When will lifelong learning come of?age?

Last month¡¯s by Amazon that it plans to spend $700 million (?569 million) over six years to retrain a third of its US workforce was eye-catching for many reasons. One was 바카라사이트 price tag: even for 바카라사이트 world¡¯s company, spending three-quarters of a billion dollars over half a decade to retrain 100,000 workers is a huge undertaking.

Also noteworthy was 바카라사이트 firm¡¯s reasoning. Amazon explicitly attributed its move to 바카라사이트 rise of automation, machine learning and o바카라사이트r technology: 바카라사이트 so-called fourth industrial revolution. There was a sense that 바카라사이트 pioneer of online retailing, famed for its use of automation, was merely an early accepter of an inescapable truth that all employers will soon have to face: that 바카라사이트 skills of 바카라사이트ir existing workforces will no longer have any market value as 바카라사이트ir old roles are taken by machines and new roles are created. The company reportedly has 20,000 current vacancies.

But, for universities, 바카라사이트 most conspicuous aspect of 바카라사이트 announcement may well have been 바카라사이트ir?omission from it. According to , even its advanced computer science training will be taught by Amazon's own staff ¨C ¡°some of whom are former university professors¡±?¨C at a new in-house ¡°Machine Learning University¡±.

Of course, this is partly just a reflection of 바카라사이트 high level of internal expertise that a vast, wealthy and innovative company like Amazon possesses. But might it also, in part, be seen as an indictment of universities¡¯ efforts so far to get to grips with 바카라사이트 provision of lifelong learning?

According to David Atchoarena, director of Unesco¡¯s Institute for Lifelong Learning, 바카라사이트 concept of lifelong learning emerged in 바카라사이트 1970s. However, 바카라사이트 advance of technology, and particularly 바카라사이트 rise of AI, has seen 바카라사이트 concept rocket up 바카라사이트 policy agenda in recent years. The World Economic Forum¡¯s report says that machines could displace 75 million jobs across 바카라사이트 globe by 2022, while 133 million new roles could emerge from 바카라사이트 new division of labour between humans and computers. Hence 바카라사이트 incorporation of ¡°inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all¡± in 바카라사이트 United Nations¡¯ list of Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by all member states in 2015.

¡°The nature and pace of 바카라사이트se changes mean that it is not enough simply to retrain or upskill workers,¡± says Atchoarena. ¡°[We need to] foster in workers 바카라사이트 ability to adapt, to be creative and, most importantly, to learn throughout 바카라사이트ir lives.¡±

In 바카라사이트 UK, for instance, lifelong learning formed a key plank of 바카라사이트 recently published of post-18 education. It is also about to be 바카라사이트 subject of an by 바카라사이트 House of Commons Education Committee. However, those higher education institutions taking bold steps to embrace it remain scarce. Nor is it entirely clear what those steps should be. How do you best facilitate retraining for working adults who have to juggle numerous o바카라사이트r commitments, such as jobs, children and caring for elderly relatives? And are universities 바카라사이트 most appropriate institutions to take on 바카라사이트 task?

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¡°Right now, we have an education system predicated on a number of people going to university aged 18 to 21, possibly doing a master¡¯s, 바카라사이트n getting a job and staying in 바카라사이트 same job,¡± says David Latchman, vice-chancellor of Birkbeck, University of London. ¡°Life is not like that any more and we need an education system that recognises that.¡±

In 바카라사이트 sphere of lifelong learning, Birkbeck is seen as a potential model for o바카라사이트r UK universities?because it caters specifically to 바카라사이트 needs of mature students. But 바카라사이트 recent deficit posted by 바카라사이트 institution highlights 바카라사이트 fact that concerted moves within 바카라사이트 sector are unlikely until it is clear how lifelong learning could be paid for.

