UIL launches a global survey on the role of universities in promoting lifelong learning

Universities constitute a major institution for knowledge production and innovation, as such they are critical to the promotion of lifelong learning (LLL) opportunities for all. Yet, the extent of universities’ and other higher education institutions’ (HEIs) involvement in lifelong learning remains poorly documented.

To address this gap, the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) in collaboration with the Shanghai Open University (SOU), the International Association of Universities (IAU), the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (UNESCO–IIEP), and the UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNESCO–IESALC) will today launch a global survey on how and to what extent HEIs contribute to the implementation of LLL, promote the establishment of flexible learning pathways, engage with the community, and advance the development of LLL as a research field.

The results of the survey will be published in a comprehensive research report, including an assessment of HEIs’ current levels of engagement in LLL, identification of the areas in which further interventions are needed, and recommendations for HEIs’ contribution to LLL. The findings will also feed into the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education in 2021, and will be widely disseminated to UNESCO Member States,  in particular to ministries of education, and the university sector to inform policies and strategies for promoting HEIs’ engagement in LLL.

The survey forms part of a broader and  a comprehensive research project on the contribution of higher education institutions to lifelong learning, conducted by UIL and SOU from 2020–2021.

The survey targets universities and other HEIs around the world and will be open until 15 November 2020. The questionnaire  is available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish.