Professor in Life-Long Learning John Field of the University of Warwick visited the UT for fours days to look at the potential of the UT in permanent education. His findings.
Life-long learning. It sounds beautiful and frightening at the same time. What is it, according to you?
'Life-long learning is in fact the possibility to return to the university to follow a teaching programme aimed at the needs of the student and, moreover, relevant to the demands of the modern working environment. But it is also life-wide learning, the possibility to learn in different places. Not only in school, but also in the workplace. And also not planned learning. Learning yourself, that is the most effective.'
Why is it so important for universities?
'The life span of knowledge is shortening all the time. The knowledge taught at university is out of date in five years. I think, furthermore, that with the introduction of the bachelor-master structure more people will, like they do in England, leave university at the end of their bachelor programme, after three years. They will not return to university until after they have gained a few years work experience, if they return at all. Because of that there is a growing demand for knowledge and therefore for life-long learning.'
A great opportunity therefore for the universities?
'At Warwick we did indeed broaden our student-base with life-long learning. We now a have large number of graduate students; professionals from management and technology.'
And commercially speaking it seems attractive too. People with a job have more money, do they not?
'That is right. At Warwick we managed to reduce our government dependency from 95 percent to 30 percent.'
That sounds almost too good to be true.
'There is indeed a downside to it. It can also form a huge threat to universities. Knowledge is no longer made and distributed by universities alone, but also by companies, departments for training and Research & Development. If universities do not react and respond to the trend they will be overtaken by the competition.'
What were your most important findings at the UT?
'The strong points of Twente are its international and national reputation. The UT also has good and strong ties to businesses in the area of science and technology. And last but not least, the UT has enormous expertise and experience in the use of information- and communication technology in education.'
How could the UT use that in the demand for life-long learning?
'With the introduction of the bachelor-master structure the university should focus on new target groups. Design more flexible teaching programmes, considering both time and way of teaching. So for example, on-line or at work, and dual learning. And, as I said before, modifications to meet the needs of the work place and the future student. In addition, the UT could by using TeleTOP and C@mpus+ become the front runner in open- and tele-learning. Twente has the expertise and the capacity. And looking ahead, ECIU-partners Warwick and Strathclyde have expertise in the area of life-long learning. I hope that we can combine these in a life-long learning alliance.'
