Education and Pedagogical Innovation

Introduction

The world is changing, and the speed of change defies the education system. Hence, key skill development and lifelong learning (LLL) have become the two main challenges that our education systems need to address. In a rapidly evolving world, traditional education must adapt to provide students with all the required skills. As higher education institutions, it is our responsibility towards our graduates, the economy, the society and the academic world to deliver appropriate and effective teaching. New technologies, global challenges, and the shifting nature of work require constantly developing and using new skills. In a continually evolving environment, LLL is no longer a choice but a requirement.

UNITA offers keys and tools to face the global trends surrounding us. According to the UNITA Mission statement, LLL is a core commitment, particularly through the development of innovative approaches in education with micro-credentials. Obviously, ambition can only be achieved with others, and working together is mandatory. We have to develop innovative solutions to facilitate the recognition of our common educational perspective. UNITA's strength lies in its diversity. By working together, we are creating a unified approach for LLL.

With the UNITA LLL strategy, we will address the question of future skills and the way to learn them. We need to shift our focus from merely delivering education to developing key skills and competences that enable our students to thrive in this ever-changing landscape. The key skills are the ability to think critically, solve problems, develop creativity, collaborate, and adapt, to name only a few. These skills are transversal and can be developed throughout a person's life. To promote LLL, European higher education institutions must offer flexible educational pathways, such as UNITA à la Carte. We will strategically support LLL for four years (2024-2027). The main aim is to provide quality training for lifelong learners, those who wish to upskill or reskill, to diversify their current set of skills to gain a strategic advantage for their personal or professional growth, and to create an ecosystem where learning is a continuous process with the right level of recognition. In this process, the fluent consultation of needs and concerns about LLL to our stakeholders, UNITA associated partners, employers, and socio-cultural partners of a diverse nature is also a methodological line of our strategy.

Furthermore, we must foster a culture of innovation within our educational institutions. This means using innovation in our teaching methods as well as preparing our students for future innovations. It means encouraging, for instance, interdisciplinary learning, project-based learning, and artificial intelligence. And finally, it means promoting research and entrepreneurship as a key component of higher education. Regarding other kinds of hubs of success in UNITA, promoting all kinds of mobility, especially rural mobilities, identifying tailored and flexible study paths (blended intensive programs or micro-credentials), and supporting the recognition of transversal skills, such as intercomprehension, are some cornerstones of our LLL strategy.

Definition of the LLL withing UNITA

In UNITA, the LLL embodies a vision that transcends traditional educational boundaries, emphasizing the continuous acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies throughout one's lifetime. This vision advocates for a dynamic educational ecosystem where individuals are empowered to adapt themselves to technological advancements, digital and green transitions, economic shifts, and societal changes. This fosters resilience and innovation and contributes to key SDGs, particularly SDGs 4 (Quality education) and 8 (Decent work and economic growth).

Objectives of the LLL Strategy within UNITA

At its core, the UNITA LLL Strategy is guided by fundamental principles such as relevance, accessibility, flexibility, inclusivity, and quality assurance, ensuring that LLL opportunities are available to a large panel of people from regular students to individuals looking for a quick development of competences. UNITA LLL aims to provide quality training for lifelong learners, those who wish to upskill or reskill, to diversify their current set of skills to gain a strategic advantage for their personal or professional growth and create an environment where learning is a continuous process with the right level of recognition.

Objective 1. To offer a qualitative educational experience

UNITA envisions establishing a common space for recognizing learning pathways, where diverse educational experiences and achievements are acknowledged and valued across member institutions. By offering flexible learning options, LLL institutions accommodate diverse learner schedules, preferences, and life commitments, fostering an environment where individuals can engage in continuous learning without constraints, no matter if their residences are in rural or urban areas, keeping in mind especially the first ones, since rural mobility is one of the pillars of UNITA philosophy.

Objective 2. To ensure flexibility and inclusiveness?

