Policies and Technologies for Life Long Learning at the

University of Patras

Prof. Nikolaos Avouris

Deputy Rector for Research & Development

University of Patras, Rio Patras, Greece

Background: lifelong learning in Greece

The percentage of the population aged 24-65 participating in Lifelong Learning in Greece (3%) is well

below the European average (9,1%) and the Europe 2020 target (15%).

The percentage of low achievers in basic skills in Greece is 27,7%, while the European average lies at 20% and the target for 2020 is <15%.

[National Report of Secretariat for Lifelong Learning in Greece, 2012]

Background new legal framework

The new legislation (Law Nr. 3879/2010) sets the basis for the planning and implementation of a national strategy on lifelong learning and for the creation of the National Network of Lifelong Learning (NNLL), which encompasses all LLL governing bodies and LLL service providers operating under the auspices of different ministries. The mapping and registration of the NNLL members, as well as their consequent briefing on national LLL policy and the priorities linked to quality assurance, validation & accreditation, interoperability & mobility, enhancement of attractiveness, participation and accessibility are a prerequisite for fruitful interaction within the network.

Background the University of Patras

The University of Patras, with a history of 50 years, is a typical higher education establishment of Greece. It is a public University with over 20 departments, a student population of over 20,000 and a faculty of 700. It has good research record.

It is striving to provide educational services and produce competitive research results in a hostile economic environment, a region of high unemployment and fast de-industrialisation.

The emphasis in on technology and science, linking to the economy is rather low.

UPAT: Tools for LLL policy

Like most Greek Universities UPATRAS had until recently not included life-long learning (LLL) programs in its core activities.

So far there have been four lines of activities and institutional structures supporting LLL:

• The Centre for Vocational Training (CVT)

• The Employment and Career Office (ECO)

• The Innovation and Technology Transfer Office (ITTO)

• The Open Courses Program (OC)

Centre for Vocational Training (CVT)

There have been some targeted vocational seminars of the Centre for Vocational Training (CVT) active since 1995. The LLL actions organized by CVT in the 20 years of its existence include: seminars for Energy Auditors, seminar on Information and Communications Technology for unemployed, a Workshop on Reference management program MENDELEY and Open seminars on Design and Evaluation of Learning Modules on Intercultural Communication. A very modest result for the size of the University. Most of these activities received funding from structural EU funds.

Career Office (OEC)

1. Office of Employment & Career (OEC)

2. Career Counselling Office (CCO),

3. On the job training Office (OJTO)

4. Innovation & Entrepreneurship Unit (IEU).

Among other actions, undertaken there is a promotion of Life Long Learning activities, usually targeting a wide range of users with focus on final year students and recent graduates.

Career Office (OEC): Typical LLL Activities

• Organisation of seminars with the “Open workshop” program of University of Patras Career Counselling Office (CCO) & Library & Information Centre, open to the public

• Guest speeches at the “Second Chance School” and “Centres of Adult Education” of the “Greek Ministry of Education” by CCO,

• Organisation of Vocational Training seminars on Education, Counselling, etc., by CCO & Centre of Vocational Training of University of Patras,

• Organisation of the “Bloomberg Assessment TEST” by CCO, for Financial and business managers

• Organisation of seminars on “IT software training”, concerning management of bibliographic references, organization of teleconferences, video creation etc., by CCO & external experts,

• Innovation & Entrepreneurship Seminars

Innovation & Technology Transfer Office (ITTO)

ITTO is responsible for the transfer of technologies from the University campus to the industry so that the public can directly benefit from the research results, providing access to new and improved devices, drugs, services, etc. ITTO strives to find the most efficient ways to take a concept developed by University researchers and turn it into a product. One of the areas of activity of ITTO is the dissemination of research results, thus providing services of lifelong learning.

Innovation & Technology Transfer Office (ITTO)

• Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer to Business by field of activity, including organization of seminars to businesses for training their staff in new technologies and collaboration with business executives to provide consulting and legal support to research groups and developing mechanisms for collaboration for creating new products.

• One of the areas of activity of ITTO is the dissemination of research results, thus providing services of lifelong learning. These include dissemination actions for the promotion of technological services and valorisation of research results.

OpenCourseWare Program (OC)

The Open CourseWare program funded by structural funds (2012-2015). This involves development of material from around 400 courses across all disciplines that should be made available to the general public in the form of open courses.

In many of the open courses the developed material will include video lectures that will be based in great part on lectures recorded from lecture theatres.

Infrastructure is being developed for production of this material, including a fully equipped video recording studio and post-production facilities.

OpenCourseWare Program (OC)

The Open CourseWare program has already steered the interest of a large number of the faculty who plan to transform their courseware to open form, going through a process of handling intellectual property issues and other similar matters.

A debate is currently taking place within this action, on whether it is worth recording lectures, instead of using multimedia material (video, etc.) as sources for inspiring learners and presenting field studies, rare experiments, invited prominent lecturers etc.

Key issues• The U.Patras actions are complementary, but they are not coordinated and they do

not adhere to a common policy.

• A School for Life Long Learning (SLLL) that was envisaged in the new legal framework for Greek Higher Education should be considered as a new institution by the University of Patras.

• The new U.Patras Restructuring Program 2013-15 an opportunity.

• What is the experience of establishing such structures and what are the processes for establishing and implementing LLL policies?

• What are the most effective ways for transforming research and learning material to LLL actions?

• What is the role of LLL experts in the process?

• What are the measures of success of a LLL program at institutional level?

• Who are the evaluators of its effectiveness?

http://opencourseware-upatras.blogspot.gr/

ευχαριστώ

http://www.flickr.com/photos/houren