Andragoška spoznanja/Studies in Adult Education and Learning, 2020, 26(1), 3-13 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4312/as.26.1.3-13 Editorial EDITORIAL LEARNING CITIES – AN INFLUENTIAL TOPIC FOR ADULT EDUCATION AND LEARNING, DRAWING ATTENTION TO INCLUSION, COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION This thematic issue of Studies in Adult Education and Learning puts the topic of learn- ing cities into the focus of analysis since the topic itself has been able to connect several matters of adult learning in the contexts of both participation and performance, the latter having strong references to professionalisation, over the last fifty years. It is no surprise that the topic has recently been attached to issues concerning the quality of education as part of the discourse on Sustainable Development Goals and simulta- neously reflects the question of using collaboration to create better communities by de- veloping education and other welfare services in urban areas. However, certain facets of learning cities have generated tensions because of their political, economic, and societal aspects, and in terms of global, national, and local/regional views on the roles, aims, and choices of learning cities. Discourses at the recent PASCAL International Observatory or the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) conferences have signalled the limitations of power, structures, and policies and recommended shifting from the current models of learning cities towards community focuses on inclusion, equity, and equal op- portunities (PASCAL Observatory, 2019; UIL, 2019a). When one makes a thorough survey of the evolution of learning cities, it becomes obvious that their beginnings are connected to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and its goal to promote regional economic development based on effective knowledge transfer as part of a new and more modern knowledge-based society (see Németh’s article). However, these beginnings also provided valuable new insights to several international organisations like the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the newly established European Union (EU), who decided to make use of the concept in the shape of learning city-region formations. Inclusive measures were in place to raise participation in learning on the one hand, and to develop the quality and effectiveness of formal, non-formal, and informal education on the other. The importance AS_2020_1_FINAL.indd 3 24.2.2020 10:50:00 4 ANDRAGOŠKA SPOZNANJA/STUDIES IN ADULT EDUCATION AND LEARNING 1/2020 of a well-promoted learning society framework was highlighted at the turn of the millen- nium with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), UNESCO’s vision of Education for All and with EU’s programme to develop regions of lifelong learning (R3L) as part of the Lisbon programme (European Communities, 2002). At the same time, the Korean initiative of Learning Cities, part of a broader national campaign to promote a policy of lifelong education, attached itself to participation-led community actions in order to achieve a better atmosphere of learning (demonstrated in Park’s paper). In this respect, this thematic issue tries to examine the trends and issues concerning some particularly challenging elements in the evolution of learning cities in order to address the constraints of mainly societal aspects when attempting to clarify influential factors of change and development. Each of the collected papers is analytical in its scope and, simultaneously, has tried to point out some elements of learning within communities and local/regional limitations which may either form or dismantle the model under scrutiny. The five papers have highlighted some particularly relevant aspects of learning city devel- opment with five individual approaches: • the Korean example discusses the place of learning cities in the context and per- spective of a learning society orientation based on a comprehensive literature review (Park’s paper); • the Serbian example demonstrates the changing nature and impact of learning sites in learning cities by analysing and relating the topic itself to public pedagogical and civic education concerns (Popović, Maksimović, Jovanović and Joksimović’s paper); • the Irish example discusses the matter of community building in the focus of capacity building, sustainability, and resilience, and also reflects on the special impact of rais- ing capital, from human to cultural (Ó Tuama’s paper); • the comparative focus on the learning city models of Cork and Pécs relates some composite factors of the learning city evolution and each other’s similarities and dif- ferences (Németh’s paper); • the practical example of the Learning City of Espoo, as is evident from the title of the paper, emphasizes concerns for sustainability and community focus (Erkkilä’s paper). Another very important element of this collection is underlining the necessity of commu- nity focus and community development as something like a ‘quasi factor’ of legitimation in all five examples. Learning cities could have developed a number of alternative ori- entations in the last two decades, however, it became inevitable to integrate the techno- logy-driven innovations of smart, creative cities and the stakeholder-driven policy-guided formations of educating cities. More precisely, UNESCO’s involvement has made it pos- sible to recognise the roles and responsibilities of city leadership, but to firmly establish collaborations and inclusion as the keys to success for lifelong learning and for learning communities (UIL, 2016). AS_2020_1_FINAL.indd 4 24.2.2020 10:50:00 5 Balázs Németh: Learning Cities – An Influential Topic for Adult Education and Learning... Each of the examples in the thematic section of this issue embodies its own set of values so that it reflects the human focus of learning cities and clearly demonstrates the challenge of engaging both citizens and their communities in campaigning for living and learning in the diverse environments that a city and its region encompass. Learning cities very openly reflect the fact that cities can only develop when they build upon the capacities of their communities and seek a reliable consensus on how to move forward in difficult times. The United Nation’s (UN) Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development has indicated that urban environments will encounter a number of difficulties which will need to be tackled by set- ting global goals and taking local and regional action (United Nations, 2015). The examples of learning cities will also help us understand the necessity of recognising the public benefits of community-based learning in learning cities and integrating both individual and community aspirations in urban settings of knowledge transfer and skills development. In this regard, some significant organisations and institutions of education and culture will definitely play a significant role, such as universities (eucen, 2018) and museums, libraries and community learning centres (Németh, 2018). The first paper on Korean Learning Cities teaches us that the relationship between a learning city and a learning society has always entailed strong concerns about quality. For this reason, the aim of this learning city model is to emphasize the creation of a just society, both a great challenge and an opportunity in Korean society, as participatory ac- tion has a strong focus on equal opportunities. Park’s paper demonstrates that increasing participation and realising equal opportunities require commitment and engagement, but also the involvement of citizens as learners and agents of learning to strengthen commu- nity development within learning cities and beyond. Not only learning itself but social in- clusion through learning may help engage citizens in community affairs and community development to tackle inequalities through bottom-up formations and projects to empow- er citizens with civic values, attitudes, and by learning the skills of participation through their own practice. The Serbian example can be regarded as a critical interrogation demonstrating that al- though the concept of learning cities-regions as developed by the OECD had a primarily economic angle, it is UNESCO and its global network of learning cities which introduced the importance of the community, the social perspective of learning cities, and highlighted the importance of participatory concerns and inclusive learning environments. Belgrade’s approach, however, introduces a challenging focus on civic actions, reconceptualising the public sphere, and the active creation of space in the city. Popović, Maksimović, Jovano- vić, and Joksimović offer a broadening of the concept of the learning city to include cities with strong civic movements and actions, strengthening non-formal learning to result in critical thinking and active citizenship. Public pedagogy