Last weekend, at the 13th and 14th February 2009, the 1st International Conference on Children’s Universities took place - “Children’s Universities - The Idea captures Europe”. For the very first time, more than 120 organizers of Children’s Universities, practitioners, researchers, sponsors and journalists from all over Europe and even from overseas got together and participated in this event at the Eberhard Karls University in Tübingen / Germany. Two days full of lectures, workshops and vivid discussion depicted an inspiring image of the diversity of Children’s Universities.
The Diversity of Children’s Universities
The overriding aim of EUCU.NET is to look beyond one’s own nose and to make Children’s Universities more visible. During the conference, it became obvious again that there is no one model of a Children’s University but a broad variety of approaches - depending on local conditions and requirements, on institutional backgrounds and most of all on the overall aims and goals.
Evidently after the pioneer era of Children’s Universities a survey of existing concepts is absolutely essential. First results were presented during the EUCU.NET conference and showed almost nearly 200 projects in a running state. It would be a pity to not share those experiences: successful conceptions and the pitfalls likewise.
Children’s Universities all over the world
One success of the conference in Tübingen was the international attendance. Contributors from all over the world participated and learned from each other. This affected a very broad spectrum of issues to be discussed.
Most remarkably is the fact that the community of Children’s Universities organizers never had contacts to this extent. Even within countries some new contacts could be established.
Already now we can say that these two days impressively showed the importance of an information network for Children’s Universities as EUCU.NET shall be.
What will be next?
The conference in Tübingen was the official launch of the EUCU.NET community portal and the start of manifold contacts within the network partners. During the next days and weeks we will fill the community forum with all those pieces of information generated or presented throughout the conference.
Certainly there was a lot of fruitful discussion and there should be room for more. Since the next EUCU.NET gathering is not until December 2009, most of the communication will happen on the community portal. If you haven’t done it already don’t forget to register and use all the existing and forthcoming features to stay in touch with all the others interested in the idea of Children’s Universities.
Thanks to the organizers
The conference was exeptionally well organized by Patricia Götz and Michael Seifert of the University of Tübingen, who cared with their team not only for the basic conditions a conference needs but also for an inspiring and friendly atmosphere.
Many thanks to all speakers, contributors and rapporteurs, who have helped to make this event an well-received starting point of EUCU.NET networking activities.