case study “vita activa” developmental work and new provision for learning in later life

27.06.06

www.uni-graz.at/weiterbildung

1Center for Continuing Education

Case Study “Vita Activa”Developmental work and new provision for Learning in Later Life

at the University of Graz

Andrea WaxeneggerUniversity of Graz, Austria

International Conference “University Education for Seniors in the Czech Republic”

Tuesday, 27 June 2006Kostelec-Zlín, Czech Republic

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Speaker

University education: Educational Sciences/Adult Education; since 1989 working in the field of University Continuing Education in research & development, management, organisational development, consulting and various other functions

Present position: Director of the Center for Continuing Education (since June 2000)

Since 1996: Member of the founding group and currently member of the Steering Committee of AUCEN – Austrian University Continuing Education and Staff Development Network www.aucen.ac.at

Since May 2004: Member of the Steering Committee and Secretary General of EUCEN – European University Continuing Education Network www.eucen.org

Since 2004: Member of the Steering Committee and Managing Director of the Association for the Promotion of Lifelong Learning (in cooperation with the University of Graz)

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Overview

• Learning in Later Life (LLL): Research Project • University Continuing Education (UCE) in Austria:

Legal Framework, Courses, Quality, for Seniors• University of Graz: Continuing Education• Project Vita Activa: Basics 1 & 2, Work Packages,

Progress 1 & 2, Discussion Points• Contact

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Learning in Later Life – Results of a research project

Study carried out by the Department of Sociology, University of Vienna (F. Kolland) 2003-04*: – 27 non-standardised interviews with experts from educational,

seniors’ and social organisations and standardised telephone surveys of 610 trainers

Some results: – Apart from informal learning activities, learning activities in later life

take place mainly outside traditional institutions of adult education / higher education: 2/3 of these activities are provided by “non-formal” institutions such as charity organisations, churches, lobby groups etc.

– “Elderly” (70+) are under-represented– women are over-represented: almost 1/3 of the activities are

attended exclusively by women

*Kolland, F.: Bildungschancen für ältere Menschen. Ansprüche an ein gelungenes Leben. LIT Verlag Wien 2005

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What is “University Continuing Education (UCE)” in Austria? - Legal framework

• New law for the universities, implemented 1 January 2004

• Austrian universities are required by law to include Continuing Education in their performance objectives: “continuing education, particularly post-graduate training”

• Cooperation with other legal entities – in order to provide financial and organisational support – is explicitly allowed by law .

• UCE-Provision is not part of the regular undergraduate or graduate degree programmes of the universities

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University Continuing Education: Courses

• Formats: from public lectures addressing a wide audience to specialised Master’s programmes lasting several semesters

• Certificates: from “confirmation of participation/certificate of attendance” “university certificates” “Master’s degrees”

• Academic titles: “The curriculum may specify master’s titles in normal international use for the respective subject to be awarded to the graduates of such courses, if the admission requirements, scope and standards are comparable to those of like master’s programmes in other countries”. Benchmarking!

• “In the event that subsection 1 does not apply, the curriculum may stipulate that the title “Akademische…” or “Akademischer …” [academically accredited], followed by a suffix indicating the contents of the course in question, is to be awarded to persons successfully completing the course in question, provided that it qualifies for at least 60 ECTS credits points.” (ECTS: work load of one year full-time is 1500 hours = 60 ECTS)

• Tuition: from “no fees” to “cost-covering fees”

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University Continuing Education: Quality

• to offer participation in “university learning processes”, i.e. research-based, state-of-the-art; critical and reflective approach and taking into consideration the experience and knowledge being brought into the process by participants from their work/life-experience.

• Prerequisite is: firstly, researchers/teachers who are capable of bringing this experience into university teaching and learning processes; and secondly, these processes need enough time.

• Organisational development and change: It is often not enough to qualify one participant without thinking about the transfer of knowledge into the organisation he or she is part of.

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UCE for Seniors in Austria: Data

• Definition according to Austrian Rectors’ Conference (1978): female students 40+ and male students 45+ “without vocational interests and aims”

• 2 routes in terms of enrolment status: “regular” students (credit-bearing courses leading to an academic degree) versus “irregular” students; the latter was a popular way for senior students to pursue their own interests without any pressure of taking exams

• Number of older students fell after introduction of tuition fees 2001/02: The number of irregular students (55+) fell from 1,246 (13.72% of all “irregulars”) in winter term 2000/01 to 168 (2.98% of all irregulars) in winter term 2002/03.

• In 2005/06 3.82% of the regular students at Austrian universities are 40+, 0.59% are 60+. (Tuition fee in summer term 2006: EUR 363.36)

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University Continuing Education at the University of Graz

1. Public Access:“Academy on Monday”: a series of lectures in cooperation with 8 regional

centers (video-conference) addressing a wide audience“Megaphon-Uni”: a series of lectures and workshops in cooperation with

the local street magazine “Megaphon”

2. Short courses, also at international level

3. University Continuing Education Courses up to Master’s programmes e.g.:

Master in European Integration and RegionalismMaster in South East European Law and European Integration (LL.M.)MSc Space Sciences (in cooperation with the Graz University of

Technology)

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The Center for Continuing Education: Education for All Ages!

