Friends,

Our news today is coming from Brest, from the meeting of the PASCAL International Observatory where Rajesh and Budd have both been invited to offer keynote remarks.  This is the first time that we have appeared at the same event since the UNESCO Chair has been established.  We are very grateful to the University of Western Brittany and Dr. Jean-Marie Filloque for inviting us and to PASCAL for making us feel welcome amongst them.

Budd and Rajesh
Co-Chairs
UNESCO Chair in Community Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education

The recent presentation of the inaugural GINCO Quality Awards 2012 is now avaliable to view below and also on YouTube.

Awards were presented to Grundtvig Course Organisers in three categories:

• Innovative use of ICT in all aspects of course delivery;
• Excellence in validating outcomes for participants;
• Quality of course content and pedagogy.

Hullo colleagues,

I am contacting you to advise you of some major events that will occur in 2013 relevant to the aspirations of the PASCAL International Exchanges. In their totality, this could be a big year for progressing ideas about good cities that are inclusive, build community and identity, and enhance the quality of life of residents. My hope is that PIE can make a significant contribution.  

Proposals are due Nov 15, 2012 to present at CU Expo, the Canadian-led  international conference on community-university partnerships, set to  take place June 12-15, 2013, in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. The  conference theme "Engaging Shared Worlds" will explore such questions  as: How can engagement between communities and universities lead to  positive transformation and change?

We are very pleased to report that Pascal Associate, Professor Ivan Grdešić has been appointed as Croatian Ambassador to the UK. Here we see him with the President and Prime Minister of Croatia, receiving his orders. We wish him the very best in his new position in London.