Designing and Implementing Learning Neighbourhoods in Corkks UNESCO Learning City Project

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Cork, the Republic of Ireland’s second most populous city, is one of 12 UNESCO Learning Cities globally. Becoming a learning city requires a sophisticated audit of education, learning and other socio-economic indicators. It also demands that cities become proactively engaged in delivering to the objectives set by the Beijing Declaration on Building Learning Cities which was adopted at the first UNESCO International Conference on Learning Cities in Beijing (2013) and the Mexico City Statement on Sustainable Learning Cities from the second conference in Mexico City (2015). The UNESCO learning city approach lays heavy emphasis on lifelong learning and social inclusion. In addressing these two concerns Cork city is piloting the development of two Learning Neighborhoods. The pilots are a collaboration between the City Council, University College Cork and Cork Education and Training Board who will work with the learning and education organizations and residents in each area to promote, acknowledge and show case active local lifelong learning. This paper looks at the context and design of these Learning Neighborhoods.