Education and Development. Strategic planning as a factor of a territory’s societal transformation. The case of Lousã municipality (Portugal)

Abstract During a time in which the role of municipalities concerning the territorial strategic planning is increasingly relevant, the main focus falls upon the work that is being developed in one of the Coimbra’s region municipalities. In this context, it is necessary to understand the importance of the educational factor in the strategy defined in Lousã’s Strategic Plan as well as its contribution to the development of a Local Educational Project, based on the principles of participatory democracy and active citizenship. Acknowledging that the resident’s low qualifications still appear as an obstacle to the citizens’ personal development and to the expansion of more intensive productive activities in terms of knowledge and creativity, it is perceived, within the scope of the Local Educational Project, the development of policies and projects which goals are: to promote educational success; to raise qualification levels; to intensify non-formal and informal education; to increase employability and to promote an active and qualified citizenship. This article intends to discuss the strategic planning process that is being developed in a small municipality (Lousã - Portugal), and how it can be a catalyst for transformations in several domains. In particular, the importance of the Education component was highlighted and how it is being worked out from a specific project - the Local Educational Project. Presenting an innovative approach, the results of this project should contribute to the mobilization of society with the objective of training citizens more aware and critical of their local and global reality.摘要 在当前市镇地域战略规划职能愈发凸显的时代，本研究聚焦于科英布拉（Coimbra）大区某一市镇正在推进的相关工作。在此背景下，有必要厘清教育因素在洛萨（Lousã）战略规划中的核心地位，以及其对基于参与式民主（participatory democracy）与积极公民权（active citizenship）原则构建的地方教育项目（Local Educational Project）发展的推动作用。鉴于居民学历偏低仍是制约公民个人发展、阻碍知识与创意密集型生产活动扩张的瓶颈，在此地方教育项目框架内，已形成一系列政策与实践项目，其目标涵盖：提升学业成就、提高学历与职业资质水平、强化非正规教育（non-formal education）与非正式教育（informal education）、增强就业竞争力，以及培育积极且高素质的公民。本文旨在探讨葡萄牙小型市镇洛萨（Lousã）正在推进的战略规划进程，及其如何成为多领域变革的催化力量。研究特别强调了教育板块的重要性，以及如何通过具体实践项目——地方教育项目（Local Educational Project）落实相关规划。本项目采用创新研究路径，其成果将有助于动员社会各界参与，旨在培养更具本土与全球现实认知力、更具批判性思维的公民。