| Lifelong
learning as a means for widening participation
Engaging more people in learning is seen as a means
of creating a successful transition to a knowledge-based
economy and society. Its expansion has implications
for the involvement of adults in universities.
Lifelong learning is closely linked with a wide
range of policy goals – economic advancement
(or skills for the labour market) and social objectives
(tackling poverty, local renewal, community development,
citizenship, and social and cultural development).
Following on the Lisbon European Council (2000),
The European Commission noted the need for movement
in the direction of policy and action in the European
Union. The European Union has acknowledged the importance
of promoting lifelong learning through widening participation
in education. The Memorandum on Lifelong Learning(2000)
notes:
Lifelong Learning must accompany a successful transition
to a knowledge-based economy and society … Lifelong
Learning must become the guiding principle for provision
and participation across the full continuum of learning
contexts. The coming decade must see the implementation
of this vision. All those living in Europe, without
exception, should have equal opportunities to adjust
to the demands of social and economic change and
to participate actively in the shaping of Europe's
future.
The vision is to create a new culture of learning
that will lead to social and economic prosperity
and individual enrichment, through tackling the issues
that prevent adults participating in Higher Education.
The need to challenge the barriers that discourage
adults from engaging in learning is widely acknowledge
as a necessary first step to widening participation
in higher education. Speaking about the problem,
in his role as President of the European Parliament,
Romano Prodi, noted:
We do not yet have a coherent strategy on lifelong
learning…barriers that discourage people from
entering the workforce or restrict their mobility
should be eliminated. This requires more investment
in education and lifelong learning and specific measures
to address the skills gap.
Speech on the State of the Union, European Parliament,
13 February 2001.
The ALPINE Project and Widening Participation
The ‘Adults Learning and Participating in
Education’ (ALPINE) recognises the need to
involve more adults in universities by finding new
ways of involving them in higher education. The project
draws on the expertise of 35 different institutions
from 20 countries in Europe.2
The project has collected data about the exist state
of adult involvement in European universities, the
particular problems being experienced in encouraging
more adult to engage in higher education in each
country, and current policies and practices aimed
at improving and widening participation, including
involvement of traditionally under-represented adults.
This information is published in the ALPINE book
(see the introductory chapter).
Many of the problems faced by adults in accessing
higher education are similar from country to country
and there is considerable evidence of a range of
ways in which European universities are going about
tackling these problems. The ALPINE manual provides
information and examples on a range of issues linked
to the question of widening participation in universities.
The findings are highlighted as key issues which
are reported in subsequent chapters of this manual.
The project has also established thematic groups
which examine policies and strategies in areas which
the members believe are crucial to widening participation.
The aim is to assist with the development of high
quality adult education in European universities.
The findings contained in the manual will enable
universities to review and improve their provision,
providing a more holistic educational experience,
widen access from under-represented adult groups
and increase overall adult student numbers significantly.
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