UNITA, as a common area of recognition, catalyzes facilitating seamless transitions between formal, non-formal, and informal learning contexts, providing a flexible framework that accommodates various learning styles, needs, and preferences, encouraging inclusive and accessible educational opportunities that cater to diverse learner needs and aspirations. UNITA LLL offers tailored educational opportunities that empower individuals to continuously develop and enhance their knowledge, skills, and competences throughout their lives. Developing a gender-responsive environment that encourages the equal participation of women and men in LLL education is also a key point in our LLL strategy.

The possibility of developing a curriculum needs to develop guidance and counseling services for individuals who aim to navigate their educational experiences within UNITA. Thus, UNITA services will offer personalized support and advice, helping learners identify their goals, explore learning pathways, and make thoughtful decisions about their educational and career trajectories. For students, this kind of service is based on the development of the Hub of Success in the initial phase of the development of the alliance. The Hub of Success is set up to support students in the definition of tailored curricula. In complement to the Hub of Success, UNITA is now working on «UNITA à la carte,» which promotes the possibility of taking courses at any UNITA university and having the courses recognized in the home institution.

Furthermore, flexibility is one of the main concepts supporting LLL in UNITA, allowing individuals to tailor their educational experiences to meet their unique needs and circumstances. This flexibility manifests itself in various forms, including adaptable curricula, alternative learning formats, micro-credentials, customizable learning pathways, and different ways to access the higher education offers.

Objective 3. To foster collaboration among UNITA members and the stakeholders

Through collaborative efforts among the member universities of UNITA, LLL promotes new opportunities for personal and professional growth. UNITA envisions LLL as a transformative process that enhances individual capacities and contributes to the development of our regional communities and sustainable educational paths. By providing guidance and counseling services, LLL institutions ensure that learners receive the necessary tools and assistance based on collaboration with UNITA stakeholders, employers, and socio-cultural partners to maximize their learning potential and achieve their personal and professional objectives.

Objective 4. To contribute to the success of UNITA and its priority themes

Defined by the task on the Thematic research hubs and within the work-package in charge of the research, the contribution of the LLL Strategy goes in the direction of the six research Hubs defined by UNITA . It will contribute to the link between research and education to give more coherence to the actions and activities of UNITA.

These general objectives are part of the global UNITA proposal and actions. Related to the application submitted to the European Commission, we can foresee a general contribution of the LLL Strategy to the main points of UNITA:

• development of a gender-responsive environment that encourages the equal participation of women and men in LLL education and the development of inclusivity. (Objectives 1 & 2)
• promotion of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics STEM disciplines among the general public. (Objective 3)
• contribution to the UNITA Financial Sustainability Plan (Objective 4)

Actions plan and tools

OBJECTIVES	ACTIONS
Objective 1 : Educational experience	"Micro-credentials, Recognition area within UNITA"
Objective 2 : Flexibility	"Micro-credentials, Continuing education, Inclusive education, Open education"
Objective 3 : Collaboration	"Micro-credentials, Counseling"
Objective 4 : Main themes	"Micro-credentials, Continuing education, Open education"

Micro-credentials

Definition	“’Micro-credential’ means the record of the learning outcomes that a learner has acquired following a small volume of learning. These learning outcomes have been assessed against transparent and clearly defined standards. Courses leading to micro-credentials are designed to provide the learner with specific knowledge, skills and competences that respond to societal, personal, cultural or labour market needs. Micro-credentials are owned by the learner, can be shared and are portable. They may be standalone or combined into larger credentials. They are underpinned by quality assurance following agreed standards in the relevant sector or area of activity.” (A European Approach to Micro-Credentials, December 2021) UNITA Micro-credentials are defined as MC that share common characteristics to build an identity within the UNITA alliance.
The definition of a UNITA MC takes into account the following criteria (a non-exhaustive list):	Type of contents of the MC Pedagogical modalities Quality standards Number of ECTS credits Stackability conditions The target audience is defined in a first step as the life-long learners. This audience will possibly be enhanced to university students in a second step.
University contributions to Micro-credentials:	Local micro-credentials within UNITA Label Local micro-credentials without UNITA Label
Outcomes and recommended actions	Work on UNITA MC properties Propose a process for the MC labelling and new UNITA MC’s Call for the MC catalogue
Expected outcomes	50 UNITA labellised micro-credentials in 2027 Manual on the development of micro-credentials within UNITA (2025) Active catalogue on micro-credentials

