Investigating the interactive role of university and municipality in creating and developing a learning city from the perspective of educational planning

Extended abstract

Introduction

With the development of learning at the beginning of the 21st century, the world finds itself in the midst of dramatic changes in which the world's cities are in the center of these changes in the learning process (Jane, 2005). In international and practical studies, special focus has been placed on cities. In this regard, different perspectives and approaches of different dimensions have emerged in the framework of cities. These include: from an environmental point of view, concepts such as green and clean cities; as for the development and growth of technology, concepts such as electronic, virtual, digital, and information cities; as for the human factor, concepts such as the city of knowledge, city of learners, and city of creativity, which were introduced and considered by researchers, experts and policy makers. Faris (2006) identifies the global movement of "learning cities" as one of the growing views among many of such perspectives. According to the manifesto of the UNESCO International Conference on Learning City (2015), a learning city is considered a city that effectively mobilizes its resources in all sectors in a way that enhances inclusive learning from basic to advanced levels, facilitates learning in families, communities and in the workplace; develops the application of modern learning technologies and, while increasing the quality and benefits of learning, fosters a culture of lifelong learning. By doing so, the learning city will create and strengthen personal growth and social cohesion, social and cultural development, and sustainable development. In this manifesto, the key features of learning cities are expressed in three broad components: "The main benefits of creating a learning city, the main dimensions of creating a learning city and the underlying conditions for creating a learning city". In a learning city, there is extensive and lifelong learning, and cooperation and interaction is the most essential factor in connecting all its components. Meanwhile, Longworth and Davies (1996) argue that universities, as global organizations at the heart of the learning revolution, are the ideal places to play the leadership role of the learning city. From a regional development perspective, Goddard and Chatterton (1999) also emphasized the important role of universities in building a learning area. Morgan (2002) also pointed out to the pivotal role of universities as network catalysts in building social capital. Although many features of the learning city are common to all cities, they differ in ethnic and cultural composition, social structures, and cultural heritage (UNESCO, 2015). In light of this insight and given the important role of the university, it is necessary to design a systematic conceptual framework based on theoretical foundations appropriate to the ecological conditions of Ahvaz City to be used as a strategic or operational model. Therefore, the current question is how the municipality as an organization with different functions in the city on the one hand and universities as scientific and cultural institutions on the other hand, can cooperate and interact to create and develop the learning city? And in general, what is the interactive role of the university and the municipality in creating and developing the learning city from the perspective of educational planning?

Method

This research is a qualitative study based on the Grounded theory. The study cohort consisted of faculty members of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz and experts and managers of Ahvaz metropolitan municipality. We considered a systematic sampling method based on the snow ball effect so much so that the researchers reached a theoretical satisfaction after interviewing 23 respondents.  Data was analyzed based on continuous immersion, classification, coding and comparison tactics in three stages of open, axial and selective coding. The reliability of the interviews was assessed through the criteria of credibility, dependability, confirmability, and Lincoln and Cuba verification.

Results

By analyzing the content of the interviews, 834 open codes were extracted and combined in order to arrive at 38 categories. Through three stages of coding, the model of creating and developing the learning city with the cooperation and interaction of university and municipality (context, central category, causal conditions, intervening conditions, strategies and consequences) is presented. The results are presented in Figure 1.

Discussion

In interaction with the municipality, the university can engage in the following activities to facilitate the development and institutionalization of the learning city in the metropolis of Ahvaz. These include reviving municipal protocols with the help of university departments, using the capacities of student societies and talented students at the local level to carry out educational activities, setting up science houses and simplifying science for citizens, designing and producing educational and learning content (for citizens and employees of organizations), utilizing the dissertations of the universities of the region for conducting municipal study projects, establishing a center for approving urban implementation plans consisting of scientific experts of executive institutions and the university, using the scientific and intellectual capacities of the university in designing, consulting, monitoring and evaluating the learning city project and launching joint working groups and the think tanks of the academicians and city managers. These findings are in accord with the works of Goddard and Chatterton 1999; Morgan, 2002; Longworth, 2006; Regional Cooperation and Development Organization, 2007; Pascal International Observatory, 2014; Bayat et al., 2012; Sarvar et al., 2016.

Funding: There is no funding support.

Authors’ Contribution: Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved the content of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work

Conflict of Interest: Authors declared no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgments: We are grateful to all the persons for scientific consulting in this paper.