SUPSI.4 |
LLL-transfer |
Long Title: | Lifelong Learning Transfer: Strategy Development & Competence Management |
Leading Organization: |
Fernfachhochschule Schweiz
affiliation: SUPSI |
Participating Organizations: |
Universität Zürich
Université de Genève Hochschule Luzern Universitäre Fernstudien Schweiz (unfunded partner) SWITCH - Teleinformatikdienste für Lehre und Forschung |
Other Partners: |
ETH Zürich
Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz |
Domain: | ELS |
Status: | finished |
Start Date: | 04.01.2011 |
End Date: | 31.07.2012 |
Project Leader: | C. Eggs |
Website: | https://forge.switch.ch/redmine/projects/lll-transfer |
(see also Skill Profiler)
Component | Description |
LLL-transfer | LLL-transfer checklists (online tool) |
LLL-transfer forge space | All documents and further information about the project |
State of the Art Report | Lifelong Learning in Strategies of Swiss Higher Education Institutions |
Feasibility Report | Feasibility Report: Competency Management (Profiler). Based on this report the proposal for a "Skill Profiler" project was submitted. |
The project followed two main goals: First, the elaboration of a study about the
implementation of Lifelong Learning in order to produce guidelines and checklists for the
implementation of Lifelong Learning in HEI's strategies.
Secondly, the feasibility study for an application (of a so called Skill Profiler) which contains the
analysis and integration of important stakeholders and the description of the workflow, the process of
entering/generating, processing, validating and comparing data describing the competences as well as the
technical feasibility.
The project and its results have been presented at the ePic Conference 2011 in London, at the eduhub days
2011, at the Career Service Annual meeting as well as at informal meetings (e.g. with representatives from Uni-emploie
of University of Geneva and FH Schweiz).
The LLL-transfer tool is hosted by FFHS. All Swiss universities can use the checklists and guidelines for free.
Lifelong learning (LLL) is a concept denoting all the learning activities that a person engages in over
the course of their life in order to improve their knowledge, their qualifications and their competences.
LLL has become a catchphrase over the past few years on both the Swiss and the European education
landscape, now that people have realised that learning must extend "from the cradle to the grave".
This awareness has led to many universities introducing (generally isolated individual) measures to implement
this concept. A large number of universities still equate this concept with "continuing education",
ignoring alumni structures, portfolios and general professional advancement as key aspects of LLL. Hence
there is neither a joint, comprehensive understanding of the significance of LLL at present, nor specific
measures upheld by a majority of the universities.
At national and European level, endeavours have recently been undertaken to fill the strategic gap and draw
up guidelines for formulating a strategy (EUA, 2008).
Switzerland does not have the appropriate reports, action plans or technical solutions for the compilation
of LLL strategies, even if a national committee of experts was set up, which is drawing up a proposal for the
incorporation of LLL in the new Federal Law on the Advancement of Universities and Coordination in Swiss Higher Education,
and Switzerland is participating from 2011 on in the EU framework programme for lifelong learning (LLP) as
a full member.
The Bologna Reform is changing the contents of (lifelong) university degrees and promoting the development
of interdisciplinary competences that have featured less prominently in degrees to date. The significance
of transferable competences and soft skills is increasing to a major extent, yet there is a lack of practicable
instruments for making these competences visible even though several initiatives are devoted to the mapping
of competences within Switzerland.
The main aim of the project is to create guidelines for anchoring lifelong learning in university strategy
and work out a feasibility study for a competence profiling application as a first step in view of a more sophisticated competence management.
At institutional level LLL-transfer will provide the Swiss universities with LLL Strategy Guidelines,
containing guides and checklists for anchoring lifelong learning in their strategy. A joint understanding
of lifelong learning is to be promoted, and the universities will be supported in their compilation of
suitable measures for implementing the strategy.
For individual LLL management the feasibility of an application ("skill profiler") will be clarified,
permitting students to engage in selective competence management during and after their studies and
thus enabling them to better steer their acquisition of knowledge and skills over the long term, in the
sense of lifelong learning. As starting point for a profiling application we choose the necessary adjustment/mapping
of student's soft skills with the competences required on the job market.
A state-of-the-art analysis will lead on to a best-practice report on the incorporation of lifelong learning in university strategies, as well as to a catalogue of measures containing guides and checklists. These, in turn, will give rise to the LLL Strategy Guidelines and provide the universities with an instrument for embedding lifelong learning in their strategy. To spread the material workshops with stakeholders and webinars for interested parties will be offered.
The feasibility study for a competence management application will include the following steps:
If the results justify the development of an application, the feasibility study will be integrated in a new project proposal.