Continuing education

Definition	"Continuing Education includes any post-secondary learning activities and programs serving to improve and update skills, abilities and knowledge, and to expand them to encompass new fields and tasks. Continuing Education activities take place alongside the formal education and training system. It includes general educational or job-related education and training activities."
University contributions to Continuing Education:	Diplôme universitaire (DU) – USMB ; UPPA "Corso Universitario di Aggiornamento professionale (CUAP) – UNITO, UNIBS." "Certificate of Advanced Studies, Diploma of Advanced Studies, Master of Advanced Studies and short programmes – HES-SO" "Continuous professional development of secondary school teachers – UBI, IPG" "Short courses for public services awarded with a certificate – UVT, UNITBV" "Digital education, kind of MOOCs with fees – UBI" "CFIUTE – Training Centre of the University offers courses to internal and external publics, students and non-students, professional and non-professional training courses – UBI" UPPA "Extraordinary Summer Courses. [1] / [2]- UNIZAR" "Máster de Formación Permanente, Diploma de Especialización, Diploma de Experto, Certificado, Curso de Formación Permanente (short courses), Certificados (students without a university degree) - UPNA"
Recommended actions	Complete the list above Define the LLL UNITA learning activity/experience (for example: develop a MOOC catalogue or BIPS or COIL for the promotion of UNITA LLL (Short MOOC with levels) Development of NOOCs (nano open online course)
Expected outcomes	Development of a webpage with all MOOC and NOOC offers within UNITA

Counselling UNITA

Definition	"In accordance with the development of the offers in UNITA à la Carte, the micro-credentials and other types of education recognition, the need to provide a counselling service is of importance. This service would be addressed to life-long learners who want to get trained through the UNITA offers. The service will be based on the Hub of Success developed within the task 2.1. According to the EUA, “relevant academic and professional guidance, as well as other psychological counselling, should be available for all qualified potential students when needed. This support should be relevant to learners of all ages, and from all social and cultural backgrounds” (EUA, LLL Charter, p.5)"
University contribution to Continuing Education guiding	"UBI has an ongoing project, an extension of a first one which has been developed during 2023 (supported by National funding): UBI-Learning HUB - HUB to encourage learning to maximize academic success and combat dropout at UBI" UVT has developed an active Adult Education Center
Recommended actions	Complete the list above "Propose some tools to guide applicants throughout the UNITA offer, for example, by building a Chatbot to give advice on UNITA offer (keyword: topics, modalities, calendar, hybride trainings)" Use the virtual campus to promote UNITA offer (task 3.4) Developing Hub of Success (task 2.1)
Expected outcomes	1 Hub of success implemented in each universities part of UNITA Better orientation of the public in the wide offers of UNITA Universities

Recognition area within UNITA / Recognition of prior learning

Definition	"To develop the learning opportunities for students and lifelong learners , UNITA need to build a recognition area permitting the admission, the mobility and the possibility to get a degree abroad…."
Process of recognition and access to universities:	"validation of prior learning – USMB, UPPA, HES-SO" DAEU: Diplôme d'Accès aux Études Universitaires "Admission sur dossier – HES-SO (+25 years with exams) Admission based on academic records" "Admission sur dossier - UPNA, UNIZAR (+25 years with exams)" Admission sur dossier - Portugal (+23 years with exams) "validation of prior learning (to Improve the recognition of pre-requisite training for admission to a course at a UNITA university) – UniTo,..."
Recommended actions	Encourage the introduction of methods of assessing and recognizing prior learning Improve the recognition of pre-requisite training for admission to a course at a UNITA university
Expected outcomes	All universities of UNITA accepted the person coming from different regions with a certificate of access to universities Best practices on the possibilities of access to university without regular admission credentials

