Why Lifelong Learning?

1. Why Lifelong Learning? Professor Michael Osborne Director, Pascal Observatory University of Glasgow, UK michael.osborne@glasgow.ac.uk

2. The questions • What are the Community benefits of a local government emphasis on lifelong learning ? • How do we engage youth in learning ? • How do we reengage adults in learning after formal learning ? • How do we maintain engagement in learning throughout the life-course • What examples exist internationally for maintaining community participation in learning

3. The traditional arguments • Two dominant themes • widening participation to under-represented groups within a mass system • economics of lifelong learning

4. The Stakeholders • Individuals • Communities • Businesses • Public Sector • Providers • Connected in regions

5. Purpose and Continuum of Learning Cities

6. Social Inclusion • UK imperative • A European imperative, but visible elsewhere in the world, including Australia and the US • Combating of social exclusion through offering ‘second chances’- one of five main guidelines for action in striving for a knowledge-based society (White Paper on Lifelong Learning EC 1995) . • 2001 Memorandum on Lifelong Learning.

7. Lean on me - Economic Benefits "Skill and competence enhancement in the new economy in Europe requires that the policy emphasis is shifted towards increasing investment in human capital and in raising participation in education and training throughout working life. To keep pace with developments in technology, globalisation, population ageing and new business practices, particular attention should be given to workplace training an important dimension of our strategy for Lifelong Leaning (sic)." (EC 2001)

8. Historical Reasons for Economic Agenda • Macro-economic issues • changes in the economic and occupational structure • competitiveness a global market.

9. Agenda for Individuals • Individual responsibility • Personal competitiveness • Skills development for employability • Personal development

10. Agenda for providers • From institutional structures to individual participation • From front-end to continuing provision • From discipline specificeducation to competenciesfor Lifelong Learning

11. The thrust to growth - the assumptions • Competition in a global market is compromised because a skills deficit exists • More graduates/diplomates are needed for the labour market • For individuals there is an economic payoff in getting a qualification • In expanding the system there will also be widening and an increase in social justice, social inclusion and mobility

12. Good Places – Better Health • Place • Health • Learning • Qualifications • Jobs • Engaged Citizens

13. Cause and Effect • Health leads to learning • Learning benefits health and well-being • Benefits are economic as well as social

14. How to engage youth in learning?How to reengage adults in learning after formal learning? • Age, Sex and Race • Lost generation • Precariousness

15. Resources • It’s easy to predict the past • As for the future!

16. How to maintain engagement in learning throughout life? • Employment and employability • Cognitive interest

17. Learning Prescriptions • Learning v Prozac

18. Co-creation

19. Aims of Community-university research • To promote community-university research partnerships to develop knowledge relevant to improve the lives of people • To promote practical learning and problem-solving competencies amongst students by directly engaging with the community • To design curriculum and pedagogy relevant to respond to learning needs of the community

20. LearningCities2020