Sudbury aiming to become learning city

Support for advanced research, education and innovation are the elements required to create a learning city.

That's the recipe for success introduced by the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation (GSDC) as part of its Learning City Initiative. The goal is to help Sudbury become a “learning city” by “promoting and celebrating education at all levels and working co-operatively to organize and mobilize the learning resources necessary for a knowledge-based economy,” according to the corporation.

"The Greater Sudbury Development Corporation is pleased to support the Learning City Initiative and the co-operative effort required to recognize and position lifelong learning as an economic driver for our community," Vicki Jacobs, second vice chair of the GSDC's board of directors, said in a news release. "The GSDC recognizes the important role that education and lifelong learning play in ensuring that the people of Sudbury are able to access economic opportunities and lead satisfying lives."

The Learning City Initiative is guided by principles set in place to ensure its success—and, more importantly, the success of its participants. These principles include:

* encouraging the building of partnerships and fostering the sharing of resources and expertise;
* recognizing that groups exist with unique learning needs and addressing them so that everyone can participate in lifelong learning;
* being as accessible as possible—culturally, geographically, financially, etc.;
* recognizing that economic, cultural and social well-being should be the focus of lifelong learning;
* realizing projects that are practical, action-oriented, have measurable targets and include evaluation;
* creating a community that is attractive to learners outside our community (provincially, nationally and globally);
* building learner resilience and adaptability;
* encouraging a focus on moving the whole community up—no one should be left behind;
* using clear, frequent, and effective communication about the initiative with the people of Greater Sudbury, funders and partners; and
* being respectful of learners and providers of education.