Towards a shared vision on lifelong learning and continuing education at KU Leuven

KU Leuven has a long tradition in offering continuing education. All faculties are responsible for developing and organising their own continuing education programmes, and each has its own policy and identity. Although the autonomy of the faculties is important for the organisation of societally relevant university lifelong learning programmes, an overall institutional approach, recognising lifelong learning as a mission of the university, is crucial to give the necessary impetus to the implementation of lifelong learning and continuing education programmes on a faculty level. At the central level of the university, there is a unit for lifelong learning. Although the unit has the words ‘lifelong learning’ in its name, the focus predominantly lies on supporting faculties in organising professional continuing education programmes. Consequently, there is a risk that lifelong learning will be narrowed down to ‘the learning that takes place after having finished university’. To keep up with the challenges of the 21st century, a broader scope and strategy is needed. To answer this need KU Leuven invested in articulating a university-wide vision, rather than formulating regulations regarding the organisation of lifelong learning in faculties. This paper describes the process of creating such a broad, common vision, combining bottomup and top-down strategies, and the core elements that were its outcome.

Jaar van publicatie:2017

Toegankelijkheid:Closed