and civic education may be of help in this regard and get citizens to “co-create urban spaces”. In this framework a city may be recognised both as a context and as an educator, making it possible for public places to become places of learning. AS_2020_1_FINAL.indd 5 24.2.2020 10:50:00 6 ANDRAGOŠKA SPOZNANJA/STUDIES IN ADULT EDUCATION AND LEARNING 1/2020 The third case from Cork, Ireland offers a special critical focus on learning cities. Ó Tu- ama elaborates upon lifelong learning, community building, and sustainability in Cork Learning City, especially on the Learning Neighbourhoods component to highlight that learning cities have a joint responsibility in building learning communities and, more- over, to prepare and empower them to become resilient and self-organised in order to face the challenges of sustainability and other global changes. Although the concept of Learning Neighbourhoods is essentially about collaboration and coalition building, it is a community building concept articulated through learning. Therefore, it is worth examin- ing and getting an idea of how it may help the citizens of Cork prepare for the challenges posed by issues such as climate, poverty, and inclusion. In the fourth paper the learning city of Pécs, Hungary, is compared to the complex model of Cork Learning City. Both former European Capitals of Culture (ECoC), Pécs and Cork went on to become learning cities and joined UNESCO’s global network, which enables learning cities to collect and share ideas and experiences of community development through learning (UIL, 2017). The paper provides a summary of the main stages in the evolution of learning cities up to their current phase, where the global environment is combined with local and regional characteristics. Besides exploring the similarities and differences that exist between the Cork and the Pécs models, the reader will also find some explanations of the choices for and barriers to further development in the global climate, and the constraints of local and regional realities. Erkkilä’s practical example of the City of Espoo in Finland helps the reader recognise the impact a tradition of learning city-region development can have in strengthening its focus on combining learning and community development with that of innovative technological development for the benefit of its communities. Espoo was already a pioneering city in the 1990s and it worked systematically to join UNESCO’s call for learning cities to lead, among other respected cities, toward sustainable development with a vision of dynamism based on collaborative action for sustainable formats and on empowering learners to ac- tively participate and contribute to shaping the flexible learning spaces analysed in this paper. It is not surprising that Espoo combines the expansion of learning opportunities with the joy of learning and that of powerful collaboration. We hope that this collection can successfully bring together the topic of learning cities and that of adult education and lifelong learning. In association with UNESCO UIL, the examined learning city models help promote better participation, performance, and pro- vision in lifelong learning for all. UNESCO’s 4 th Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (UIL, 2019b) points out several reasons why we still have a lot to do to turn learning cities into fully developed learning communities, cities, and regions that are in- clusive and equitable grounds of human interaction, which promote better understanding and seek out appropriate responses to global and local challenges. Besides the five thematic papers, this issue also includes two open papers, three reports, and a book review. In “Expansive Learning and Research Practices at the Slovenian Third AS_2020_1_FINAL.indd 6 24.2.2020 10:50:00 7 Balázs Németh: Learning Cities – An Influential Topic for Adult Education and Learning... Age University” Matej Urbančič, Meta Kutin, Dušana Findeisen, Maja Mezgec, Nives Ličen and Klara Kožar Rosulnik discuss selected research practices at the Slovenian Third Age University (U3A) and interpret them using the theory of expansive learning. Selected examples of exploratory learning are used to identify the factors that influence the development of exploratory learning. The authors argue that expansive learning at the Slovenian U3A leads to innovative and socially engaged practices. In the second paper, “Sensitivity of Evaluation Practices to Types, Cycles and Fields