On the 23^rd July, the EU Centre was delighted to host the launch of Jean Monnet Network on the EU’s Role in the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Asia Pacific.

Jointly funded by a Jean Monnet Activities grant and RMIT University, the Network formalises the relationships amongst researchers, policy think tanks and Non-Government Organisations who share a primary interest in enhancing the effective contribution of the EU to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Asia Pacific.

With expectations high, and a programme that filled three days from early morning until mid-evening, this conference was truly a journey.  As we shared experiences, as we learned more about how diverse learning city initiatives are around the world, as we deepened our understanding of the issues that define this moment in global history, we resolved to integrate lifelong learning into learning cities – not just to satisfy a constituency that needs to find its place in a crowded policy agenda, but as a means to a greater end, a more equitable, inclusive and sustainable pattern of development.