequivocal Encyclical sets the bar pretty high!