Inclusive Education

Definition	"As part of the LLL Strategy, UNITA community develops an offer aimed at vulnerable groups, disabled people, people with economic issues, and refugees. This is part of the LLL as it is a contribution to the diversity in our university and complies with societal responsibilities of our institutions."
Contribution to Inclusive education:	Programme réfugié – INVOST – HES-SO Refugee programmes "HES-SO Sans obstacle (disabled people) – HES-SO" "UPNA: programme on disabilities, programme on intervention with Roma community. Social action Unit, a university service that provides care, support and advice to the university community and promotes solidarity and social actions ( [3] )." "Unito: programme on disabilities and UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities" "UBI is responsible for activities and initiatives of social responsibility, e.g., social and economic support for students (e.g., ""Being Solidarity"", Don't Give Up Campaign), gender equality (e.g., UBIGUAL - Gender Equality Plan, Engineers for a day), and students´ volunteering initiatives. Some courses focused on inclusive education issues are already offered by UBI." "UNIZAR: University Office of Diversity and Inclusion ([4]) / Development cooperation ([5])"
Recommended actions	Coordinate people in charge of specific programmes contributing to inclusivity in higher education Promote Multicultural courses @UNITA level /cultural codes (micro-credentials can be offered here) Uphold Mental issues Enhance education Highlight Language competences +
Expected outcomes	Inclusivity strategy

F. Open Education

Definition	"Open education is a general concept that can be likened to a form of academic culture. Aligned with the universities' mission of democratizing knowledge, it is organized around the essential values of transparency, dissemination of knowledge and openness to the community. Open Education could be defined as the way to share knowledge with as many people as possible as well as the co-creation and co-production of knowledge through diversified learning paths. It aims to remove barriers at all levels."
University contribution to open education	[6]: Moocs and flashlearn Start@unito,...
Recommended actions	"Develop an offer open to all public, free of charge" Elaborate a Catalogue of MOOCs and other types of courses following the Open education definition
Expected outcomes	Open Education Strategy for UNITA

The UNITA LLL Strategy is a conceptual framework that defines the basic principles, objectives, and actions for a quality, continuous European education that is flexible and inclusive, centered on learners' needs.

This document also generates new insights that will be progressively included in the development of sustainable education policies in the UNITA alliance, based on the monitoring and evaluation of the impact of the actions that define this strategy.

References

European Union

• L’Union européenne soutient des actions visant à donner de la visibilité et de la valeur aux compétences acquises dans le cadre de l’apprentissage non formel ou informel.
• La validation des compétences permet de mobiliser l’ensemble de ses compétences pour évoluer dans sa carrière ou poursuivre sa formation.
• [7]
• Council of the European Union (2012), Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning, 2012/C 398/01 (annex): [8]
• European Commission (2020), Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2020, Annexe III – Glossaire, Cf. [9]
• European Commission (2017), Communication de la commission au parlement européen, au conseil, au comité économique et social européen et au comité des régions une nouvelle stratégie de l'UE en faveur de l’enseignement supérieur, Cf. [10]
• European Commission, Education et formation, Action de la Commission, site Internet: [11]

European organisations

• EUA Charter on Lifelong Learning: [12]
• European Higher Education Area, Lifelong learning, site internet: [13]
• European Higher Education Area, Ministerial conference London 2007, site internet: [14]
• European University Association (2020), European project MICROBOL - Micro-credentials linked to the Bologna Key Commitments, Cf. [15]
• OECD (2019), Les grandes mutations qui transforment l'éducation 2019, OECD Publishing, Paris, cf. [16] 25.01.2021 15 / 15
• European association of university lifelong learning (ULLL) and university continuing education: [17]

