Knowledge Café at Regent’s University February 2024 What Are the Strongest Motives for Creative Endeavour in Your Life?

Wednesday 7^th February 2024 at 6 pm to 9 pm

Regents University London

The last face-to-face London knowledge café facilitated by David Gurteen was based on the question ‘What knowledge, skills, and capabilities should be prioritized for university learners in the twenty-first century?’ and was held at Regent’s University London on Wednesday, 26th February 2020, just before Covid lockdown.

Last week, on Wednesday, 7th February 2024, at Regents University London, the face-to-face London Knowledge Café was revitalized. Again, David Gurteen facilitated the event. Participants external to Regents University London (RUL) were welcomed to the event by MSc postgraduate student Faye Balzan and taken to the Tuke Common Room. Undergraduate and postgraduate students from RUL mixed with the other participants over sandwiches, coffee, and tea. Approximately forty participants from different walks of life attended.

Dr Peter Sharp gave a 10-minute introduction to the topic. He explained how valuable creative endeavour is in a changing work landscape impacted by an ever-flowing stream of technological change (see Figure 1).

Figure 1 Dr Sharp’s Illustration of the Changing Work Landscape

Also, Dr. Sharp gave examples of people who have been successful in some form of creative endeavour and suggested things that may have motivated them. Dr Sharp suggested that it is valuable for each of us to understand what motivates us in our own creative activities. This is because awareness of this may help motivate us to provide more helpful contributions to the World.

Then, David Gurteen told a personal story about what motivated him as a child to be curious and pursue learning/exploration. He implied that this had been a significant motivation for him in his life. This set the scene for participants to discuss the question: What are the strongest motives for creative endeavour in your life? (see Figure 2).

Figure 2 Question for the Knowledge Café on 7^th February 2024

Then, participants discussed the topic in ‘Knowledge Café mode’. At the end of the knowledge café, the plenary conversation ranged far and wide around the topic. The conversation provided stimulating insights and thoughts about the theme. Many good friendships were made or renewed, and participants enjoyed the event. Some comments about it are given below.

• “As ever with David’s events, the conversations were lively and engaging and all the better for being back in the real offline world. Very many thanks for hosting it.”
• “Thanks for last night … It was very stimulating and enjoyable.”
• “Glad to listen to your sharing last night, very inspiring for me, as a new comer to London.”
• “I am emailing to congratulate you on last Wednesday’s event. It was very insightful and I was very grateful… Thank you very much…”
• “Thank you again for a wonderful, stimulating, relaxing and exhausting evening at {the} Knowledge Café. I was so glad that I was able to come.”
• “I came away on such a high.”

Dr Peter Sharp 14^th February 2024

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