| | | The Association for Community Colleges (ACC) is the 2004 recipient of the Organisational Development Network's Outstanding Global Work award. The Awards and Recognition Committee met in April “and agreed wholeheartedly to recognize ACC for its sustainability and its breadth and depth of global work”. “We are pleased to have found such a deserving recipient for the award in this our 40th Anniversary celebration year!”
These were the pleasant words received by our contact to the Organisational Development Network (ODN), Nataliya Nikolova – ACC in Varna - in early June.
The boarding school format as a method for creating a European public sphere – with its non-formal, formal and in particular informal learning elements has then been seen and now appreciated even outside Europe and in the world of global business.
We were pleased to understand, that the award serves a vital need of the ODN community - recognizing and celebrating outstanding contributions and achievements in serving the field of organization development.
The award was presented during one of the plenaries of the 2004 ODN Annual Conference (3 - 6 October 2004) at the Caribe Hilton, San Juan, Puerto Rico. John Petersen (ACC chairperson), attended both conference and sessions as representing the ACC.
In his nomination speech, Mr Bob Marshak (ODN Board of Trustees), mentioned in particular the trans-national character of the work and organisation of the ACC as well as pointed out the global potential of the civil society work done by the ACC in Europe.
John Petersen received the award on behalf of the 4-500 ACC members believing in combining formal, non-formal and informal learning methods within the boarding school format. “It is my impression that in US-America you understand that Europeans have to stand together – and not only on government level”, said John Petersen, and continued expressing that “...there is a need to develop a European public sphere and we are some few common citizens working on it. Thank you for catching sight of us!”
Apart from the award ceremony, the OD Annual Conference was a major inspiration for the ACC, as it proved that INGO’s like the ACC are far from standing alone in developing new forms of organisations that fit a post-national era. High-level speakers of the ODNetwork, including strategists of Microsoft, Intel and a number of OD Practitioners, authors and universities – even if within the logic of the marketplace – proved the need to investigate further the possible bonds between the triangle of market-place-demands, motivations stemming from ideological goals, and the will expressed in the policy of governments.
ACC Office
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This is an excerpt of the ODN articles:
Please find much more at the www.odnetwork.org
Organisational Development is a field central to creating effective and healthy human systems in an inclusive world community.
The OD Network is dedicated to being a leader in the advancement of the theory and practice of Organization Development by:
• Helping to define and communicate the values, purposes and benefits of Organization Development.
• Promoting the effective and ethical use of Organization Development principles, tools and best practices
• Supporting practitioners through enhanced learning and professional development opportunities
• Providing a values-based home for OD practitioners, researchers and educators to exchange ideas and create dialogue on critical issues
• Sharing leadership and partnering with others to achieve our vision
The OD Network believes in a world in which organizations and communities are productive, effective, healthy, and sustainable. We value:
• Social responsibility: contributing to the benefit and well-being of the earth and its people
• Social justice: contributing to equitable policies, principles and practices in organizations and communities
• Appreciation of the interconnectedness of systems
• Inclusion of people, ideas, perspectives and cultures
• Continued improvement and innovation in organizations
• Participatory approaches to organizational change and management that respect the contributions, dignity, and worth of all people
• Collaboration and partnership with clients
• Cooperation and support among colleagues
• Ongoing personal and professional development
• Knowledge of self and understanding of one’s impact in the consulting process
Contact coordinates of ODN:
Organization Development Network
71 Valley Street • Suite 301 • South Orange, NJ 07079-2825
• Phone: 973-763-7337 • Fax: 973-763-7488 •
• odnetwork@ODNetwork.org • www.ODNetwork.org •
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