Thinking of the word Fusion can conjure up images of innovative types of cuisine, but some would argue that Fusion is in fact central to 21st Century life, and that the world we live in is characterised by fusions of identities, cultures and even industries.
As a concept, Fusion and indeed the Fusion movement, acknowledges that there are very few real-life binaries and suggests that by accepting that this is the case, we can become a more inclusive, equal, innovative, flexible and successful society.
A big step in the Fusion movement was the identification of Fusion Skills, which are the competencies, characteristics and tools which individuals need to flourish and are as necessary for school-age children as they are for working-age adults.
Despite the ubiquitous and increasing relevance of Fusion Skills’ they are continually underrepresented in national, local and organisational policies and practices which means many individuals are being left behind. Since 2018, the City of London Corporation has been championing recognition and action around Fusion Skills and in 2019 it commissioned research to develop the list of 12 Fusion Skills. These are:
- Oral communication/presentation skills
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Initiative
- Problem solving
- Organisational skills (planning, time management, deadlines, prioritisation, multi-tasking)
- Adaptability/flexibility
- Written communication
- Independent working/autonomy
- Critical thinking
- Resilience
- Creativity
- Analysis and evaluation
This list, based on research with schools, businesses and cultural venues, demonstrates and highlights the importance of Fusion Skills in relation to our ability to engage, communicate, learn and flourish.
In 2019, the City Corporation launched its first international Fusion Cities meeting which convened individuals and organisation from cities across the world to showcase effective practice in the promotion and development of Fusion Skills. These cities were spotlighted for their approaches to bringing together education, culture and business sectors to produce initiatives which develop Fusion Skills for citizens in those local areas. The report on the outcomes of the meeting can be found here. A second meeting was convened virtually in 2020, the findings and creative outputs can be found here.
Supporting the City of London Corporation team in taking the important next steps in the Fusion movement is Find Fusion, a signposting platform for learning opportunities offered by organisations and schools in the City of London and beyond.
Find Fusion aims to bring together learning experiences from across the education, culture and business sectors to support learners, whatever the stage of their journey, to develop Fusion Skills and to flourish in the 21st Century. Find out more about Fusion Skills on Find Fusion here.