Establishing the Institute for Collaboration, Creativity & Culture

Since my return, I've spent much of my time working with my partners in The Dutch Connection on planning our fall and winter activities. We share a vision of the future where we can contribute our best by establishing a think-and-do tank with relevant purpose for organizations and academically recognized due diligence in research. We recognize a gap in the strategic coordination between people and their networks, ideas, channels and the real messages they are trying to share. I love this mix of Science, Media, Technology and Creativity. It's a way to tie all the loose and wonderful ends together into concrete concepts that will move us forward into preferred futures.

So, The Dutch Connection is evolving into the Institute for Collaboration, Creativity & Culture. We are establishing this foundation to develop and ground strategic insight into the emergence of culture through collaboration and creativity. We are beginning with research projects that will lead to identifying communication and behavior patterns in a knowledge-driven and networked society.

Kids 2020 is one of these projects, where we explore the visions and strategies of kids around the world. Another is building a scientific map of where relationships dwell and how they move into communities of practice.

Many of us have had successful careers in media, communication, technology, academia - and many of us are young, enthusiastic and rich with ideas for future growth. For those of us more experienced, we clear the path for youthful contribution with the richest value. For those less experienced, they help the older ones let go of old ways and learn new ways. Together, we experience the joys of continually learning from one another.

As we move forward, we would like to invite you to join us in some round table discussions online in our Agora.

Off we go, headed into the next evolutionary stage of our development. Hard to believe that we all met online and built a network together that links over 260 people from 42 countries. Wish us luck and join us in a soon-to-be-annouced Pow-Wow here in Amsterdam.