#11 - August 8, 2005
Welcome to the 11th edition of Observatory PASCAL Project News – an e-newsletter about the development of this strategic information tracking and sharing service of international developments in place management, social capital and learning regions within the knowledge economy.
You have received this e-newsletter because of your expressed interest in tracking the progress of this initiative. If you do not wish to receive any further editions of the Observatory PASCAL news, follow the instructions at the bottom of this page.
A copy of this newsletter is available online at: http://www.obs-pascal.com/newsletters.php
In this issue:
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Briefing note from Alistair Thompson about NIACE's “Fairer Funding for Adult Learning” Campaign
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Book notices – forthcoming publications from the Public Policy Research Initiative on Social Capital
1. Chris Duke discusses Markku Sotarauta's Hot Topic paper, “ Resilient City-Regions - Mission Impossible? Tales from Finland and Beyond about how to Build Self-Renewal Capacity”
“Markku Sotarauta is the first of several CRITICAL project leaders who will be contributing to the PASCAL Hot Topic series through this website. Here he does not write about the work of the CRITICAL project as such, but about his own and other cities that have attempted self-renewal (from rust belt blight to knowledge society regeneration), in order to ask what it is that gives a city-region the capacity for continuing self-renewal.
CRITICAL seeks to explore how learning actually works in these five case study city-regions, by studying empirically the processes of planning, managing and learning in eight 'arenas' in each city-region, and testing, for example, how far the idea of 'communities of practice' (CoP) is a valid way of observing and understanding what happens.
Dr Sotarauta's paper challenges not only 'the arrogance of "policy wisdom"' but also the short-termism and impatience for quantified targets and quick results that characterises modern policy-making, at least in some countries, among them the UK.
It takes us from creativity through innovation and learning to self-renewal capacity, considering transformations, policy directions, and the 'basic puzzle' of adapting purposefully to the changing environment and moving towards 'directed emergence'. He concludes with the crucial yet paradoxical role of leadership.”
Read the Briefing Note: http://www.obs-pascal.com/docs.php?doc=119
CRITICAL Project: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/critical/
** Chris Duke is the Associate Director for Higher Education, National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) UK , and Professor of Regional Partnerships and Learning at RMIT University . He is also the Executive Officer for PASCAL.
2. August 2005 Hot Topic paper by Markku Sotarauta. “ Resilient City-Regions - Mission Impossible? Tales from Finland and Beyond about how to Build Self-Renewal Capacity
“This paper examines how to stimulate real change in city-regions. More specifically, how do localised adaptation processes, institutions and intention of a policy-network drive strategic renewal? Hence the discussion centres on what are the key-elements of self-renewal capacity of city-regions. The approach adapted here emphasises both policy intentionality and emergent developments. In this kind of setting self-renewal capacity emerges as a key concept.
For me self-renewal capacity represents, on the one hand, a way to understand how policy intentionality and emergence encounter in practices of economic development. On the other hand, self-renewal capacity directs our attention to those functions and processes that ought to be embedded in the economic development of city-regions one way or another.
My thinking on self-renewal capacity is inspired both by contemporary innovation and knowledge oriented regional development studies and by evolutionary thinking. When referring to policy-making, I limit my attention to economic development policy and especially to innovation policy. By innovation policy I refer to those policy efforts that are focused on developing local innovation environments and enhancing the capabilities of local organisations to contribute to innovation processes, and by these means to promote change in the region.
To highlight the significance and the main functions and processes of self-renewal capacity I draw especially of several case-studies on transformation processes of Finnish city-regions. In addition, to contrast Finnish experiences with experiences from other countries I draw on empirical observations from the Local Innovation Systems project .”
Read the Hot Topics paper: http://www.obs-pascal.com/resources/markkusotarautaaugust2005.pdf
Markku Sotarauta's home page: http://www.sotarauta.info/
eTampere: http://www.etampere.fi/
**Markku Sotarauta, PhD, is a professor and director of the Research Unit for Urban and Regional Development Studies (Sente). He holds the Chair of Urban Competitiveness and Strategic Development at University of Tampere , Finland . Further work support and funding for the research group is gained through both academic research funding and through other outside contracts.
In early 2002 he received a nomination for the Docentship in Tampere University of Technology. Sotarauta has consulted for many Finnish ministries, cities and regions, and other organisations, in economic development, strategic management, strategic planning, leadership in networks, competitiveness of regions, etc. He has also participated in the round table discussions on regional policy of the President of Finland.
3. Briefing note from Alistair Thompson about NIACE's “Fairer Funding for Adult Learning” Campaign
“Adult learning across England is facing an uncertain future. As many courses conclude for the summer, learners and lecturers may be getting a longer break than they anticipate. Adult learners wishing to embark on a course this September could be struck by its sudden disappearance, or a sharp increase in its cost, regardless of their ability to pay, or the demand, for it.