of Study Programmes,” Jernej Širok discusses the concept of quality in higher education. His analysis of judge- ments on quality in the final expert reports from programme re-accreditation procedures shows that the criticism and frequency of qualitative emphases poorly track the neces- sities of intrinsic properties of types, cycles and disciplinary foundations of study pro- grammes. This issue is brought to a close with three reports on different anniversaries in the field of adult education. Lidija Črnko reports on the centenary of adult education in Britain and the publication of the Ministry of Reconstruction’s landmark report in 1919, Monika Govekar-Okoliš has prepared a report on 100 years of Volkshochschulen in Germany, and Petra Javrh has written about the 60 th anniversary of the Association of People’s Universities of Slovenia. Our final contribution is “Affective Societies”, a book review by Nives Ličen. Balázs Németh REFERENCES European Communities. (2002). European Networks to promote the local and regional dimensions of Lifelong Learning. The R3L initiative. Call for Proposal. Brussels: European Communities. eucen. (2018). Position on University Lifelong Learning promoting the Agenda 2030 on Sustain- able Development. Retrieved December 15, 2019, from https://eucenstudies.files.wordpress. com/2018/06/36_eucenppaper_ulll-agenda2030sdsedited.pdf Németh, B. (Ed.). (2018). Learning Cities and Culture Working Together. Pécs: UP. PASCAL Observatory. (2019). Retrieved December 15, 2019, from http://pascalobservatory.org/ UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. (2016). UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities. Guiding Documents. Hamburg: UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. (2017). Learning City Pécs. Hamburg: UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. (2019a). Global Network of Learning Cities. Retrieved De- cember 15, 2019, from http://uil.unesco.org/lifelong-learning/learning-cities UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. (2019b). 4th Global Report on Adult Learning and Education. Hamburg: UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. United Nations. (2015). Transforming our World: Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development: Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 25 September 2015. Retrieved December 15, 2019, from https:// www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=E AS_2020_1_FINAL.indd 7 24.2.2020 10:50:00 Andragoška spoznanja/Studies in Adult Education and Learning, 2020, 26(1), 3-13 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4312/as.26.1.3-13 Uvodnik UVODNIK UČEČA SE MESTA – VPLIVNA TEMA ZA IZOBRAŽEVANJE IN UČENJE ODRASLIH, KI POUDARJA VKLJUČEVANJE, SODELOVANJE IN UVAJANJE NOVOSTI V tej tematski številki Andragoških spoznanj se ukvarjamo s temo učečih se mest, saj je ta nekakšno stičišče različnih vprašanj, ki so se v izobraževanju odraslih pojavljala skozi 50 let njegovega razvoja, in sicer v kontekstu tako udeležbe oziroma sodelovanja kot izva- janja, z močno navezavo slednjega na profesionalizacijo. Prav nič ni presenetljivo, da je v zadnjem času, zlasti v okviru diskurza o ciljih trajnostne- ga razvoja, ta tema povezana z vprašanji kakovosti izobraževanja, vključuje pa tudi vpra- šanje soustvarjanja boljših mestnih skupnosti z razvijanjem izobraževanja in drugih stori- tev za javno dobro. Razprava o učečih se mestih je povzročila tudi napetosti, povezane z njenimi političnimi, gospodarskimi in družbenimi vidiki ter z razcepljenostjo globalnih, nacionalnih in lokalnih/regionalnih pogledov na vloge, poslanstva in odločitve teh mest. Diskusije na nedavnih konferencah Mednarodnega opazovalnega centra PASCAL in Une- scovega inštituta za vseživljenjsko učenje (UIL) so nakazale omejitve pri zmožnostih, strukturah in politikah ter priporočile, naj se trenutni modeli učečih se mest spreminjajo v smeri osredotočanja skupnosti na vključevanje, pravičnost in enake možnosti (PASCAL Observatory, 2019; UIL, 2019a). Skrben pregled razvoja učečih se mest jasno pokaže, da je začetek njihovega vzpona povezan z Organizacijo za gospodarsko sodelovanje in razvoj (OECD) in njenim zavze- manjem za regionalni gospodarski razvoj, ki temelji na učinkovitem prenosu znanj kot elementom nove, modernejše in na znanju utemeljene družbe (glej članek B. Németha). Kakorkoli že, ti začetki so ponudili dragocene vpoglede številnim mednarodnim organi- zacijam, na primer Unescu in