European Standards for Vocational Training in Urban Regeneration

Our partnership aims at establishing proper and reliable standards of vocational training in integrated urban regeneration. The principle is to provide a basis for thinking about urban regeneration and therefore the partnership involves academics and practitioners. We would like to achieve through provision of manuals containing examples of best practices in urban regeneration form Europe. The project is funded by the Leonardo da Vinci fund to develop a strong partnership and framework for future collaboration; however we are planning to expand the project through a different stream of funding.

In the first year of the project partners exchange know-how in field of urban regeneration as a interdisciplinary subject of didactic and vocational activity, comprising heritage management, financial aspects of regeneration projects, GIS analysis, sustainability and innovative applied urban conservation methods. The main approach will be continuous dialogue between partner institutions during meetings, mutual visits and through exchange of didactic and training materials.

During the second year of the project the partners will develop manuals for practitioners from each partner country focused on different aspects of urban regeneration, based on the most up to date case studies from each partner. This approach will ensure that partners can present good examples of practice in their countries and provide an opportunity to think how these could work in other places.

The final manuals should form a basis for programmes of vocational training and for formulation of uniform standards for vocational training in the field of urban regeneration. Its particular value is in focus on the World Heritage Site Cities, which are required to maintain highly effective management regimes in order to meet standards set up by the Word Heritage Committee, not only in spatial terms, but also social, concerning outreach schemes. The outcomes of the project will be translated into native languages of each partner.

Friday 26 April 2013

SATURN meets again in snow-coated Warsaw - February 2013



The second meeting of the SATURN took place in Warsaw at the headquarter of the Warsaw School of Economics. The main objective was to clarify the shape of the final products of the project – manuals. As often happens  practice defines feasibility of a theory and our case would not be an exemption from the rule. The challenge lies in the delivery of coherent outcomes of the collaboration between partners, which operate in a different political  cultural and organisational environments. However, SATURN turns the challenge to an advantage by merging expertise of an educational body (Warsaw School of Economics), a research institute (CEIT Alanova), a heritage-led urban regeneration trust (EWH) and a civic association supporting urban development  (IURS). 

The partnership was privileged to meet Teresa Murinova represnting IURS from Prague. 
  
In Warsaw, we continued the dialogue started in Edinburgh to define the meaning of a standard and to ensure that the final product will have universal value. We also agreed that each partner will develop one thematic manual and all of them will be concluded in the final report. This is the point when the didactic and vocational component of the project step in. Moreover, each partner will contribute to another’s manual with own expertise providing an external insight through examples of case studies and good practices.

One of the greatest values of Leonardo da Vinci funded projects is an opportunity to learn from partners from another country. SATURN takes advantage of it through dissemination and engagement with specialists connected with each partner. During the meeting in Warsaw the project benefited from presentations given by colleagues invited by Warsaw School of Economics:

Katarzyna Mikolajczyk from the Centre for Development of Distance and Continuing Education spoke about E-learning at The Warsaw School of Economics

Dominika Brodowicz of the School’s Investment and Real Estate Department presented how E-learning is used in teaching about real estate on the basis of selected cases.

Aleksandra Jadach – Sepiolo also from the the Investment and Real Estate Department presented an exciting postgraduate programme of "Urban regeneration - organization and financing" based on case studies.

The session of the partnership presentations was closed by Daniela Patti from CEIT Alanova, who brought forward a range of inspirational case studies on uses of cartographic technologies in planning with a strong emphasis on community engagement.   

The second session of presentations was delivered by former trainers and trainees of postgraduate studies “Urban regeneration – organisation and financing”.

Presentation by Arkadiusz Boguslawski was particularly interesting from the perspective of the scope of SATURN as it was focused on a good practice in urban regeneration in the city of Zgierz (Poland).

Other contributors presented their experience in structural aspects of urban regeneration (Piotr Popik), assessments of funding applications to support efforts in urban regeneration (Ryszard Rosinski) and the importance of education in urban regeneration (Daniel Zynder).  

