ALLUME – Pathways for Lifelong Learning University ?

In view of the importance of lifelong learning (LLL) as the backbone of the European Education and Training Strategy and the contrasting low commitment to LLL by universities, the main objective of the ALLUME project and of EUCEN was to explore ways to increase the participation of universities in lifelong learning and to produce “A Lifelong Learning University Model for Europe”. This model was supposed to assist universities by providing guidelines based on the European Universities’ Charter on Lifelong Learning published in 2008. However, during the project’s lifespan it became clear that the idea of a unique model or a one-size-fits-all approach was outdated and not adequate given the diversity of universities, environments and the heterogeneity of LLL strategies and processes.

While the challenge of making the Charter and of making Lifelong Learning Universities (LLLUs) a reality remains, the project evolved to the vision of developing flexible “Pathways for Lifelong Learning Universities” in order to tackle the diversity in LLL strategies. Thus, the objective of ALLUME was to provide to deciders, like (vice) rectors and senior managers involved in LLL, and to LLL-practitioners a set of reflexive and inspiring tools and recommendations that could help their teams to define and implement concrete actions to make the 10 commitments of the Charter a reality. ALLUME intended to contribute to this implementation process on the basis of best practices at work in universities having already built and integrated successful LLL strategies.

Source: ALLUME Project on the EUCEN website