takrat na novo ustanovljeni Evropski uniji, ki so se odločile, da uporabijo ta koncept v obliki učečih se mest-regij. Na eni strani so vključevalni ukrepi povečali udeležbo pri učenju, na drugi pa razvili kakovostno in učinkovito izobraževanje na formalni, neformalni in priložnostni ravni. Pomen učinkovitega spodbujanja učeče se družbe so poudarili razvojni cilji novega tisočetja (Millenium Development Goals), nasta- li ob prelomu tisočletja, Unescova vizija »Izobraževanje za vse« in vzpostavitev programa AS_2020_1_FINAL.indd 9 24.2.2020 10:50:01 10 ANDRAGOŠKA SPOZNANJA/STUDIES IN ADULT EDUCATION AND LEARNING 1/2020 za razvoj regij vseživljenskega učenja (R3L) v sklopu Lizbonskega programa (Evropske skupnosti, 2002) Evropske unije. Sočasno se je v Koreji kot del širše nacionalne kampanje za spodbujanje politike vse- življenjskega izobraževanja pojavila inciativa, imenovana »Učeča se mesta«. Pridružila se je na sodelovanje osredinjenim dejavnostim skupnosti, katerih cilj je ustvariti boljše vzdušje za učenje (kar v svojem članku pokaže Park). V tem smislu skuša ta številka revije obravnavati nekatere trende in problematike, ki se nanašajo na še posebej zahtevne elemente v razvoju učečih se mest, da bi naslovila ome- jitve predvsem družbenih vidikov pri poskusu razjasnjevanja vplivnih dejavnikov spre- memb in razvoja. Vsak članek je po svojem pristopu analitičen, hkrati pa skuša izpostaviti nekatere elemente v učenju znotraj skupnosti in lokalnih/regionalnih omejitev, ki lahko oblikujejo ali pa razgrajujejo model, ki ga posamezni avtor opisuje. Teh pet tematskih člankov torej obravnava posebej pomenljive vidike v razvoju učečih se mest: • Park na podlagi natančnega pregleda literature raziskuje učeča se mesta v Koreji v okviru in z vidika usmeritve učeče se družbe; • Popović, Maksimović, Jovanović in Joskimović s primerom iz Srbije kažejo na spre- minjajočo se naravo in vpliv prostorov za učenje v učečih se mestih, tako da analizirajo in povezujejo temo z javnopedagoško in državljanskovzgojno problematiko; • v primeru iz Irske se Ó Tuama ukvarja z razvijanjem skupnosti z vidika krepitve zmo- gljivosti, trajnosti in odpornosti, prikazuje pa tudi poseben vpliv razvijanja različnih vrst kapitala, od človeškega do kulturnega; • Németh se v primerjavi dveh modelov učečih se mest, irskega mesta Cork in madžar- skega mesta Pécs, osredotoča na sestavne dejavnike v njunem razvoju, v ospredje pa postavlja tudi podobnosti in razlike med njima; • Erkkilä se v praktičnem primeru učečega se mesta Espoo, kot pove že naslov članka, zavzema predvsem za trajnostni razvoj in skupnost. Drug zelo pomemben element tega izbora člankov je poudarjanje nujnosti osredotočanja na skupnost in na razvoj skupnosti kot nekakšnega kvazifaktorja legitimacije v vseh petih primerih. Učeča se mesta bi lahko v preteklih dveh desetletjih razvila številne različne usmeritve, vendar je integracija tehnološko pogojenih inovacij pametnih in ustvarjalnih mest na eni strani in politike zainteresiranih, ki narekujejo oblikovanje tovrstnih mest, na drugi strani postala neizogibna. Bolj natančno rečeno je sodelovanje Unesca omogočilo prepoznavanje vlog in odgovornosti mestnega vodstva, kljub temu pa poudarilo ključni pomen sodelovanja in vključevanja za uspešnost vseživljenskega učenja in uspešnost uče- čih se skupnosti (UIL, 2016). Vsak primer v tej tematski številki zajema svoj lastni sklop vrednot, kar je odsev osre- dotočenosti na človeka v okviru učečih se mest in jasno kaže izziv, kako ljudi in njiho- ve skupnosti pritegniti v prizadevanje za boljše življenje in učenje v raznolikem okolju posameznega mesta in regije. Učeča se mesta zelo jasno dokazujejo, da se mesta lahko AS_2020_1_FINAL.indd 10 24.2.2020 10:50:01 11 Balázs Németh: Učeča se mesta – vplivna tema za izobraževanje in učenje odraslih ... razvijajo samo, če gradijo na zmogljivostih svojih skupnosti in skušajo najti trden konsenz o tem, kako v teh težavnih časih narediti korak naprej. Organizacija združenih narodov (OZN) je v svoji Agendi 2030 za trajnostni razvoj nakazala, da se bodo v urbanih okoljih v prihodnosti pojavile številne težave, ki jih bo treba reševati z določitvijo globalnih ciljev ter izvedbo lokalnih in regionalnih ukrepov (Organizacija združenih narodov, 2015). Upam, da bodo naši primeri učečih se mest pripomogli k spoznanju, da je nujno prepo- znati javne koristi, ki jih prinaša učenje znotraj skupnosti v učečih se mestih, in povezati prizadevanja tako posameznikov kot