’Universities must engage in lifelong learning’ – UNESCO
The future of universities depends on their ability to provide ‘lifelong learning’ that equips non-traditional students with in-demand skills, UNESCO warned
David Atchoarena, director of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, called on universities to engage with continuing and adult education at the first Global Lifelong Learning Summit held in Singapore in November.
“As we face salient changes in citizenship, climate change, health and wellbeing, among others, more countries are seeing the increasing importance of lifelong learning and are putting measures and strategies to make it a reality,” said Atchoarena, later adding that universities should “really define their mission so that they play their role”.
What is lifelong learning?
Lifelong learning refers to education beyond formal schooling and degree programs – something governments around the world continue to invest in as they grapple with ageing populations and changing workplace skill requirements.
“Fundamental forces are reshaping the future of work and society,” said Tharman Shanmugaratnam, a senior minister in Singapore’s government, speaking on the first day of the conference organised by the Institute for Adult Learning and SkillsFuture Singapore.
“New, more powerful forms of digital automation are very likely to impact a much broader swath of jobs.
“You can’t predict with precision exactly which tasks and jobs are going to be displaced. And indeed, there will be many new jobs and tasks created by technological advances.
“It is very likely that much broader sections of the workforce are going to be in a position of some insecurity.”
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