Local/Regional Economic Development in South ... - Value Chains

80
.12 On the Path to a Learning Society –
Sustainable Regional Development through Networking and Cooperation
Dr. Annegret Westphal, Dr. Petra Stremplat-Platte
Short description of the approach
The “learning region” describes project approaches in the
framework of regional development concepts which support
the organization of lifelong learning for all segments
of the population as a task for the future. The objective
is to guarantee continuous adjustment to the changing
framework conditions in the region and to promote the
sustainable competitiveness of the regions and the firms
located in them.
Learning regions create new points of view and uncover
potential that was previously unused or underutilized.
Opening up institutions strengthens the link between tradition
and innovation and facilitates new forms of cooperation
between education, the business sector, and regional
or municipal administrations. Model, innovative projects
are being developed in networks centered on educational
and other forms of cooperation.
The concept of a learning region is a method that facilitates
the promotion of less developed regions through
targeted bundling of financial resources. This approach
Schools
Business networks
Participants in the learning region of Pereslawl
Indepentent
organizations
Vocational
training institutes
Providers of
educational programs Administrative
agencies
appears particularly interesting under conditions of transformation.
For these reasons, the regional development concept of
a learning region should be disseminated and tested under
transformation conditions in a transition country. The
district of Pereslawl, Oblast Jaroslawl in the Russian Federation
was chosen as a pilot region. The criteria for the selection
were the existence of a regional development strategy
and of concepts for its implementation, including new
economic development instruments. On the basis of good
access to new information technologies, new approaches
to networks and modern information management were
already in place. The level of education and science in this
central Russian, structurally weak, and rural province is
potentially high.
Project implementation
The project began with preliminary discussions and a
workshop to communicate the concept. The participants
were actors in the regional development process and providers
of educational services. The results of learning re-
Coordination
through the
Institute for
Program Systems
and ZIKE