Research Papers
Document Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
Lifelong learning (LLL) is in focus in all European countries. Workforce upskilling and reskilling are seen as central elements in ensuring national competitiveness. Universities are main players in this effort but often find it difficult to find sustainable models for LLL activities, in terms of e.g., economy, student intake, and academic resources. Collaboration between universities can be one possible way forward to overcome such obstacles, and given the enhanced post-Covid digitalization is also increasingly made possible, even across borders. However, many universities also find such collaboration challenging, e.g., due to outdated legislation, lacking financial predictability, lacking
1 J. Bennedsen jbb@ece.au.dk academic capacity, or other factors. Studies done by the authors indicate that universities’ perspectives are seldom present in the literature when barriers and enablers for LLL participation are analysed. This motivates us to particularly consider a university perspective here. This paper analyses responses to a questionnaire sent to 28 Nordic and Baltic universities, collecting information about successes, opportunities, and barriers for formal (i.e., ECTSawarding) university-level LLL with professional content within engineering and technology. The respondents were management representatives representing an institutional view and having good knowledge of the institution's LLL offer (e.g., further education centre managers and LLL coordinators). 19 institutions answered, mostly with free text. Our analysis is done following constructivist grounded theory using an open and focused coding approach. The main aim is to identify the main barriers and success factors seen by the universities for upscaling LLL activities, and subsequently to suggest strategies for alleviating barriers and facilitating success factors.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21427/2F51-E932
Recommended Citation
Bennedsen, J., & Oien, G. E. D. (2023). Transnational Collaboration On Lifelong Learning Between Higher Engineering Education Institutions: A University Perspective. European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI). DOI: 10.21427/2F51-E932
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