At the end of Feb, I will be attending the AshokaU 2016 Exchange, for the third year running. It will probably be my last year for a while, so that other colleagues from the University of Northampton can attend. My first Exchange was in San Diego in 2013, during which Wray Irwin and I was grilled for three hours in the final stages of the selection of the University the first (and at the time) only UK university in the AshokaU consortium. Since then the Exchange has been to Brown University in Rhode Island and the University of Maryland (during which I was sick with flu in a freezing cold Washington DC). I couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit New Orleans' Tulane University!
Having been a few times, its probably helpful to explain what the Exchange is and how it works. It's high octane American enthusiasm for social change, that's what it is. Let's be clear here- the north american experience and context of social justice, the state and social innovation is VERY different to that of Europe, so some adjustment is required. The voluntarism of the American way of life and the suspicion of state, especially federal (i.e.ad covering the whole of the USA) social services means that there are huge gaps in the provision of state and social services, and the need for self-sustaining approaches to addressing these problems is acute. There is also a crisis of identity and purpose in many liberal arts Universities in the US (even the top Ivy League ones) that means that 'to be relevant' is top of the agenda. This lends an urgency and enthusiasm to those 100s of people attending the Exchange to learn about models of education that go beyond 'voluntary experience' and 'service learning' into 21st Century skills and the ability of the graduating student to solve problems- in their workplace and in their communities. It's a big event, with over 100 universities around the world attending and probably over 500 people. There are three full days of workshops, lectures, fringe events, dinners and meetings, including a 'Presidents' Track' where the Vice Chancellors, Governors and Trustees of Universities meet confidentially to support each other. There is also a massive student presence, as each AshokaU campus that hosts the events takes a day to present students and lecturers' work. It's a chance to meet people, to grab ideas, curriculum models, networks and links. It's a chance to showcase the University of Northampton on a global platform. Someone from Northampton has presented at every Exchange since we became a member, and the Vice Chancellor Prof Nick Petford made the first international announcement of the new campus in Rhode Island. Boston, by the way, is great! A small city, and it still has the Cheers bar open for a pint!. The Change leaders from all the Universities involved (that's Wray and I) also meet with other Universities interested in becoming a member- we mentor them and make connections with them. We also get to be on the panel that interviews prospective new members of the AshokaU consortium. We (as a group of Universities) get to decide what a great Changemaker Campus looks like. We are looking to grow the network but maintain the high quality of the activities, curriculum offers and events that Changemaker Campuses create. We are looking for more than a passing interest, or a marketing ploy. We are looking for genuinely socially engaged University campuses. It is my privilege to sit on the selection panel this year. The Exchange is about exchanging (cough) ideas and experience about the whole range of University activities, from HR to new modules, enhancement activities to research, that can be uinfluenced by the Changemaker ethos. What is the Changemaker ethos? It rejects the idea that only a few heroic special individuals can change the world. It also rejects that social improvement can only happen through governmental or bureaucratic processes. It also rejects unlimited and rampant enthusiasm for the ability of business to fix the problems it creates. The Changemaker ethos is the idea that everyone can change the world. Everyone has to be part of the process of eliminating poverty, hunger, oppression and injustice. Everyone is involved in improving the global environment. Everyone means local action and systemic structural change. It is the 'structuration' of the field of social justice and development. The object of Changemaker Campuses is to offer everyone the opportunity to develop their skills in contributing to a better world, and become more attractive as employees in the meantime. The Exchange is hard work, because there are always more workshops and meetings, and field visits that you want to attend at the same time, BUT, in New Orleans, the nightlife in the French Quarter will be great!! I'll be blogging as much as I can over the event. Next post will be a look at the Schedule.
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