CCE and the Centre for Real World Learning (CRWL) at the University of Winchester have worked closely together for a number of years. CCE commissioned CRWL’s original work on defining progression in creativity, which led to the Creative Habits of Mind, and both have been advising the OECD on creativity and critical thinking. More recently, Bill Lucas and Paul Collard have been together in Perth, WA supporting the development of the Creative Schools programme there and providing professional development to the Department of Education and Bill has also visited the CCE’s Creative Schools programme in Frutillar, Chile. In September, Bill was invited to lead a workshop on Creativity for the Inspectorate within Ireland’s Department of Education and Skills as part of CCE’s expanding work in the Republic of Ireland. The work of CRWL has been a powerful influence on the development of CCE’s work within the UK and internationally, and CCE have greatly valued CRWL’s more recent input into their work. As a result CCE and CRWL decided to formalise their relationship and signed a Memorandum of Understanding in December. They will collaborate on a number of new initiatives, including a special focus on supporting the professional development of senior leaders in education both within the UK and abroad.

CCE’s CEO Paul Collard said: “The MOU has proved to be an excellent means of recognising the benefit to CCE of establishing a close working relationship with CRWL and we look forward to the new projects we will develop together.”

Prof Bill Lucas commented: “Our two organisations have together been championing creativity in schools for nearly a decade. Today I am excited about what we can now do together in England given the recent opportunities highlighted by the Durham Commission on Creativity in Education, and globally, building on four years of research with the OECD’