France

• Au référencement du cadre national français des certifications professionnelles au cadre européen des certifications pour l’apprentissage tout au long de la vie et à l’auto-référencement du cadre français de certification de l’enseignement supérieur au cadre général des certifications pour l’espace européen de l’enseignement supérieur
• [18]
• Légifrance (le service public de la diffusion du droit)
• Décret n° 2019-14 du 8 janvier 2019 relatif au cadre national des certifications professionnelles
• Le texte définit le cadre national des certifications professionnelles selon lequel est établie la classification, par niveau de qualification, des certifications professionnelles enregistrées au répertoire national des certifications professionnelles (RNCP), en fonction de critères de gradation des compétences déterminés au regard des emplois et des correspondances possibles avec les certifications des Etats appartenant à l’Union européenne.
• le décret est pris pour l’application de l’article 31 de la loi du 5 septembre 2018 pour la liberté de choisir son avenir professionnel.
• Les dispositions du code du travail modifiées par le décret peuvent être consultées, dans leur rédaction issue de cette modification, sur le site Légifrance ([19]).
• Ministère de l’enseignement supérieur, de la recherche et de l’innovation (2019), La formation continue dans les établissements de l’enseignement supérieur, Cf. [20]

Italy

• DECRETO LEGISLATIVO 16 gennaio 2013, n. 13 Definizione delle norme generali e dei livelli essenziali delle prestazioni per l'individuazione e validazione degli apprendimenti non formali e informali e degli standard minimi di servizio del sistema nazionale di certificazione delle competenze, a norma dell'articolo 4, commi 58 e 68, della legge 28 giugno 2012, n. 92. (13G00043) (GU Serie Generale n.39 del 15-02-2013)note: Entrata in vigore del provvedimento: 02/03/2013 [21]
• Linee guida per l’interoperatività degli enti pubblici titolari nell’ambito del Sistema nazionale di certificazione delle competenze 19 gennaio 2021, Pubblicato sulla Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 13 del 18 gennaio 2021 il Decreto 5 gennaio 2021 (file pdf) di adozione delle Linee guida che rendono operativo il Sistema nazionale di certificazione delle competenze: [22]
• MINISTERO DEL LAVORO E DELLE POLITICHE SOCIALI DECRETO 8 gennaio 2018 Istituzione del Quadro nazionale delle qualificazioni rilasciate nell'ambito del Sistema nazionale di certificazione delle competenze di cui al decreto legisla tivo 16 gennaio 2013, n. 13. (18A00411) (GU Serie Generale n.20 del 25-01-2018)

Switzerland

• Stratégie et plan d’action de la HES-SO en matière de LLL: [23]
• HES-SO Haute école spécialisée de Suisse (2020), Conditions cadre et formes de flexibilisation de parcours de formation continue, version du 22.01.2020, cf. [24]
• HES-SO Haute école spécialisée de Suisse (2014), Règlement sur la formation continue de la HES-SO du 15 juillet 2014, cf. [25]
• HES-SO Haute école spécialisée de Suisse occidentale (2019), Stratégie globale de développement et plan d’intentions 2021 2024, version finale du 04.11.2019 adoptée par le Rectorat R 2019/36/83, Cf. [26]
• HES-SO Haute école spécialisée de Suisse, Validation des acquis de l'expérience (VAE), site Internet : [27]
• Swissuniversities (2018), Flexibilisation des études à temps partiel – recommandations, version du 12.12.2018, Cf. [28]

Spain

• Ley Orgánica 2/2023, de 22 de marzo, del Sistema Universitario.
• Real Decreto 822/2021, de 28 de septiembre, por el que se establece la organización de las enseñanzas universitarias y del procedimiento de aseguramiento de su calidad.

Portugal

• Decreto-Lei n°74/2006 de 24 de março: [29]

Romania

• Invatarea pe tot parcusul vietii [Lifelong Leraning], in Legea invatamantul superior nr. 199/2023 [The Higher Education Law, no 199/2023], Ministry of education, 2023
• Metodologie de acordare a creditelor transferabile in invatarea pe tot parcursul vietii [Methodology for granting transferable credits in lifelong learning], Ministry of education, 2023, available at: [30]