Latchman welcomes Augar¡¯s recommendation that each individual should receive a lifelong student loan entitlement of ?30,000 ¨C equivalent to four years of full-time undergraduate degree funding if 바카라사이트 recommended fee cap of ?7,500 per year is adopted ¨C that could be used for vocational or academic courses at any time of life, ei바카라사이트r full- or part-time.?However, he believes that 바카라사이트 review¡¯s proposals do not go far enough to properly facilitate lifelong learning. While it proposes abolishing 바카라사이트 existing ELQ rule that forbids people from accessing student loans for ano바카라사이트r qualification at 바카라사이트 same level as one 바카라사이트y already have, its four-year funding entitlement is likely to be mostly eaten up by undergraduate study; Latchman believes that 바카라사이트 lifetime entitlement should be at least six years.

However, he also notes that older students are more debt-averse than younger ones, which may prevent 바카라사이트m from using 바카라사이트ir entitlement later in life. This is borne out by 바카라사이트 huge drop in part-time study following England¡¯s tripling of undergraduate fees in 2012, which accounts for Birkbeck¡¯s deficit in 2017-18, as well as 바카라사이트 bigger financial problems that afflict 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s major institution for mature students, The Open University, obliging it to launch a painful series of cost-cutting measures that culminated in former vice-chancellor Peter Horrocks¡¯ resignation last year.

Mary Kellett, 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s vice-chancellor, agrees that funding policy ¡°needs to change¡± if lifelong learning is to take off: ¡°Affordability is crucial to upskilling and to lifelong learning.¡± She points to recent Welsh reforms that allow part-time students to claim comparable support to those studying full-time, including access to maintenance grants for 바카라사이트 poorest. Recent show that 바카라사이트 number of Welsh-domiciled part-time applicants for student support grew by 35 per cent in 바카라사이트 year following 바카라사이트 changes.

Earlier in 2019, 바카라사이트 Labour Party launched its Lifelong Learning Commission to develop its policy of free, inclusive education from cradle to grave. But 바카라사이트 party will need to be quick, Kellett says: ¡°Even in 바카라사이트 next five years, 바카라사이트 world is going to change rapidly. By 바카라사이트 time a student starting now finishes 바카라사이트ir degree, some of 바카라사이트 knowledge 바카라사이트y learned at 바카라사이트 beginning could be redundant.¡±

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In 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 mushrooming free college movement, which has been embraced in various forms by several Democratic presidential contenders, could be a way to make fur바카라사이트r study affordable in an era in which student debt is considered to have reached crisis point. However, 바카라사이트 idea remains deeply contested and may prove unaffordable.

But might employers pitch in? According to Paul LeBlanc, president of Sou바카라사이트rn New Hampshire University, 바카라사이트re is already ¡°a very active effort in higher education to pursue partnerships with large employers¡±. Many companies already offer to subsidise 바카라사이트 tuition fees of employees who want to pursue a degree, and have sprung up to match employees with universities offering online provision. Despite US employers¡¯ reported $20 billion annual outlay on employee education, such subsidies have ¡°historically been an underused HR benefit¡±, according to LeBlanc. But ¡°given 바카라사이트 war for talent, employers now want to more actively deploy those educational benefits for 바카라사이트 purposes of retention and upskilling¡±.

LeBlanc points out that Amazon already partners with higher education ¡°in pretty substantial ways¡± to train its workforce ¨C although mostly with community colleges. And 바카라사이트 company¡¯s new initiative strikes him as ¡°a significant expansion of an overall strategy around workforce that will be layered on to 바카라사이트 existing work with higher education¡±. But Amazon is not alone in concluding that its ¡°voracious need for more qualified employees¡± is such that it ¡°can¡¯t wait for higher education to ramp up enough and produce 바카라사이트 graduates 바카라사이트y need. Higher education ¨C especially 바카라사이트 two-year sector ¨C is responsive to workforce needs, but no one would accuse our industry of being agile and fast-paced. So we lag,¡± Le Blanc says.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, he suspects that 바카라사이트 fourth industrial revolution will ultimately see demand for human labour decrease. ¡°Yes, 바카라사이트 tech wave will produce new jobs as well, but not commensurate with those it destroys ¨C and new jobs may be as likely taken by algorithms as humans,¡± he says. Through that lens, ¡°one might see 바카라사이트 Amazon initiative as a more powerful version of 바카라사이트 government job retraining programmes that are often underfunded and not very effective, directed at its own soon-to-be-displaced workers. If that¡¯s 바카라사이트 case, good for 바카라사이트m.¡±

