Leaders of Higher Education and Civic Engagement Convene this Week at Bellagio

Beginning this Tuesday, March 23, members of the Talloires Network Steering Committee, Network Secretariat Staff, and leaders in higher education will meet in Italy to discuss the field of higher education in relation to civic engagement. The five-day conference will be hosted by the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center on Lake Como. During their stay, participants will evaluate the progress the Talloires Network has made and address the next steps to continue the promotion and advancement of social responsibility in higher education.

From March 23-27, 2010, representatives of the Talloires Network, presidents of universities, and leaders of civic organizations will attend presentations and engage in discussions focusing on the civic engagement movement. Over the course of the conference, participants will work with one another to address the specific challenges the Talloires Network faces today. The group of nineteen will examine questions regarding how to strengthen the global movement of higher education civic engagement and how to foster greater relationships between universities and regional networks. Answers to these questions will be presented to the full membership of the Talloires Network in order to assist with efforts of enhancing higher education civic engagement within the next five years.

The Bellagio Center is an ideal space for members of the Talloires Network to meet, as it was established for the purpose of fostering innovation and collaboration amongst international networks. The Talloires Network brings together over 130 universities with programs implemented to change the issues communities face worldwide. The collaboration of international participants at this week’s conference will help the Talloires Network explore ways to improve the role of higher education in community engagement as well as strengthen the larger collaboration of member universities throughout the world.

The ultimate goal of the conference is to develop a vision for the future of the Talloires Network that encompasses the role of global and regional networks, policy advocacy, communications, professional development of faculty, service-learning, the role of social network, institutional leadership, student engagement, and funding. Throughout the week, conference participants will be working hard to move the Talloires Network forward. Participants of the Bellagio Conference 2010 include:

Elizabeth Babcock, Talloires Network Coordination, Innovations in Civic Participation
Lawrence S. Bacow, President, Tufts University
Michael Baenen, Chief of Staff, Office of the President, Tufts University
Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Stellenbosch University
Yazmin Cruz, Project Manager, Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI)
Maureen F. Curley, President, Campus Compact
Martin Fitzgerald, National President, Australian Universities Community Engagement Alliance; Pro Vice-Chancellor (Corporate Development & Community Partners), University of Newcastle
Saran Kaur Gill, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Industry and Community Partnerships, Universiti Kebangsaan
Robert Hollister, Dean, Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service,Tufts University
Ellen Hume, Annenberg Fellow in Civic Media, Central European University
Barbara Lethem Ibrahim, Director, John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement, American University in Cairo
Mónica Jiménez de la Jara, Minister of Education, Chile (2008-2010); Member, Talloires Network Steering Committee
Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Founding President, Aga Khan University; Member, Talloires Network Steering Committee
Piyushi Kotecha, CEO, Southern African Regional Universities Association
Margaret McKenna, President, Walmart Foundation
Janice Reid, Vice-Chancellor, University of Western Sydney
John Shattuck, President and Rector, Central European University
Susan Stroud, Founder and Executive Director, Innovations in Civic Participation
Nieves Tapia, Founder and Director, Latin American Center for Service-Learning

We look forward to seeing what the participants accomplish during their stay at the Bellagio Center. Check back for updates on the outcomes of the conference next week!