RCE Saskatchewan-2014

rce_proj_title_2013
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1. Project Title: 
Living Labs and Ecomuseums: Integrating Sustainability in Higher Education Workshop, May 8, 2014
2. Thematic area/s addressed by the project
3. Project partner contact information : 
Organization: 
University of Regina, Facilities Management
Role: 
Co-event Coordinator
Main Contact: 
Carol Reyda, Sustainability Coordinator (carol.reyda@uregina.ca)
5. Project description
Provide a short description of the project including strategies, regional challenges, aims and specific project activities.: 

This workshop hosted by the University of Regina in developed conjunction with RCE Saskatchewan and held on May 8, 2014, at Government House aimed to examine how campuses in Saskatchewan could be transformed into living laboratories for sustainability and the potential for eco-museum creation in Saskatchewan communities. Dr. John Robinson presented on how the University of British Columbia is being transformed into a living laboratory. 3 potential eco-museums were also examined including Val Marie, the Twin Lakes region, and the neighbourhood of North Central, Regina. The challenges and opportunities for advancing these living laboratories and ecomuseums was explored. In addition to presentations (individual, panel, and virtual) of local and national examples of living labs and ecomuseums, the symposium consisted of presentations on the global and regional ESD contexts, and networking opportunities. It was attended by RCE-SK higher education partners, museum organizations, and community partners.


The goals of the symposium:

to demonstrate and explain the living lab concept to the wider RCE-SK membership

to demonstrate and explain the ecomuseum concept and how it is being developed across the province in SK in 3 very different ways

to create networking opportunities in order to foster connections and alliances.


This symposium attempted to counteract our regional challenge of geographical separation. The RCE-SK covers a large geographical region. By bringing higher education and museum and community partners together our aim was to foster collaboration. One of this symposium’s main topics, Ecomuseums, is a method of counteracting regional challenges. Each of the three ecomusesms that presented at the symposium was solving slightly different place specific challenges – from preventing environmental destruction to promoting human health.


6. Project status
Finalized
Description: 
Since the day-long workshop, the University of Regina is following up with a further living laboratories event at the University this fall. A course at Luther College at the University of Regina on eco-museums will also take place this fall with students working with communities in the calling lakes/Qu'Appelle river system to help develop their eco-museum.
8. Tagging
Region: 
Americas