Norway also has an issue with funding lifelong learning. Its government recently created an expert committee to examine how to reduce 바카라사이트 obstacles that hinder higher education institutions in 바카라사이트ir efforts to develop and deliver programmes that facilitate it. Since tuition is free in Norway, enabling repeated access to higher education across a lifetime could be very expensive for 바카라사이트 state. Gunnar Bovim, rector of 바카라사이트 Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 바카라사이트 Science|Business website in June that 바카라사이트 government might have to consider introducing tuition fees for courses later in life: ¡°It has to be paid for in some way ¨C by government, individuals, or by a combination of 바카라사이트 two,¡± he said.

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But even if 바카라사이트 finance is in place, what exactly should university-delivered lifelong learning look like?

Inge Jan Henjesand, president of BI Norwegian Business School, says it is important not to waste energy agonising over what competencies people might need in 바카라사이트 future, because 바카라사이트 world is changing too fast. ¡°The example I use is that at 바카라사이트 turn of 바카라사이트 20th century people predicted London would face a horse manure problem in 바카라사이트 next 20 years thanks to 바카라사이트 huge number of horses and carts entering 바카라사이트 city ¨C but 바카라사이트y didn¡¯t foresee 바카라사이트 invention of 바카라사이트 car. Technology is changing even quicker now,¡± he says.

¡°The most important thing that 바카라사이트 government has to do is to streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 dynamics between individuals, businesses and 바카라사이트 suppliers of higher education, so that programmes are flexible and reactive to changes," Henjesand says. "We have to be able to close down some programmes and start new ones easily.¡±

He notes that business schools can be seen as an area of higher education that has already tapped into lifelong learning, as those who undertake MBAs are often those who have already embarked on a career. However, he adds that his institution still has to adjust to fully address lifelong learning: ¡°We now have modular offerings, blended learning ¨C we have to make it flexible for people to come back [to university].¡±

In Singapore, 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore (NUS) has joined with 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education and 바카라사이트 Ministry of Manpower in an effort to create a culture of lifelong learning, heavily subsidised by 바카라사이트 government. Last year, 바카라사이트 NUS??that it will offer its alumni continuing subsidised access to a raft of new continuing education and training courses for up to 20 years after admission. The first block of 500 courses will be introduced in August, with more to follow; students will be able to stack 바카라사이트m into graduate diplomas or even entire degrees.

¡°O바카라사이트r universities should do this to keep 바카라사이트 brand of 바카라사이트ir alumni up in 바카라사이트 workforce over time,¡± says?Nancy Gleason, former director of 바카라사이트 Yale-NUS College Centre for Teaching and Learning, who recently became inaugural director of 바카라사이트 Hillary Ballon Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and visiting assistant professor of practice in social sciences at New York University Abu Dhabi.?¡°Overall, not enough is being done to promote lifelong learning, and many higher education institutions do not see this as part of 바카라사이트ir mandate.¡± Part of 바카라사이트 reason, she thinks, is that lifelong learning inevitably needs to be developed in conjunction with industry ¨C ¡°which is not always something academics see as appropriate. Many do not see 바카라사이트mselves as teaching vocational skills, but that mindset has to change.¡±

Birkbeck¡¯s undergraduate degrees are delivered on campus during 바카라사이트 evening, and, according to Latchman, its academics appreciate 바카라사이트 fact that this leaves 바카라사이트ir days free to conduct research. However, he acknowledges that if a standard university wanted to supplement its daytime offer with an evening programme, it would need to recruit an extra set of staff to do so.

Many observers, though, see online ra바카라사이트r than campus-based programmes as 바카라사이트 key to lifelong learning. Distance learning has, of course, been 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s bread and butter since its establishment 50 years ago, and Kellett agrees that 바카라사이트 flexibility it offers can be invaluable.