skupnosti znotraj urbanih okolij za prenos znanj in razvoj spretnosti. Nekatere vidne organizacije in izobraževalne ter kulturne ustanove, npr. univerze (eucen, 2018) in muzeji, knjižnice in učni centri (Németh, 2018), bodo tu zago- tovo igrale pomembno vlogo. Prvi članek, ki se ukvarja z učečimi se mesti v Koreji, nam razkriva, da so bila v razmerju med učečim se mestom in učečo se družbo vedno prisotna vprašanja o kakovosti. Prav za- radi tega ima njihov model učečega se mesta za cilj poudariti ustvarjanje pravične družbe, kar je hkrati izziv in priložnost za korejsko družbo, saj je participatorna dejavnost močno osredotočena na enake možnosti. Park v članku pokaže, da povečevanje udeležbe in ure- sničevanja enakih možnosti zahteva zavezanost, hkrati pa tudi dejavno vključenost držav- ljanov kot učečih se in tudi agentov učenja, da se tako okrepi razvoj skupnosti v učečih se mestih in zunaj njih. Ne le učenje samo, ampak tudi družbeno vključevanje prek učenja lahko pripomoreta h krepitvi udejstvovanja v zadevah skupnosti in razvoja skupnosti, pri čemer bi premagovali neenakosti s pristopom »od spodaj navzgor« in projekti, ki krepijo državljanske vrednote, stališča in učenje participatornih veščin. Primer iz Srbije s svojim kritičnim pristopom kaže, da sta navkljub primarno ekonomski konceptualizaciji učečih se mest, kot jo je postavila Organizacija za gospodarsko sodelo- vanje in razvoj, Unesco in njegova globalna mreža učečih se mest vključila pomembnost skupnosti, družbeno naravnanost učečih se mest, in poudarili pomen razvijanja participa- tornih zanimanj in inkluzivnih učnih okolij. Pristop, uporabljen v Beogradu, kljub temu prinaša več izzivov, saj poudarja državljansko delovanje, povezano z rekonceptualizacijo javne sfere in aktivnim ustvarjanjem prostora v mestu. Popović, Maksimović, Jovanović in Joksimović v članku ponujajo razširitev koncepta učečega se mesta na mesta z močnimi državljanskimi gibanji, z državljanskim delovanjem, ki krepi neformalno učenje ter vodi h kritičnemu razmišljanju in dejavnemu državljanstvu. Javna pedagogika in državljanska vzgoja lahko v tem smislu pomagata državljanom »so-ustvarjati urbani prostor«. Na ta način so mesta lahko prepoznana hkrati kot kontekst in tudi kot vzgojitelj, kar omogoča, da javni prostor deluje kot prostor učenja. Tretji primer iz mesta Cork na Irskem ima poseben pristop do učečih se mest. Ó Tuama razpravlja o vseživljenjskem učenju, razvijanju skupnosti in trajnostnem razvoju v okviru učečega se mesta Cork, še posebej učečih se sosesk (learning neighbourhoods). Avtor poudarja, da imajo učeča se mesta skupno odgovornost, da gradijo učeče se skupnosti, da dajejo skupnostim moč za to, da postanejo odpornejše in samoorganizirane, saj bodo le AS_2020_1_FINAL.indd 11 24.2.2020 10:50:01 12 ANDRAGOŠKA SPOZNANJA/STUDIES IN ADULT EDUCATION AND LEARNING 1/2020 tako pripravljene na izzive trajnostnega razvoja in druge globalne spremembe. Čeprav so učeče se soseske utemeljene prvenstveno na sodelovanju in združevanju, pa gre pravza- prav za koncept krepitve skupnosti, ki se artikulira prek učenja. Zato je vreden proučeva- nja in razmisleka o tem, kako lahko prebivalcem mesta Cork pomaga, da se pripravijo na izzive, ki jih prinašajo podnebne spremembe, revščina in socialna vključenost. Četrti članek primerja dve učeči se mesti, Pécs na Madžarskem in Cork na Irskem. Kot nekdanja nosilca naziva Evropska predstolnica kulture sta Pécs in Cork postala učeči se mesti in se pridružila Unescovi globalni mreži, znotraj katere sta zbirala in si izmenjevala zamisli ter izkušnje, povezane z razvijanjem skupnosti prek učenja (UIL, 2017). Članek povzema poglavitne faze v razvoju obeh učečih se mest do njune trenutne faze globalnega okolja, ki ga dopolnjujejo lokalne in regionalne posebnosti. Poleg podobnosti in razlik med modeloma v obeh mestih članek prinaša tudi razlage in ugotovitve o odločitvah in ovirah za nadaljnji razvoj v globalni klimi in z omejitvami, ki izhajajo iz lokalnih in re- gionalnih razmer. Erkkilä v svojem članku predstavlja primer finskega mesta Espoo in bralcu daje vpogled v vpliv, ki ga ima tradicija učečega se mesta-regije pri spodbujanju povezovanja razvoja učenja in skupnosti z inovativnim tehnološkim razvojem v korist svojih skupnosti. Espoo je bilo pionirsko mesto že v devetdesetih letih in se je s sistematičnim delom na tem področju pridružilo klicu Unesca, naj učeča se mesta skupaj z drugimi priznanimi mesti prevzamejo vodilno vlogo na poti k trajnostnemu