The meeting was closed with a discussion on an issue of dissemination of the project. We agreed that the best way to promote project will be a blog, which you are reading right now! It merges benefits of a website and newsletters. Soon after that Daniela Patti and her colleague Burcu Akinci of CEIT Alanova proposed a few logos for SATURN - jointly we decided for the one we call 'green man', which you can see in the top of the blog.

Kinga Czenczek joined SATURN

Kinga joined us on the behalf of the Warsaw School Economics as a secretary of the project. Kinga supports the coordination of the project and the Schools involvement. Wish her all the best!


Wednesday 24 April 2013

SATURN meets for the first time in Edinburgh


The first meeting of the SATURN Partnership took place in Edinburgh on 26th – 27th November 2012 at Acheson House (Edinburgh World Heritage office). The meeting was preceded by Skype conversation to agree operational arrangements.


Acheson House - Edinburgh World Heritage headquarter

The first day allowed partners to meet altogether for the first time. The project is strongly focused on an art of city management and therefore we try to learn about each other’s place. This approach allows development of understanding to decisional processes, cultural contexts and accurately add/bring own values. This is the moment when European dimension comes in.
Edinburgh World Heritage team gave a presentation on own activities, projects and strategies to inspire and get to know SATURN’s partners. A good discussion has started afterwards leading to many interesting ideas for the project itself and additional collaborations.

After lunch we started a field trip in Edinburgh from the Museum of Edinburgh where David Hicks (EWH Communications Manager) was leading a guided tour to explain history of the city and its spatial development. 



                                            Guided tour to the Museum of Edinburgh with David Hicks


After that we joined Chiara Ronchini (EWH Energy Efficiency Manager) to find out about energy efficiency measures used in the World Heritage Site and their application at Sir Basil Spence buildings in Canongate (the Old Town).




                 Sir Basil Spence's buildings in Canongate                   

We finished our day at the Edinburgh City Chambers where Prof. Marek Bryx, Dr Dominika Brodowicz and Dr Aleksandra Jadach-Sepioło from the Warsaw School of Economics introduced the partners to didactical methods of the School as well as dynamics of revitalisation processes in Poland. The series of presentations was closed by Daniela Patti of CEIT Alanova (Vienna), who explained the role of her research institute and the potential of GIS methodologies, which are being applied in the city management strategies.

  

Introduction to the World Heritage Site with Adam Wilkinson and "the beasts" - EWH mascots Daisy and Grace

Tuesday 23 April 2013

SATURN and its potential value


                                                                 Photo by Krzysztof Chuchra


SATURN is the Leonardo da Vinci funded project developed by a partnership of Edinburgh World Heritage, Warsaw School of Economics, CEIT Alanova and IURS (Institut pro udržitený rozvoj sídel o.s.). The project aims to establish a framework for vocational studies in urban regeneration. One of the key questions this project raises is: what range of skills and knowledge professionals should have to enable them to define issues accurately and find the most suitable solutions for urban regeneration?

Urban regeneration as a subject for vocational learning and as an academic research discipline is likely to be one of the most visionary and developing  fields on the horizon over  the next 20 years. Projects dedicated to redevelopment of city centres and brown field sites are becoming a necessity. The issue becomes even more complicated in the old historic cities with a relatively high public involvement. The links between conservation, urban design sense, coordinative and financial skills are crucial elements of any regeneration project or regeneration strategy and are still largely absent in urban heritage management standards. It is important that these problems are addressed to achieve the fastest and most effective outcome.

One of the best ways of learning and teaching is through analysing best practice. Urban regeneration is no exception. However, effective learning is efficient if the process of discovery encourages creative thinking about a problem. European unification and technological development in communication allow an efficient exchange of information between people interested in the subject. SATURN provides a platform for the exchange of views on good practice and standards in vocational teaching. One important aim of the project is to produce a set of manuals focused on examples of good practices in urban regeneration. The overall object is to provide centres of education with an efficient tool, which will bridge the gap between theory and practice. Moreover, in the longer term the established platform should encourage students and professionals to specialise and pursue a carrier in urban regeneration.  

