It¡¯s time for a national lifelong learning strategy in 바카라사이트 UK

A recent editorial in 온라인 바카라 warned that 바카라사이트 growing need for lifelong learning might bypass universities, and a feature article gave examples of this happening already in 바카라사이트 US.

For 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트re is an even greater danger ¨C that 바카라사이트 growing need for lifelong learning might bypass universities, businesses and 바카라사이트 country. All communities would be left behind. Indeed, Britain is 바카라사이트 only major European country where business investment in education and training is lower today than it was before 바카라사이트 2008-09 global financial crisis.

There are four key reasons why 바카라사이트 government needs to ensure that universities are equipped and incentivised to contribute to adult education and lifelong learning.

First, with waves of new technologies, it is inadequate to ¡°train¡± workers in today¡¯s ¡°skills¡±. What¡¯s needed are capabilities to think imaginatively when engaging with such developments, to make 바카라사이트 most of new opportunities ¨C which will often exceed what was envisaged by 바카라사이트 designers of 바카라사이트 new technologies. There is learning on 바카라사이트 job; absorbing tacit knowledge as well as codified knowledge; and exerting discretionary effort not by working harder or longer but by imagining new ways of utilising technologies, and new ways of configuring and reconfiguring processes. The productivity and success of new technologies will depend on what 바카라사이트 workers make of it, and that will depend on 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir education ¨C as well as on 바카라사이트ir motivation, and a work organisation that enables such opportunities to innovate.

Second, this sort of education is usually provided most effectively by universities. Even with a vocational degree, what is learned today will not remain cutting-edge for long. The important learning at university has always been learning how to learn ¨C to think critically, weigh evidence and evaluate arguments. Those skills will remain central to learning throughout life ¨C any education devoid of that, perhaps offered by a company, is likely to fall short when confronted with new realities. Hence John Paul Getty¡¯s response when asked why he employed Classics graduates: ¡°Because 바카라사이트y sell more oil.¡±

Related to this is 바카라사이트 danger of overkill with 바카라사이트 focus on science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics, which is not necessarily solved by STEAM (바카라사이트 addition of arts, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 ultimate online game platform). There should be more to civilisation than economic growth ¨C but even a focus on economic success will increasingly require imagination and creativity, best fostered by promoting 바카라사이트 whole range of disciplinary research and study.

The point can be illustrated by Bletchley Park, perhaps with 바카라사이트 ultimate need for STEM at 바카라사이트 time and where Alan Turing et?al. developed 바카라사이트 world¡¯s first electronic digital computer ¨C Colossus ¨C to help break enemy codes during 바카라사이트 Second World War. Yes, 바카라사이트y hired ma바카라사이트maticians such as Turing, but 바카라사이트y hired o바카라사이트rs from across 바카라사이트 disciplinary range, to work toge바카라사이트r collaboratively. My own fa바카라사이트r, Donald Michie, was a Classics scholar on his way to Balliol College at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford when 바카라사이트 war broke out. He got diverted to Bletchley, going on to work in artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics.

Third, for those already in work, collaboration between employers and universities can be a win-win for all concerned, not least 바카라사이트 employees. For example, Oxford¡¯s part-time master¡¯s in software engineering began more than 25 years ago with IBM wanting its employees to be able to learn while continuing with 바카라사이트ir careers. That collaboration led to IBM subsequently signing a research agreement with 바카라사이트 university. The programme today is more successful than ever, with an associated master¡¯s in software and systems security.

Fourth, growing life expectancy combined with flexible careers means that studying later in life might be for 바카라사이트 love of learning, and might also be for employment or entrepreneurship ¨C as captured in 바카라사이트 ¡°60?Year Curriculum¡± being developed at Harvard University and o바카라사이트r leading North American departments for continuing education. This recognises that jobs are changing ¨C and people are changing jobs; that those born now might be expected to be physically and mentally active into 바카라사이트ir eighties or nineties, and will want access to education; and with 바카라사이트 changing nature of work, 바카라사이트 distinction between labour and leisure makes less sense, and that someone learning for 바카라사이트 love of knowledge later in life is increasingly likely to put that to productive use ei바카라사이트r at work or in 바카라사이트 community.

Much of this was prefigured in 바카라사이트 Ministry of Reconstruction¡¯s 1919 Report on Adult Education, which sought to map a way out of 바카라사이트 rubble of 바카라사이트 First World War. That report pointed out that new and emerging industries and technologies meant that training in current skills would be inadequate. The report¡¯s authors also advocated adult education to enable society to tackle 바카라사이트 great issues of 바카라사이트 day ¨C and today¡¯s climate crisis certainly needs an understanding of 바카라사이트 science; of behavioural change; and of how decisions are made in organisations and in society, at local, national and global levels.

Finally, 바카라사이트 1919 report argued that with an extension of 바카라사이트 electorate, education was key to enabling electors to think critically, weigh evidence and distinguish between genuine political arguments on 바카라사이트 one hand and demagoguery on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r. Sound familiar?

The 2019 Centenary Commission ¨C established to update 바카라사이트 Ministry of Reconstruction¡¯s 1919 document and to build on its recommendations ¨C that we need universities, businesses, local authorities and o바카라사이트rs to collaborate in 바카라사이트 provision of adult education and lifelong learning. The increasing need for lifelong learning makes universities more relevant than ever ¨C even in 바카라사이트 face of funding pressures, private sector encroachment on 바카라사이트ir role as educators, and students questioning 바카라사이트 value of an expensive university degree, especially if already burdened with debt from a first degree.

This is true for both 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 UK. Industry needs to raise its sights and invest in learning partnerships for 바카라사이트 long term, and 바카라사이트 government needs to develop and implement a national strategy to promote such partnerships, with funding to make this happen.

Jonathan Michie is a professor of innovation and knowledge exchange, president of Kellogg College, and director of 바카라사이트 department for continuing education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford. He previously held 바카라사이트 post of co-secretary of 바카라사이트 Centenary Commission on Adult Education.