‘Can I google it?’ – ENCATC’s Annual Conference from 6-8 October 2010, Brussels

ENCATC (European Network of Cultural Administration and Training Centres),en la que participa Estudios de Ocio, celebra del 6 al 8 de Octubre su conferencia anual. Por su interés, os hacemos llegar las líneas principales de la misma:

Education, as it was traditionally conceived, no longer equips young graduates with the innovative skills which are required for today’s labour market.  As the weight of such criticism echoes in university classrooms and cultural training centres in Europe and beyond, ENCATC has seized the opportunity to put education in the spotlight at its upcoming Annual conference.

Set to take place at Brussels’ Residence Palace at the heart of the European capital on 6-8 October 2010, ENCATC’s 18th Annual Conference will bring together eminent academics, policy-makers and artists from various fields in the Cultural sector.

The debate will centre on how change should be delivered in the higher education sector, with regard to both teaching methodology and curriculum content.  How can we better align students’ and employers’ expectations?  Can universities encourage students to take more ownership of their learning?  Should the linear teaching of academic curricula disappear to the benefit of a more entrepreneur type of learning, which encourages creativity of thought and action, and critical independent thinking?  By what means and how early should ‘non-academic’ skills be taught to students?  Are we at danger of modernizing the academic curricula through purely economic considerations?  And how will the creative industries face up to the challenge of delivering tangible economic results to justify future investment?  These are only a glimpse of the wide range of exciting topics which ENCATC will touch upon at its upcoming Annual Conference.

Following the official opening ceremony and gala dinner, ENCATC’s Annual Conference will be animated by policy debates, thematic seminars and training seminars, to which the public will be invited to participate. Participants will also have the opportunity to reflect on the impetus which UNESCO’s Convention on the protection and the Promotion of Cultural Expressions and the World Conferences on Education for Sustainable Development provided to the debate, as well as assessing the EU’s Lisbon Strategy and ambitious new agenda focused on employment and economic growth for 2020.

During the ENCATC Annual Conference you will also be invted to attend:

• the Seminar «The Power of Cultural Relations”, (8/10/2010)
• The 4th Forum of Young Cultural Policy Researchers (6-7/10/2010)
• The 7th Cultural Policy Research Award Ceremony (7/10/2010)
• The Final Conference of the European Project “Artists Moving and Learning” (7 – 8/10/2010)
• The 6th Annual Students’ Conference (7-8/10/2010)

For anyone working in higher education or in national and international institutions dealing with the challenges of training both knowledgeable and employable students, ENCATC’s Annual Conference presents an ideal opportunity to meet professionals working in the same field and to actively engage in fruitful and challenging debates.

To register for ENCATC’s Annual Conference, please consult the website: www.encatc.org/register/.
To download the practical information click here: www.encatc.org