The real value of SATURN comes from its practical dimension and input from practitioners actively involved in processes of urban regeneration. It also involves vocational trainees who are not only one of the key beneficiaries of the project but also participants, which should allow the project to bring the real educational value. Moreover, SATURN will involve communities living in partner cities to ensure even more pragmatic dimension of the project and test some of the ideas through a community engagement process.  

Monday 22 April 2013

Summary of the first workshop in Edinburgh - November 2012


Venue:    Edinburgh World Heritage office at 5 Bakehouse Close

Present:   Riccardo Marini (the City of Edinburgh Council)
              Krzysztof Chuchra (Edinburgh World Heritage)
              Chiara Ronchini (Edinburgh World Heritage)
              Rianne Bennink (Edinburgh World Heritage)
              Wouter van Niel (Edinburgh World Heritage)
              Caroline Lyon (Edinburgh World Heritage)
              Daniela Patti (CEIT Alanova)
              Izabela Rudzka (Warsaw School of Economics)
              Marek Bryx (Warsaw School of Economics)
              Aleksandra Jadach-Sepioło (Warsaw School of Economics)
              Dominika Brodowicz (Warsaw School of Economics)


Presentation

The workshop was opened by a presentation, titled “Past Present Future”, given by Riccardo Marini. It set up a context for the later discussion, encouraging holistic approach to urbanism and its future. Different can be good!




A series of questions

The next stage was about asking a series of questions relevant for the vision of the SATURN project. It allowed participants to rethink some of the key issues, which led to the development of the project.

What will success of SATURN look like?

SATURN should be an aspirational project, which will improve people’s lives. One of its final products could be a toolkit. The process of the project development and dissemination should bring people together to learn from each other. Indirectly it could set up a precedent for supporting social coherence throughout the lifespan of the project and during its application. This project should encourage professionals dealing with urban regeneration to think creatively about places. It becomes particularly important when there is a need to integrate new development with historic architecture.

What do you do?

Responses to this question build up an intellectual capacity of SATURN reflecting participants’ functions and interests. We connect, initiate, coordinate, plan, navigate, think critically, ask questions, observe, learn, define places, try to be creative and use our hands to make things happen.

Who are you?

A philosophical question explaining who people behind the SATURN are: European; a life researcher; an onion (complex entities); women; researcher; an economist with a passion to good architecture and nice places; socially interfering; energetic; positive; a story teller.




Dreams about SATURN?

The most dominant perception is that SATURN should form a web platform where practitioners, communities, teachers and students can find an easy access to information relevant to their needs. The platform should be interactive, interesting, and original to attract users. It should contain newsletters distributed via social medias, guidance notes and short manuals (3-4 pages) focused on specific subjects such as: how to use GIS in regeneration process, how to manage a regeneration project (communication, management, finance). It has to be clear how the platform will be used and what the users gain from it. The platform should avoid repetition with other similar sources because a lot of information already exists. Its development should be supported by at least 2 year budget.



Problems & broad objectives

It has to be clear what is going to happen with outcomes of the project after its delivery. However, further clarification is needed at the project development stage in order define clear and agreed objectives of the project. The project requires a strong leadership and understanding of the partnership’s capacity and skill base. On the other hand it was emphasised that the process requires a clear channel of communication between partners and this is being addressed in the communication strategy provided by colleagues from the Warsaw School of Economics. One of the main challenges lies in limited funding and lack of it for some of the partners such as colleagues from Prague.   

Solutions

Communication delays caused by a weeklong exchange of e-mails should be resolved through Skype meetings. The project development and management should be clear and simple. Identification of new objectives has to be supported by levered resources to support them. The project requires a positive leadership to motivate the partnership. The main emphasis has to be made on common goals and challenges. Some aspects of the project should be delegated to the community to introduce practitioners to the process of community engagement through designation of leaders (the issue requires further discussion).

There is a need to clearly define the understanding of what standards are, which then have to be identified, grouped and translated to ensure that they are pragmatic and used. Also, relevant stakeholders should be identified and involved through an agreed process and structure.