Promoting Creativity and Innovation through Lifelong Learning

1. Promoting Creativity and Innovation through Lifelong Learning Reijo Aholainen, European Commission, DG Education and Culture Reijo Aholainen, Innova Tallinn 2008

2. About Creativity and Innovation • Imagination is more important than knowledge • Albert Einstein • Innovations never happen as planned. • Gifford Pinchot • Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow. • William Pollard

3. Social and economic background • Economic challenge • Innovation is the key for long-term growth in a knowledge economy. • Global challenge • Climate change, energy, pollution, water, health, safety • Need for new sustainable responses – and soon! • Demographic and social challenges • Ageing population and increasing immigration • Innovative developments for social services. • Technological change • Cumulative growth of knowledge and information • Information and Communication Technologies • Creative Industries

4. 2) Creativity is the infinite source of innovation • Creativity is about thinking and behaviour • Imaginative, original and purposeful work with value • Combined with knowledge, skills and attitudes • Creativity concerns all fields • Arts, Culture, Design, Science, Technology, Business... • Requires open environment • All people have creative capacities • Creativity can be encouraged, supported and improved, but not imposed

5. 3) Innovation is putting ideas to practice, to the market • Human competences - knowledge, skills and creativity - are the major source of innovation • All fields are concerned • High tech and Non-tech • Private and public • Open innovation is complementing R&D • Growing role of cities and regions • Economic growth and competitiveness • Human and social capital • Talent, Technology and Tolerance

6. EU and OECD joint definition INNOVATION = A new or significantly improved product (good or service), or process, a new marketing method, or a new organizational method, business practice, workplace organization or external relations” (Oslo Manual, OECD 2006)

7. A Broad-based Innovation Strategy for the EU (2006) • Covers innovation in all sectors, private and public • Innovation-friendly environment • Education as a pre-condition • Potential of the Internal Market • Consumer confidence with protective regulation • Cooperation between stakeholders • Financial boost to research and innovation • Innovation-driven lead-markets • Better European governance for innovation

8. Human Capital and Innovation Skills • Learning and knowledge-creation skills crucial • Skills needs change and vary • Soft skills important for all innovation • Learning to learn, problem solving, decision-taking, critical thinking • Communication skills, social skills, cultural competences • Entrepreneurial skills, sense of initiative, risk assessment, • ‘Absorptive capacity’, a key to performance • Recognizing the value of new information, assimilating and to applying • Digital competence • Key to employment, social services and active citizenship

9. The Knowledge Triangle: Innovation, Education and Research Innovation Knowledge triangle Education Research

10. 4) Education and training for promoting creativity and innovation • Education provides knowledge, skills and competences for innovation • Education and research produce new knowledge • Education and training can foster creativity which is the ultimate source of innovation • Partnerships and networks support innovation in education and training

11. All levels of education can promote creativity and innovation • Cultivation of all forms of intellect quality • Linguistic, mathematical, spatial, kinesthetic, interpersonal… • Soft skills support creativity and innovation • Learner-centred approaches respect different learners equity • Exploitation of ICT for learning • Supportive learning environment • Partnerships and Networks

12. One qualification rarely provides all innovation skills needed in working life Type of Innovation Core Skills Product and Technological Innovation ° Scientific and technological ° Engineering ° Design and Packaging ° Market and User Research Process Innovation ° Technical ° Project Management ° Organisational and Workflow Design ° Interaction and Relationship Management Organisational Innovation ° Opportunity Recognition ° Systems Design ° Leadership ° Communication Marketing, Delivery and Interface Innovation ° ICT & Systems Development ° Web Design and Content ° Data Analysis °Language and Communication

13. Higher Education for creativity and innovation • Excellence in education and research • Scientific knowledge and research skills • Encouragement of creative thinking • Partnerships and global cooperation • Co-operation, mobility and networking • Knowledge brokerage, transmission of research results • Entrepreneurial university • Triple Helix model of innovation

14. EU Recommendation on Key Competencies for Lifelong Learning • Communication in the mother tongue; • Communication in foreign languages; • Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology; • Digital competence; • Learning to learn; • Social and civic competences; • Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship; and • Cultural awareness and expression. Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Key competences for lifelong learning, 18 December 2006

15. 4) Innovation and creativity for improving lifelong learning • Learning requires motivation and confidence • Learning as a cognitive process • motivating curiosity • utilising various learning approaches and methods • learning is social • Modern learning uses the ICT potential • Partnerships and networks as learning tools • Encouraging learning environment

16. Re-think schools and education • Curricula: clear objectives and flexible implementation • Supportive student assessment and feedback • Teacher cooperation • Supportive learning culture and environment • School as a learning organisation • Wider school autonomy with accountability

17. Full use of ICT as a learning tool • ICT can make a positive impact on learning • Both on quality and on equity, but the digital divide risk has to be addressed! • Learning habits (of the young) are changing • ICT and social software grow rapidly with Web 2.0 • Internet, Google, Wikipedias, YouTube, Delicious, etc. • Innovative learning with new technologies • New contents, methods, tools and spaces • Collaborative learning and learning communities • User-centred learning and online services enhance eLearning as a teaching approach

18. 5) European Year of Creativity andInnovation 2009 • The overall objective is to promote creativity and innovation in society and economy • in particular in and through learning • Awareness raising • events, information and initiatives • Promote policy debate • At European, national, regional and local levels

19. European Year of Creativity andInnovation • Covers all creative and innovative sectors of society • Including arts and culture, design, fashion, science, business, enterprise, regions, industries, services, technologies, etc. • Decentralized structure and networking • At European, national, regional and local level • Invites all interested to participate, organize and act • Networking and partnerships • Excellent opportunities to associate with • No specific funding • But there are resources when there is will

20. Happy New Year 2009 !