Some Strategies in Building Learning Communities and Regions

Peter Kearns and Denise Reghenzani Kearns have kindly written extensive notes on discussions that they had in Germany, Canada and Hong Kong during the period of June to September.  The discussions were focussed on mainly:

• The Learning Region  Network, and Learning on Place  Programs in Germany;

• Work of the Canadian  Council on Learning, and  Vancouver and Victoria Learning Cities in  Canada;
• The evaluation of the  Learning Regions Network  Program throws up a number of points  relevant to the benefits and sustainability of PURE regional  networks.  Unfortunately, the main report  is available in German only, but I have a short English summary which I have drawn  upon;

• The success factors  identified by Professor Deiter Gnahs, pp. 6-7, are useful and  include points that are relevant to the  sustainability of PURE  regional networks;
• The time factor  required in achieving  sustainability: German Learning Region  Networks were funded for 7 years from  2001-08 with some 40  discontinued when funding ended - this points to the  fairly  significant time required in achieving sustainability;
• Effective communication  is crucial in building  trust and social capital and a sense of  identity in the network, Bad Tolz provides a good example, p10.