Universities as Partners in Learning Cities and Communities - 2021 Global Learning Festival

News

I am forwarding this invitation to a Global Learning Festival event entitled Universities as Partners in Learning Cities and Communities. There will be a range of great speakers, commencing with Professor Bruce Wilson discussing the role of the university in community as part of a broader learning society. Then some diverse examples from Wolverhampton Learning Region, UK; Benin, Africa; and Wollongong, NSW.

Please participate, and register. Also, send out to colleagues and networks. Your voice is welcome in this rich conversation about this important topic.

This interactive roundtable discussion will explore the different ways that universities can support the development and implementation of learning cities and communities in their region. Representatives from universities and learning cities/communities in Australia, the UK and Benin and will share their experiences and insights on building sustainable long-term community university partnerships that benefit all actors, not least in support of the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Speakers

Professor Bruce Wilson, Director of the EU Centre in the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies at RMIT University. He is a researcher, practitioner and has been an advisor on place-based innovation and on learning city developments for various organisations and communities.

Idowu Biao is a Professor of Lifelong Learning at the Université d’Abomey Calavi (UAC), Benin. Like all Universities, UAC trains middle and high levels manpower who are expected to carry forward national development. Within this context, UAC does link up with the world outside of its walls to shore up the skills mainly of persons within the agro-pastoral sector of the economy.

Dr Mary Mahoney, Director of Access and Lifelong Learning, University of Wolverhampton, established the university’s Centre for Lifelong Learning, an innovation team running strategic initiatives focused on putting learning at the heart of communities and on demonstrating the role of learning in economic and social development.

Mark Norman is the Wollongong City Libraries Manager at Wollongong City Council. The libraries are driving a whole-of-Council, city-wide initiative to establish Wollongong as a UNESCO Learning City by 2024.

Dr Belinda Gibbons is Deputy Associate Dean Education for the Faculty of Business & Law at the University of Wollongong, and works with all faculties across UOW, local councils, schools and community organisations to enable action towards realising the Sustainable Development Goals.