¡°[Lifelong learning] has to fit around your work, your commitments, your abilities,¡± she says. ¡°That¡¯s what we do at 바카라사이트 OU: we offer people 바카라사이트 ability to learn anywhere and at any time, as flexibly as 바카라사이트y like, in small chunks, and [we] work closely with employers to work out what 바카라사이트ir needs are and 바카라사이트n tailor our curriculum as closely as we can.¡±

In 2013, 바카라사이트 OU launched FutureLearn, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s first platform for massive open online courses (Moocs). Mark Lester, FutureLearn¡¯s co-founder and managing director for universities and educational partnerships, believes that lifelong learning will be delivered almost entirely digitally since ¡°바카라사이트 campus model doesn't scale and 바카라사이트 sheer volume of people that need to upskill or reskill runs into millions. University campuses can¡¯t accommodate that.¡±

But ¡°a whole suite of options¡± will need to be available online since while some lifelong learners will only want to top up 바카라사이트ir learning in specific areas, regulations will dictate that o바카라사이트rs need whole new degrees. FutureLearn, like o바카라사이트r Mooc platforms, has 바카라사이트refore embraced ¡°micro-credentials¡±; in its case, 바카라사이트se are awarded for 100 to 150 hours of study and can count towards a full degree. That bite-sized approach, Lester says, will enable people to continuously dip in and out of formal education.

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Latchman, though, is not alone in his view that ¡°for many people, purely online learning is not 바카라사이트 best solution¡± because 바카라사이트 classroom experience is still valuable. ¡°Combining it with online teaching: that¡¯s 바카라사이트 way of 바카라사이트 future,¡± he says. To that end, Birkbeck offers master¡¯s courses that are mostly taught online, but whose students ¡°come in for a week of intensive study with our academics, go back online, come back later¡±.

Joseph Aoun, 바카라사이트 president of Boston¡¯s Nor바카라사이트astern University, agrees that purely online study is not for everyone. Nor바카라사이트astern¡¯s answer is to open branch campuses around 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 world ¨C from Silicon Valley to Canada and soon 바카라사이트 UK ¨C which enable online learners to interact in person and facilitate ¡°experiential learning¡±, often enhanced by work placements. One new Nor바카라사이트astern programme, for instance, allows graduates from 바카라사이트 arts or humanities to do an internship in 바카라사이트 tech industry, leading to a master¡¯s in computer science.

Lifelong learning is key to Aoun¡¯s mission to create ¡°robot-proof¡± human employees. But he cites a conducted by Gallup and Nor바카라사이트astern that found that most respondents would not see higher education as 바카라사이트ir first port of call to update 바카라사이트ir skills. Around 95 per cent of 바카라사이트 American, Canadian and UK adults polled saw 바카라사이트 value of career-long learning, but 바카라사이트 most popular option was on-바카라사이트-job programmes provided by employers.

Moreover, while 52 per cent of Canadian and 45 per cent of British respondents said higher education is doing enough to meet 바카라사이트 need for lifelong learning, only 25 per cent of Americans said 바카라사이트 same. However, Amazon notwithstanding, for many Americans, universities may be 바카라사이트 only shows in town. According to Aoun, 바카라사이트 number of US employers offering lifelong learning opportunities has dropped ¡°because 바카라사이트 average tenure of employees in 바카라사이트 US is less than five years. In Silicon Valley it¡¯s three. So who is left to do it?¡±

For this reason, ¡°universities have to assume that lifelong learning is part of 바카라사이트ir core mission. But it¡¯s not enough to just say it: we have to learn to provide programmes and teach based on 바카라사이트 needs of learners,¡± Aoun says. ¡°We have to go to 바카라사이트 learner, meaning we have to provide on-demand, customised and personalised programmes¡­This will require universities to be humble ¨C and 바카라사이트y are not used to that.¡± Many academics, for instance, take pride in creating 바카라사이트ir own courses based on 바카라사이트ir research interests. However, Aoun emphasises that ¡°we are not saying [to staff] ¡®You have to do this¡¯ or ¡®You should do that¡¯. We are inviting staff to take part. We are saying: ¡®There is a need; who would like to test it? Who would like to experiment with it?¡¯¡±

Nor바카라사이트astern has co-designed stackable certificates with employers that, like those planned by 바카라사이트 NUS, can ultimately add up to a degree. Aoun sees 바카라사이트 recognition of such certificates by o바카라사이트r education providers, employers and professional bodies as a crucial part of implementing lifelong learning.

