FLLLEX-Radar - A self-assessment instrument for Lifelong Learning in Professional Higher Education

About FLLLEX
The FLLLEX project addresses the challenges and implications of LifeLong Learning incorporation into European higher education institutions. How flexible are those institutions when it comes to LifeLong Learning? Hence: FLLLEX. LifeLong Learning opens up a multitude of new possibilities for higher education institutions but the impact on the organisation as such remains understudied. What is the role of higher education in the wider landscape of LifeLong Learning? What are the institutional changes for the future? What strategy can the project propose to other higher education institutions and what policy advise to European and national players?
Main outcomes of the FLLLEX project:
The FLLLEX-Radar: an instrument for assessing the degree of Lifelong Learning implementation in the institution. The FLLLEX-Radar has been developed and tested by the different partner institutions. The results of the evaluation as well as the experiences in using the instrument were discussed with external review panels.
FLLLEX project results and recommendations are summarized in a brochure.
FLLLEX results and institutional experiences were presented at the 22nd EURASHE annual conference on May 10-11 2012 in Riga.
The FLLLEX project (The Impact of LifeLong Learning Strategies on Professional Higher Education) is an EU funded project in the framework of the Transversal Programme, Key Activity 1. It has started on the 1st of January 2010 and will run until 31st of August 2012. The consortium includes 24 partners from 10 European countries.
What is the FLLLEX-Radar about?
Published by the FLLLEX consortium with special thanks to Josep Grifoll (ENQA – AQU). This publication can be downloaded on www.FLLLEX.eu.
Self-assessment instrument
The FLLLEX-Radar is a self-assessment instrument that will help you to assess and reflect on the situation of Lifelong Learning (LLL) at your institution. The FLLLEX-Radar is designed to address the challenges and implications stemming from the incorporation of Lifelong Learning into European higher education institutions (HEIs).
The main priority of the use made of the Radar is to promote discussion and food for thought through analysis of different strategic areas linked to the development of Lifelong Learning in the coming years.
The purpose of a self-evaluation like this is not to rank the individual institutions, but to strengthen the position of institutions within their national and international contexts. The focus is clearly on ‘enhancement’ rather than ‘accountability’. In this respect, one of the more important tasks to be carried out by institutions in the self-assessment process is oriented towards the organisation and facilitating of debates and discussion on Lifelong Learning provision among the institutional members and with relevant stakeholders.
The instrument is an outcome of the FLLLEX project (‘The Impact of Lifelong Learning Strategies
on Professional Higher Education’), an EU funded project within the framework of the Transversal Programme, Key Activity 1. Eight HEIs from eight different countries have developed
and tested the tool. The objective of the project is to identify challenges and implications of Lifelong Learning (LLL) incorporation into European higher education institutions (HEI’s), with special attention given to the recognition of prior learning and to different aspects of the management and services within higher education institutions.
Results and Recommendations of the FLLLEX project are summarized in Towards an institutional strategy of Lifelong Learning in Higher Professional Education. This publication, as well as more detailed reports of the different work packages, can be found on www.FLLLEX.eu.
Why assess the implementation of LLL?
HEI’s remain a preferential partner in most countries for the governing bodies responsible to implement the national goals of LLL. HEI’s have a particular role to fulfil in the landscape of LLL, together with or among all other stakeholders, including lifelong learners, social partners/employers and training providers (profit and non-profit). The project would like to assess this role, as determined by the national policies and as perceived by the institutions themselves. The FLLLEX-Radar assesses in the first place if your institution matches up with the expectations of the different stakeholders.
The aims of the self-assessment are:
• To develop an analysis of the current situation for Lifelong Learning provision
in higher education institutions.
• To provide food for thought, at different levels within higher education institutions,
on the future development of Lifelong Learning.
• To open dialogues with stakeholders and other groups of interest on Lifelong
Learning provision.
• To enhance quality assurance frameworks for Lifelong Learning provision.
Therefore, the FLLLEX self-assessment tool is organised according to four core dimensions:
1. Analysis of the broader context
2. Lifelong Learning provision at the HEI (current situation)
3. Institutional policy (preferred situation)
4. Quality assurance in the institution
Each dimension can be assessed separately. However, it is suggested to tackle those in the order as proposed in this guide and build upon the results of the previous one.
The FLLLEX-Radar is meant to serve as a starting point for strategy development. Hence it is designed to be used only one time within the institution, not for repetitions in a cyclical mode. Although we are aware that carrying out a self-assessment requires substantial staffing resources, we are convinced that if discussions of the focus groups are well organised, the result should be very relevant for establishing new institutional strategies for Lifelong Learning. Download The FLLLEX-Radar.