Although the picture varies across the country, the budget for adults - overall – is down 3% (a cut of £55 million). The impact of this change is not falling evenly across the country: in some places the effect has not been great but, in many others, the reductions are very substantial with not only courses being cut and fees increased, but staff under threat of redundancy.
As the country's leading advocates of adult learning, the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) has launched a 'Fairer Funding for Adult Learning' Campaign.”
Read the briefing note: http://www.obs-pascal.com/docs.php?doc=117
NIACE “Fairer Funding for Adult Learning” Campaign: http://www.niace.org.uk/fairerfunding/Default.htm
**Alistair Thompson is a Senior Policy Officer for NIACE.
4. Book notices – forthcoming publications from the Public Policy Research Initiative on Social Capital: a Tool for Public Policy
Due September 2005. Reports from the Social Capital: Tool for Public Policy research project, from the Canadian Policy Research Initiative
Social Capital as a Public Policy Tool: Project Report
This report provides a synthesis of the key findings from the PRI social capital project in the areas of conceptualization, implications for public policy, and measurement efforts. September 2005, Policy Research Initiative, http://www.policyresearch.gc.ca/
Social Capital in Action: Thematic Policy Studies
The project established interdepartmental working groups to oversee the development of a series of thematic policy studies by experts on the best available evidence in areas of strategic importance to the Government of Canada . Eight specific policy and program areas are examined in a Canadian context: poverty reduction, healthy aging, settlement of new immigrants, educational outcomes of Aboriginal youth, youth civic engagement, community crime prevention, policing in First Nations communities, and the role of local associations in community development. September 2005, Policy Research Initiative, http://www.policyresearch.gc.ca/
Measurement of Social Capital: Reference Document for Public Policy Research, Development, and Evaluation
This report provides an analysis of efforts to measure social capital and concludes with key recommendations for future measurement efforts in a public policy context. 5 Policy Research Initiative Projet de recherche sur les politiques Social Capital as a Public Policy Tool Project Report. September 2005, Policy Research Initiative, http://www.policyresearch.gc.ca/
Read more about the Social Capital as a Public Policy Tool Research Project:
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in English: http://www.obs-pascal.com/resources/r4_pri_sc_briefing_note_e.pdf
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in French: http://www.obs-pascal.com/resources/r2_pri_sc_briefing_note_f.pdf
Public Policy Research Initiative: http://www.policyresearch.gc.ca/
5. PASCAL International Conference: Making Knowledge Work
Making Knowledge Work: Building Sustainable Communities through Place Management, Social Capital and Lifelong Learning.
Tuesday 25 to Friday 28 October 2005 University of Stirling, Scotland
This third international conference to be hosted by the PASCAL Observatory on place management, social capital and learning regions provides an opportunity for all with an interest in policy and programme development to share their knowledge and experiences in policy-making, community-building, regeneration and sustainability projects with others from a wide range of fields at local, regional, national and international level.
The conference aims to examine the implications for policy and practice of contemporary research in different models of place management, the role of social capital and the development of learning regions, and to raise fresh questions from practice for further research.
Tuesday 25 to Friday 28 October 2005
University of Stirling , Pathfoot Building ,
Stirling FK9 4LA Scotland
Conference website: http://www.obs-pascal.com/docs.php?doc=86
NIACE: http://www.niace.org.uk/Conferences/PASCAL.htm
6. More conferences and events
CALL FOR PAPERS: close 22 August, 2005
Making Links: Putting Technology to Work in the Community Sector, Sydney 14 to 15 Nov 2005.
Call for papers for the categories of NGOs and IT, Community Building and Social Capital, Web Development and IT Infrastructure, and technical workshops.
website: http://communityweb.ngogeeks.com/
CALL FOR PAPERS: close September 12, 2005
Group 2005 Workshop on: "Sustaining Community: The role and design of incentive mechanisms in online systems", at Group 05: International Conference on Supporting Group Work
6-9 November 2005, Sanibel Island , Florida , USA
What makes communities grow and prosper, or wither and die? In this workshop we'll explore this question by taking a close look at how incentive structures interact with short and long term viability. We'll address questions such as "What motivates participants to contribute?" "What social and technical mechanisms support (or deter) contribution?" and "How and to what extent can designers design sustainable communities?"
Our goal is to raise questions and begin answering them from the divers directions supplied by the approaches of the attendees. The workshop will be highly interactive with minimal presentation of the position papers.
website: http://www.acm.org/sigs/siggroup/conferences/group05/SC.html
RMIT University Community and Regional Engagement Forum
22nd August, 2005, Melbourne Australia.