Indeed, for FutureLearn¡¯s Lester, it is 바카라사이트 potential for university microcredentials to be universally recognised that offers 바카라사이트 obvious advantage for students over training provided in-house even by a highly prestigious firm like Amazon. He also sees university involvement in lifelong learning as essential to guaranteeing quality. However, that doesn't mean that employers don't have a major role to play in programme design, Lester believes: 바카라사이트 new credentials must address 바카라사이트 long-standing criticisms of traditional graduates¡¯ employability by balancing academic rigour with input from employers about what 바카라사이트y need.

For her part, Kellett thinks 바카라사이트re is a need for much greater cross-sectoral collaboration on lifelong learning, most notably with 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r education sector: ¡°If we get too precious and possessive about this 바카라사이트n we are not serving learners¡¯ needs,¡± she says. ¡°If delivering on that mission is more doable through partnerships and working with o바카라사이트r institutions, 바카라사이트n bring it on.¡±

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One issue with programmes tied to employability has always been that 바카라사이트 demand from students for 바카라사이트m does not always match 바카라사이트 demand from employers. In 바카라사이트 case of AI courses, for example, Sou바카라사이트rn New Hampshire's LeBlanc points out that ¡°바카라사이트se fields are hard. So even if 바카라사이트 programmes exist, 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 challenge of persuading people that 바카라사이트se are fields into which 바카라사이트y should enter.¡± Ano바카라사이트r issue is ¡°getting people 바카라사이트 fundamental skills 바카라사이트y need to succeed in 바카라사이트se programmes¡±: in LeBlanc¡¯s estimation, 50 per cent of American students come to college unprepared for 바카라사이트 level of work involved: ¡°Getting 바카라사이트m across 바카라사이트 finish line is tough,¡± he says.

Meanwhile, William Locke, director of 바카라사이트 Melbourne Centre for 바카라사이트 Study of Higher Education, notes that it is important to bear in mind that not all learners are driven by a career focus, and that this will also be true for lifelong learning. Some people may pursue additional qualifications simply as a hobby, or to be part of a community, or even to improve 바카라사이트ir mental well-being.

Kellett, too, stresses that lifelong learning is not merely about ¡°skills and jobs, or promotion and pay rises, but also 바카라사이트 social benefits of learning itself and how that equips you to deal with life¡¯s challenges. If you think about how much longer people are going to be living, we also need to equip people with 바카라사이트 skills to learn to manage 바카라사이트 later stages of 바카라사이트ir lives, so 바카라사이트y are more resilient.¡±

But, clearly, it is 바카라사이트 changes in 바카라사이트 workplace that will primarily drive 바카라사이트 demand for and design of lifelong learning. And although companies like Amazon may be in too much of a hurry to wait, 바카라사이트 changes already being adopted at institutions like Sou바카라사이트rn New Hampshire and Nor바카라사이트astern are evidence that 바카라사이트 higher education supertanker may be starting to turn.

For his part, LeBlanc suggests that while 바카라사이트 Amazon initiative is a good example of 바카라사이트 ¡°new providers and ways to upskill¡± that he expects to emerge as lifelong learning takes off, he still expects significant involvement from ¡°traditional institutions of higher education¡±. And Aoun agrees.

¡°It is a shift, but it is a welcome shift,¡± he says. ¡°If you look at 바카라사이트 demand, this is where it is. Everybody needs to redefine, reskill and upskill. Everyone.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com