This document discusses the future of universities and lifelong learning. It notes that COVID-19 will influence economies, globalization, mobility, and education systems. Universities exist within complex ecosystems involving governments, industry, and societies. European universities will focus on developing job skills through continuing education, microcredentials, and increased cooperation within and between countries. Open universities can play a role in lifelong learning by guaranteeing access to higher education, specializing in online learning, and boosting lifelong learning opportunities through partnerships.

1. UNIVERSITIES OF THE FUTURE
Introduction to the theme
Karl Dittrich
President EQAR + OUNL/VL
October 28, 2020
and the role of continuing education/life long learning

2. STRANGE TIMES
COVID-19 will have influence on:
• economy: bankruptcies, unemployment, government cuts
• globalization: return of ‘vital sectors’ from low salary countries
• mobility: lessening/decreasing
• education: on line more important, hybrid systems
2

3. GENERAL POLICY ITEMS
• climate, ‘green deals’
• SDG’s
• accelaration of changes
• acceptance of knowledge as driver for innovation
• inclusion
• ‘authoritarian democracy’ and the rule of law
3

4. UNIVERSITIES IN ECO-SYSTEMS
universities
universities + governments
‘industry’+ universities + governments
‘industry’+ universities + governments + societies
‘nature’ + ‘industry’+ universities + governments + societies
triple helix
quadruple helix
quintuple helix
4

5. EUROPE AND ITS UNIVERSITIES
DIRECTION 1: LABOUR MARKET
• changing and new skills
• each talent counts
• digitization
• continuing education/LLL
• SLP’s / microcredentials: quality, recognition, stackability
5

6. EUROPE AND ITS UNIVERSITIES
DIRECTION 2: COOPERATION
• cooperation within and between countries
• European Universities Initiative
• regional development
• new forms of cooperation between different actors
• physical and/or vitual cooperation
• academic and democratic freedom
6

7. THE ROLE OF OPEN UNIVERSITIES/
DISTANCE TEACHING/
ONLINE LEARNING
THREE MAIN QUESTIONS:
• what is your institutions’ view on the future of ‘life long learning’?
• what developments do you see in your national HE-systems concerning the development
of ‘life long learning’? (cooperation between universities and labour market/industry;
development of short courses/microcredentials; skills development?)
• are universities competitors in the field of ‘life long learning’ and what might be the role
of the Open Universities?
7

8. OU AND THE FUTURE OF LLL
• absolutely convinced of importance of LLL, but:
• all universities and UAS develop programs and courses
• lot of private providers and in company training
• Dutch OU might be too small and too unknown
8

9. DUTCH HE-SYSTEM AND ROLE OF LLL
• universities acknowledge importance, develop programs and courses, but are reticent in
putting much energy in it
• campus universities directed/organised towards 18-25
• cooperation started: common vision, common platform in development
• large companies and SME’s ask support from HE-sector
• large government funds for reskilling and upskilling
• regional LLL-offers
• low support for microcredentials
9

10. ROLE OF DUTCH OU
• guarantee for accessibility to HE
• ‘specialist’ in online education and distance learning
• giving a boost to LLL
• looking for partnerships
• national and/or regional role?
• international cooperation should be strengthened
• initiator for SLP’s and microcredentials
10