Balanga on the way to becoming a university town

Unlocking the Potential of Urban Communities: Case Studies of Twelve Learning Cities showcases cities in different parts of the world that are embracing lifelong learning for all. The book explores how the learning city approach can be used to unlock citizens’ potential, focusing on the experiences of twelve cities from all five UNESCO regions: Melton (Australia), Sorocaba (Brazil), Beijing (China), Bahir Dar (Ethiopia), Espoo (Finland), Cork (Ireland), Amman (Jordan), Mexico City (Mexico), Ybycuí (Paraguay), Balanga (Philippines), Namyangju (Republic of Korea) and Swansea (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland). These cities will be celebrated at the book’s launch at the 2nd International Conference on Learning Cities (ICLC), which will take place in Mexico City from 28 to 30 September 2015. Join us there and help shape the future of learning cities!

Balanga on the way to becoming a university town

“Because of our commitment to education, we are confident that our city will gain sustainable growth by successfully addressing challenges in health, employment, environment, security and disaster preparedness.” - Jose Enrique Garcia, Mayor of Balanga

The City of Balanga is in the process of becoming a university town as part of the learning city project. By replicating some of the structural features of renowned university towns around the world, Balanga aims to create an environment that encourages learning not just among university students, but also among citizens of all ages. The city’s ultimate objective is to become a centre of knowledge and innovation with a highly educated, highly skilled workforce and citizens who play an active role in the governance of the city. Read about the other cases here.