For jobs at every skill level and in many different occupations, the better-educated applicant has the edge, says "The College Advantage," from the Georgetown University Center on Educationa and the Workforce, and this is especially true during the recent recession and into its recovery.  The report calls on policymakers, employers and institutions to do more to produce the skilled talent necessary for the U.S to effectively compete in a global economy.  See more here: http://cew.georgetown.edu/collegeadvantage/.  The full report is attached.

Jeff Croley and myself have worked with the K-12 Entrepreneurship Advisory Committee this summer to assist the Michigan Economic Development Corporation in developing a tool-kit for innovative Michigan K-12 entrepreneurship/Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs. The MEDC has established an asset map (in the process of being created) where the entrepreneurship programs are listed with various information such as the focus of the program, types of  comunity partnerships, past and present events/projects, and required resources.

PASCAL's on-line networks continue to grow.  In the last week PASCAL passed a couple of milestones - there are now over 500 Twitter followers worldwide ( http://twitter.com/obspascal )and over 100 people and organisations have 'liked' the PASCAL Facebook page  (http://facebook.com/Pascalobservatory ) . 

As you will remember, the "Big Tent" group of regional and international networks in community university engagement developed a communique during the Living Knowledge Conference in Bonn, Germany on May 14, 2012.  This document was sent to the Rio conference courtesy of Daniella Tilbury and the Copernicus Alliance.

The GINCO Network recently held a successful Information and Training Day on Grundtvig IST (In-Service Training) provision.

The day was opened by Guy Tilkin from Landcommanderie Alden Biesen, in Belgium, and the Co-ordinator of the GINCO Network, who delivered a presentation on Validation of professional development in Adult Education.