razvoju z dinamično vizijo, ki temelji na sodelovalnih metodah oblikovanja trajnostnih pristopov in na usposabljanju učečih se, da aktivno sodelujejo in prispevajo k oblikovanju prožnih učnih prostorov, analiziranih v članku. Prav nič ni presenetljivo, da Espoo združuje širjenje učnih priložnosti z veseljem do učenja in močnim sodelovanjem. Upamo, da je nabor člankov uspešno povezal temo učečih se mest z izobraževanjem odra- slih in vseživljenjskim učenjem. V sodelovanju z Unescovim inštitutom za vseživljenjsko učenje preučeni modeli učečih se mest pomagajo spodbujati boljšo udeležbo, izvedbo in ponudbo vseživljenskega učenja za vse ljudi. Unescovo četrto svetovno poročilo o izobra- ževanju odraslih (UIL, 2019b) postavlja v ospredje več razlogov, zaradi katerih nas čaka še veliko dela, preden bomo lahko s pomočjo učečih se mest ustvarili učeče se skupnosti, mesta in regije kot vključujoče in pravične prostore sodelovanja pri doseganju boljšega razumevanja med ljudmi in iskanju ustreznih odgovorov na globalne in lokalne izzive. Poleg petih tematskih člankov ta številka vsebuje tudi dva tematsko odprta članka, tri poročila in eno knjižno recenzijo. Matej Urbančič, Meta Kutin, Dušana Findeisen, Maja Mezgec, Nives Ličen in Klara Kožar Rosulnik v članku »Expansive Learning and Rese- arch Practices at the Slovenian Third Age University« razpravljajo o raziskovalnih pra- ksah na Slovenski univerzi za tretje življenjsko obdobje in jih interpretirajo preko teorije ekspanzivnega učenja. Na podlagi izbranih primerov raziskovalnega učenja avtorji opre- delijo dejavnike, ki vplivjo na razvoj tovrstnega učenja. Zagovarjajo tezo, da ekspazivno učenje na Slovenski univerzi za tretje življenjsko obdobje vodi do praks, ki so inovativne AS_2020_1_FINAL.indd 12 24.2.2020 10:50:01 13 Balázs Németh: Učeča se mesta – vplivna tema za izobraževanje in učenje odraslih ... in spodbujajo družbeno vključevanje. V članku »Občutljivost evalvacijskih praks na vrste, stopnje in področja študijskih programov« pa Jernej Širok obravnava koncept kakovosti v visokošolskem izobraževanju. Prek analize sodb o kakovosti v končnih evalvacijskih po- ročilih strokovnjakov v postopkih podaljšanja akreditacije študijskih programov pokaže, da kritičnost in pogostost kvalitativnih poudarkov strokovnjakov slabo sledita nujnostim intrinzičnih posebnosti vrst, stopenj in disciplinske vpetosti študijskih programov. Ob koncu se posvetimo še poročilom o treh pomembnih obletnicah v izobraževanju odraslih. Poročilo o stoletnici izobraževanja odraslih v Britaniji in izdaji prelomnega poročila mi- nistrstva za obnovo iz leta 1919 je pripravila Lidija Črnko, o stoletnici Volkshochschulen v Nemčiji poroča Monika Govekar-Okoliš, o šestdesetletnici delovanja Zveze ljudskih univerz Slovenije pa Petra Javrh. Številko zaključuje Nives Ličen z recenzijo zbirke »Af- fective Societies«. Balázs Németh LITERATURA Evropske skupnosti. (2002). European Networks to promote the local and regional dimensions of Life- long Learning. The R3L initiative. Call for Proposal. Bruselj: Evropske skupnosti. eucen. (2018). Position on University Lifelong Learning promoting the Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development. Pridobljeno s https://eucenstudies.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/36_eucenppaper_ul- ll-agenda2030sdsedited.pdf Németh, B. (ur.). (2018). Learning Cities and Culture Working Together. Pécs: UP. Organizacija združenih narodov. (2015). Transforming our World: Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Devel- opment: Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 25 September 2015. Pridobljeno s https:// www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=E PASCAL Observatory. (2019). Pridobljeno s http://pascalobservatory.org/ Unescov inštitut za vseživljenjsko učenje. (2016). UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities. Guiding Documents. Hamburg: UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. Unescov inštitut za vseživljenjsko učenje. (2017). Learning City Pécs. Hamburg: UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. Unescov inštitut za vseživljenjsko učenje. (2019a). Global Network of Learning Cities. Pridobljeno s http://uil.unesco.org/lifelong-learning/learning-cities Unescov inštitut za vseživljenjsko učenje. (2019b). 4th Global Report on Adult Learning and Education. Hamburg: UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. AS_2020_1_FINAL.indd 13 24.2.2020 10:50:01