Dr Ron Faris and Dr Ira Harkavy will explore the ways in which universities and communities can work together.
invitation: http://www.obs-pascal.com/resources/crp_invite_f.pdf
Innovation Networks in Regions: European Experiences and the German InnoRegio Programme Conference
Berlin , 13 September 2005
The conference will examine the contribution of innovation networks to regional profile building and the support of cluster processes.
website: http://www.diw.de/deutsch/produkte/veranstaltungen/kalendarium/index.html
10th International Conference on the History of Adult Education, Lifelong Learning and Migration: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives.
8-11 September 2005, Helsinki , Finland
Migration is one of the mega problems of our times. This conference will explore the lifelong and life wide learning challenges that are created by migration. These learning challenges have many aspects. Presenters and participants are invited to reflect on learning issues concerning migration in a broad sense.
website: http://www.sfv.fi/esva/
Regional Competitiveness in the Global Economy Innovation and the Role of Universities
Helsinki . Tuesday, September 20, 2005
website: http://www.uta.fi/~atmaso/LISconferenceSept.20Helsinki_2.pdf
LEARNERS@WORK: New directions and connections
Adult and Community Education AS A CATALYST. 45th Annual National Conference of Adult Learning Australia
25-26 November 2005, Rydges Capitol Hill, Canberra Ave (Cnr National Circuit), Canberra.
The 2005 Learners @ Work Conference will explore adult learning connections with work as part of Working at Learning or Learning for Work.
website: http://www.ala.asn.au/conf/2005/index.html
4th International Lifelong Learning Conference
13-16 June 2006, Queensland
The theme of the conference is Lifelong Learning: Partners, Pathways and Pedagogies. Hosted by Central Queensland University , the Lifelong Learning Conference brings together delegates from across the nation and from around the world to discuss, debate and progress the issues associated with lifelong learning.
website: http://lifelonglearning.cqu.edu.au/2006/
PASCAL Events page: http://www.obs-pascal.com/events.php
**If you have an event or conference you would like included in the newsletter or on the PASCAL events page, please email Katrina.Beard@rmit.edu.au
7. New on PASCAL
Design Excellence in North Kent
Design Excellence in North Kent (DENK) is a Kent County Council led partnership project with the overall objective of helping to ensure North Kent is at the cutting edge of design and innovation.
http://www.obs-pascal.com/docs.php?doc=118
More on Kent County Council's innovative projects in place management and community capacity building:
http://www.obs-pascal.com/docs.php?doc=72
Learning a Living: First Results of the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey
Governments must do more to ensure that people retain and develop skills acquired in early schooling through life-time education, the OECD recommends. Learning a Living: First Results of the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey presents data drawn from surveys in Bermuda , Canada , Italy , the Mexican State of Nuevo León, Norway , Switzerland and the United States .
http://www.oecd.org/document/37/0,2340,en_2649_34859051_34867685_1_1_1_1,00.html
Greencluster
Five ongoing EU-funded research projects are addressing, from different perspectives, the function of green space in the urban environment. Rather than presenting the results of these individual projects in a fragmented way, the projects have come together to present their findings in a co-ordinated manner in order to enhance their impact.
“Socially Inclusive Spaces: an Abstract Dream or a Dream Come True?”
Socially inclusive spaces are accessible open spaces that belong to everybody. To achieve socially inclusive spaces is one of the goals that was set for the SAUL-project, Sustainable and Accessible Urban Landscapes. In this European funded project six metropolitan regions participate: London , Rhein-Ruhr, Rhein-Main, Luxemburg , Saarland and Amsterdam . Burgess Park in London and Noorderpark in Amsterdam-North were brought together to explore what makes urban green spaces socially inclusive spaces, what methods you can use to achieve this and what could be learned from each other.
http://www.saulproject.net/pressandmedia.jsp;jsessionid=0FC019B2C1566DA02C8775ABD18D1A40
PASCAL's news headlines appear on the right hand side of the home page. Items are updated several times a week: http://www.obs-pascal.com/
New resources can be found in the PASCAL library: http://www.obs-pascal.com/library.php
or on the PASCAL events page: http://www.obs-pascal.com/events.php
8. About the PASCAL Observatory
PASCAL is an international research and policy development alliance which aims to develop, communicate and explain new and emerging ideas about place management, social capital and learning regions.
Read more: http://www.obs-pascal.com/alliances.php
9. How to unsubscribe/subscribe
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Regards,
Katrina Beard
Content Editor, PASCAL International Observatory
Dr Leone Wheeler
Manager/Senior Lecturer, Community & Regional Partnerships