Objectives
Covid-19 demonstrates the vulnerabilities of living in close proximity to others. This also high-lightened the importance of working together to deal with the crisis, as well as the importance of reflecting and learning in relation to changes to our lives. This assumption begs the question, which city would enhance the lives of all its citizens, including new arrivals. This question is at the center of attempts to bring adult and citizenship education to
address community and social problems through a pedagogy of the city, in this case the City of Larissa. UNESCO provides the framework, resources, and support for the Learning City project. It is planned as an exercise in democracy and citizenship which is the version of lifelong learning proposed by the Municipality of Larissa the local lead agency for this venture.
The webinar will introduce the participants to the concept of Learning Cities, the goals, the cultural and educational obstacles to the development of a Greek Learning City and the example of Larissa-Learning City.
Speakers and facilitators
Alexis Kokkos is Emeritus Professor of Adult Education in the Hellenic Open University. He has actively participated in the establishment of the institution of Popular Education in Greece, as well as in the foundation of the Hellenic Open University. He was the scientific responsible of the national program of Training the Educators of Professional Training. He is Chairperson of the Hellenic Adult Education Association and editor-in-chief of the international journal ADULT EDUCATION Critical Issues. His books and articles on Adult Education and Training, as well as on Transformative Learning, have been published in Jossey-Bass, Palgrave Macmillan, Brill/Sense, Routledge, Nova Science Publishers, Journal of Transformative Education, RELA, Convergence, LifeLong Learning in Europe, International Journal of Education and Ageing, Andragogical Studies, International Journal of Vocational and Technical Education. He is member of the Leadership Circle and co-responsible of the Research Circle of the International Transformative Learning Association (ITLA) and was co-convener of the European Network of ESREA Transformative Processes in Learning and
Education (2013-2021). He has been advisor on issues related to adult education of the Greek Prime Minister (2009-2012) and the General Secretary of Lifelong Learning (2019-). He has been awarded for his Exemplary Service and Leadership within the international transformative learning community.
Dimitris Deligiannis is Vice-Mayor of Municipality of Larissa and Professor/Consultant at the Hellenic Open University. His bachelor studies were on Literature and Law. His MA studies were on Social Planning in Organization and Management in Education. He obtained his PhD at the Hellenic Open University on the field of adult education. For over a decade, he worked as a teacher at secondary education and has published numerous articles in books and science magazines. In 1998 became Education Director of the Center for the Treatment of Addicts – EXODOS and since 2000 organized the Adult Alternative School, the first adult education structure for ex-users in Greece. Coordinator of the first Vocational Training Programs for former users and responsible for organizing a training structure for juveniles in the Kassavete Prison. In September 2019, he was elected as the Chairman of the City Council of Larissa. During the period 2014 – 2019, he was Deputy Mayor for Social Policy and Chairman of the Committee for the “Larissa – Learning City” for which the City of Larissa was awarded the Lifelong Learning Institute (UIL) at UNESCO 2017.
George A. Koulaouzides, studied mathematics and adult education. He teaches theory and practice of adult education at the Hellenic Open University (Assistant Professor) and the Democritus University of Thrace (Visiting Scholar). He has designed the well-known accredited training program for the instructors of the National Centre for Public Administration in Greece and has a vast experience in training of trainers. He is considered as the person who guided the internationalization of the Greek adult education community. His research interests are learning, transformative learning, educational biography and critical reflection. He has written one book on adult education, translated four books on adult education and qualitative research methods, edited journals and several textbooks. His published work counts more than 100 papers in Greek and international journals, edited volumes and conference proceedings. For 15 years he was working as Secretary General (i.e. CAO) for many Municipalities in Northern Greece. He worked extensively in supporting the Municipality of Thermi in becoming a member of the UNESCO Global Learning Cities Network, and he also supported as an external advisor the on-going application of the Municipality of Corinth. In 2019 he was the first Greek who was inducted in the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame as a distinguished adult education practitioner. He is a member of the executive board of the European Association for the Education of Adults (2019-2021), and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame (2020 – 2023).
Agenda
Format and registration
The webinar will take place on Zoom.
To participate in the webinar, please complete the registration form.
