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Trustee Meeting 17th November 2009
Trustee, Sir Mike Tomlinson, advised that the RSA Academy would offer a choice of A levels, vocational courses and International Baccalaureate.
He also advised that he had attended the Festival of Thinkers in Abu Dhabi which was attended by 100 'thinkers' and 250 leading students below the age of 24. One of the 'thinkers' was Dr. Pachauri, the Chairman of the IPCC, who repeatedly stated that the science on climate change was absolutely settled. This comment, which ignored the scientific method, was met with much derision.
He also advised that he had been asked to return to Abu Dhabi to assist in developing vocational education.
An award has been received by the University of Winchester's theatre company for its work with offenders in prison.
An additional Comino Centre is to be established at the RSA Academy in partnership with the University of Warwick . A Centre director will be appointed
Trustee Meeting 25th August 2009
Trustee, Sir Mike Tomlinson, has been made a Fellow of Wellington College and is to be President of the Royal Agricultural Society for 2010/2011 during its Education in Farming Year.
Mick Gernon, Principal of the Tipton Academy, is the be the initial Director of the new Comino Centre.
Trustee Meeting 14th July 2009
Pat Walters, the Director of the Wigan Comino Centre, is to retire in September.
The second consultation, organised by the institute of Global Ethics at St. Georges House - Windsor, on the representation of young people in the media has resulted in a publication offering guidance for journalists,possibly a Youth Media Network and a relationship with the UK Youth Parliament.
It was agreed to establish a Comino Centre within the RSA Academy at Tipton in partnership with the University of Warwick. The building in which the Centre will be located is not due for completion until 2010 and the start date for the Centre is unclear.
It was agree to continue support for the successful work of the Ideas Foundation in the North West.
The feedback from participants at the Foundation's annual conference at Windsor indicated that it was one of the best, if not the best, held to date. It was attended by representatives of all grantees and the trustees.
Trustee Meeting 12th May 2009
Trustee, Sir Mike Tomlinson, is leaving his role as Chief Advisor for London Schools but is to join Lord Baker, David Putnum and Frank Field in the Baker Dearing Trust to oversee the establishment of ten University Technical Colleges. The first two will be Aston and Wolverhampton Universities with local employers being involved.
The development of the Tipton Academy is progressing on time.
Education in Science, the magazine of the Association for Science Education, has published an article on the STEM Leaders qualification.
Sir Mike Tomlinson has been offered a City and Guilds Fellowship.
The Wigan Comino Centre 'Classroom in Companies' initiative is to receive a visit from the Queen.
Andy Burnham, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, met young people participating in the Wigan Comino Centre/ Ideas Foundation project which involved young people excluded from school. He said that he would bring the project to the attention of Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.
David Adams, Chairman if the Gordon Cook Foundation, attended the meeting to discuss the development of the relationship between the two Foundations.
Trustee Meeting 26th February 2009
It was noted the Foundation's belief that lifestyles should move away from material consumption was happening by default, currently, through the world recession
The Wigan Comino Centre 'Classroom in Companies' initiative is spreading with three of the ten authorities in the Manchester sub-region taking an interest.
Andy Burnham, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport is to visit the Wigan Comino Centre/ Ideas Foundation project involving young people excluded from school.
Local Solutions, which is part of the Liverpool Comino Centre, has implemented an intensive Support Mentoring programme for long-term homeless people. A celebration of Local Solutions work is to be held at the House of Lords on 30th April.