We arethe coordination center for continuing education at the University of Graz,the link between scholarship and the community,a meeting point for institutions and people interested in continuing education and scholarship with their practical application.

We aim todevelop the role of continuing education within the framework of the University of Graz, offer continuing education of superior quality,create and maintain an up-to-date link between scholarship and professional practice.

We’re offering to university staff and to business and industryinformation and guidance for the development of and participation in university continuing education at the University of Graz, presentation of university continuing education to potential participants, quality management in the field of university continuing education, our own programme of innovative and top-quality courses, a state-of-the-art seminar room, located on the campus, with space for up to 50 participants.

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Project Vita Activa: Basics (1)

Title: Development of a Concept for a “University of the Third Age” as well as Testing and Evaluating of Pilot Modules

Started on 1 September 2005; Duration: 23 months

Supported by two Austrian Federal Ministries: Federal Ministry of Social Security, Generations and Consumer Protection and the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture

Considerable contribution by the University of Graz

Target groups: senior citizens and non-traditional students (women returners, drop-outs, persons without university entrance qualifications, etc.)

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Project Vita Activa: Basics (2)

Background: Development plan of our university 2005-2010:

“Uni for Life – university education for everyone between 18 and 88”

Main objectives of the project:

• develop a profile, an organisational model, a new (university-accredited) programme and

• institutionalise what has been developed

Quality:

• research-based level

• accompanying programme including: personal growth, study skills, IT-skills

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Project Vita Activa: Work Packages

Project environment analysis: estimate of potential, competitors, developments and benchmarking at European level, literature survey

Supplementary funding (subsidies): EU-proposal

Organisational models (organisation and management, basic structure programme, resources needed, financing model)

a. Access to regular university studies accompanied by additional seminarsb. U3A as a separate programme, e.g. Studium Generale

Pilot Modules

Meeting Point for non-traditional learners and seniors (at the Center and “virtually” on the website)

Communication process: Project team; involvement of stakeholders, experts, potential learners; project meetings; expert workshops; documentation

Consultant: Prof. Dr. Franz Kolland, University of Vienna, sociologist (mainly empirical research), focusing on social gerontology (Learning in Later Life, biography, ageing, life styles, use of new technologies) and education sociology.

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Project Vita Activa: Progress (1)

Project environment analysis:a. Desk-based research: Statistical data gathering and analysisb. Survey of providers of Learning in Later Life done from Jan – March 2006 in Styria;

results: 18 institutions, 107 courses; topics: IT-skills, personal skills, languages, health and well-being; mostly short courses, max. 2-weeks

Supplementary funding (subsidies): EU-proposal submitted in February 2006Grundtvig project ADD-LIFE! ADDing Quality to LIFE through inter-generational

learning via universitiesGrundtvig 1, application submitted in February 2006 Aims (amongst others)• Explore different models of inter-generational learning, collaborative learning

between older and younger learners, and inter-generational collaboration on designing new modules

• Develop learning opportunities that will promote participation of individuals in European civil society as promoters and facilitators of others

• Design 12 modules using different models, pilot 6 of these

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Project Vita Activa: Progress (2)

Organisational models (organisation and management, basic structure programme, resources needed, finance model)

a. Access to regular university studies accompanied by additional seminarsb. U3A as a separate programme, e.g. Studium GeneraleComparative analysis of best practice – examples in progress; study visit to

University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland in June 2006

Pilot Modules: Summer University Vita Activa 2006: What does Nano Research contribute to improving the quality of our everyday life? (September 2006, 1-week programme)

Meeting Point for non-traditional learners and seniors (at the Center and “virtually” on the website): first contacts with potential volunteers

Communication process: Project team established; contact to and involvement of stakeholders, experts, potential learners; marketing started; ongoing documentation

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Project Vita Activa: For discussion

Challenge Solutions?

Why develop research-based “University Continuing Education / Continuing Professional Development” for non-traditional students and seniors?

Aims and learning targets, content, practical uses?

Potential learners: UCE is not for me!

University academic staff: Why older learners at the University?

Negotiating processes: What do people want to learn? How do we organise this feedback?

Qualified teachers: finding them, training them

Funding – pricing – sustainability

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Contact

Dr. Andrea Waxenegger

Center for Continuing Education at the University of Graz

EUCEN: www.eucen.org

AUCEN: www.aucen.ac.at

E-mail: [email protected]

Center: www.uni-graz.at/weiterbildung

Project manager for Vita Activa: Dr. Marcus Ludescher

E-mail: [email protected]

Vita Actica: www.uni-graz.at/vita-activa

case study “vita activa” developmental work and new provision for learning in later life

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