ABOUT THE ALCN

The Australian Learning Communities Network Inc (ALCN) is a national network of leading-edge practitioners building sustainable communities using learning as the key element.

A learning community is one that addresses its own learning needs through partnership. It uses the strengths of individual, social, and institutional relationships across sectors to bring about cultural shifts in the perceptions of the value of learning. Learning communities explicitly use learning to enhance social, economic, cultural, and environmental conditions on a sustainable, inclusive basis.

We support UNESCO’s Institute of Lifelong Learning in the development of a Global Network of Learning Cities.

A Learning City is a city which effectively mobilizes its resources in every sector to

• promote inclusive learning from basic to higher education;
• revitalize learning in families and communities;
• facilitate learning for and in the workplace;
• extend the use of modern learning technologies;
• enhance quality and excellence in learning; and
• foster a culture of learning throughout life.

In so doing it will create and reinforce individual empowerment and social cohesion, economic and cultural prosperity, and sustainable development.

Source:  UNESCO_UIL (2015). “UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities Guiding Documents.” Retrieved from https://uil.unesco.org/fileadmin/keydocuments/LifelongLearning/learning-cities/en-unesco-global-network-of-learning-cities-guiding-documents.pdf.