Stimulating Innovation and Creativity In Education
Embedding creativity in education and training
The role of creativity in economic success has been minimized for too long. Now education and training institutions are working to embed creativity and innovation into their programs with the goal of producing a workforce with the talent to innovate. Creativity joins traditional education and skills training in the formula for economic success. The May 1-4, 2011 TA3 meeting in San Sebastian of the Basque region of Spain examined the role of creativity and how creativity and innovation can be enhanced by collaborative networks and alliances involving colleges, companies, research and technology centres that complement one another and share knowledge and practices.
The event was co-sponsored by TA3, the Tknika Centre for Innovation and the Basque Department of Education.
Please go to the Tknika website to learn more about the event. The final agenda and the presentations from the sessions are here.
Below find photos from the event.
Supporting Sustainable Communities
Opportunities and Challenges for Community Colleges
With sustainability and green energy set to play a critical role in the growth of our national economy, community colleges represent a way to meet the needs of local businesses and residents. Experts and practitioners from the U.S. and Europe met in Asheville in April to highlight expanded roles for colleges in educating students, businesses, and communities about and for economic opportunities in renewable energy, conservation, ecotourism, and local sustainable agriculture and manufacturing. Topics discussed included:
- Skills for new green-oriented industries and for sustainable practices in other sectors
- Enhancing local and sustainable agriculture, natural resources, and crafts
- “Green thinking” in all programs
- Making campuses models of sustainability
Go to www.ta3online.org/2010meeting/ for more information including a final agenda and presentations from speakers.
Tampere College (Tampereen ammattiopisto) is a vocational college in the upper secondary level, located in in the city of Tampere and the municipality of Kuru, Finland. Tampere College is one of the largest vocational Colleges in Finland, and has developed good partnerships and implemented valuable projects within recent years. Tampere’s five Institutes (Hervanta Institute, Kuru Institute of Forestry, Pyynikki Institute, Tampere Institute of Commerce and Tampere Institute of Health Care) educate individuals who are able to work in changing work environments in the public or private sectors or to become entrepreneurs; are open to constant development and lifelong learning to improve their skills; are internationally-minded; and have a good environmental awareness.