Case Study “Vita Activa”
Developmental work and new provision for Learning in Later Life
at the University of Graz
Andrea Waxenegger
University of Graz, Austria
International Conference
“University Education for Seniors in the Czech Republic”
Tuesday, 27 June 2006
Kostelec-Zlín, Czech Republic
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Speaker
University education: Educational Sciences/Adult Education; since 1989
working in the field of University Continuing Education in research &
development, management, organisational development, consulting
and various other functions
Present position: Director of the Center for Continuing Education (since
June 2000)
Since 1996: Member of the founding group and currently member of the
Steering Committee of AUCEN – Austrian University Continuing
Education and Staff Development Network www.aucen.ac.at
Since May 2004: Member of the Steering Committee and Secretary General
of EUCEN – European University Continuing Education Network
www.eucen.org
Since 2004: Member of the Steering Committee and Managing Director of
the Association for the Promotion of Lifelong Learning (in cooperation
with the University of Graz)
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Overview
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Learning in Later Life (LLL): Research Project
University Continuing Education (UCE) in Austria:
Legal Framework, Courses, Quality, for Seniors
University of Graz: Continuing Education
Project Vita Activa: Basics 1 & 2, Work Packages,
Progress 1 & 2, Discussion Points
Contact
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Learning in Later Life – Results of a research project
Study carried out by the Department of Sociology, University of Vienna (F.
Kolland) 2003-04*:
– 27 non-standardised interviews with experts from educational,
seniors’ and social organisations and standardised telephone
surveys of 610 trainers
Some results:
– Apart from informal learning activities, learning activities in later life
take place mainly outside traditional institutions of adult education /
higher education: 2/3 of these activities are provided by “non-formal”
institutions such as charity organisations, churches, lobby groups
etc.
– “Elderly” (70+) are under-represented
– women are over-represented: almost 1/3 of the activities are
attended exclusively by women
*Kolland, F.: Bildungschancen für ältere Menschen. Ansprüche an ein gelungenes
Leben. LIT Verlag Wien 2005
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What is “University Continuing Education (UCE)”
in Austria? - Legal framework
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New law for the universities, implemented 1 January 2004
Austrian universities are required by law to include Continuing
Education in their performance objectives: “continuing education,
particularly post-graduate training”
Cooperation with other legal entities – in order to provide financial
and organisational support – is explicitly allowed by law .
UCE-Provision is not part of the regular undergraduate or graduate
degree programmes of the universities
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University Continuing Education: Courses
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Formats: from public lectures addressing a wide audience to specialised
Master’s programmes lasting several semesters
Certificates: from “confirmation of participation/certificate of
attendance” “university certificates”  “Master’s degrees”
Academic titles: “The curriculum may specify master’s titles in normal
international use for the respective subject to be awarded to the
graduates of such courses, if the admission requirements, scope and
standards are comparable to those of like master’s programmes in other
countries”. Benchmarking!
“In the event that subsection 1 does not apply, the curriculum may
stipulate that the title “Akademische…” or “Akademischer …”
[academically accredited], followed by a suffix indicating the contents of
the course in question, is to be awarded to persons successfully
completing the course in question, provided that it qualifies for at least 60
ECTS credits points.” (ECTS: work load of one year full-time is 1500 hours
= 60 ECTS)
Tuition: from “no fees” to “cost-covering fees”
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University Continuing Education: Quality
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to offer participation in “university learning processes”, i.e. researchbased, state-of-the-art; critical and reflective approach and taking into
consideration the experience and knowledge being brought into the
process by participants from their work/life-experience.
Prerequisite is: firstly, researchers/teachers who are capable of
bringing this experience into university teaching and learning
processes; and secondly, these processes need enough time.
Organisational development and change: It is often not enough to
qualify one participant without thinking about the transfer of
knowledge into the organisation he or she is part of.
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UCE for Seniors in Austria: Data
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Definition according to Austrian Rectors’ Conference (1978): female
students 40+ and male students 45+ “without vocational interests and
aims”
2 routes in terms of enrolment status: “regular” students (credit-bearing
courses leading to an academic degree) versus “irregular” students; the
latter was a popular way for senior students to pursue their own
interests without any pressure of taking exams
Number of older students fell after introduction of tuition fees 2001/02:
The number of irregular students (55+) fell from 1,246 (13.72% of all
“irregulars”) in winter term 2000/01 to 168 (2.98% of all irregulars) in
winter term 2002/03.
In 2005/06 3.82% of the regular students at Austrian universities are 40+,
0.59% are 60+. (Tuition fee in summer term 2006: EUR 363.36)
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University Continuing Education
at the University of Graz
1. Public Access:
“Academy on Monday”: a series of lectures in cooperation with 8 regional
centers (video-conference) addressing a wide audience
“Megaphon-Uni”: a series of lectures and workshops in cooperation with
the local street magazine “Megaphon”
2. Short courses, also at international level
3. University Continuing Education Courses up to Master’s programmes
e.g.:
Master in European Integration and Regionalism
Master in South East European Law and European Integration (LL.M.)
MSc Space Sciences (in cooperation with the Graz University of
Technology)
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The Center for Continuing Education:
Education for All Ages!
We are
the coordination center for continuing education at the University of Graz,
the link between scholarship and the community,
a meeting point for institutions and people interested in continuing education and scholarship
with their practical application.
We aim to
develop the role of continuing education within the framework of the University of Graz,
offer continuing education of superior quality,
create and maintain an up-to-date link between scholarship and professional practice.
We’re offering to university staff and to business and industry
information and guidance for the development of and participation in university continuing
education at the University of Graz,
presentation of university continuing education to potential participants,
quality management in the field of university continuing education,
our own programme of innovative and top-quality courses,
a state-of-the-art seminar room, located on the campus, with space for up to 50 participants.
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Project Vita Activa: Basics (1)
Title: Development of a Concept for a “University of the Third Age” as well
as Testing and Evaluating of Pilot Modules
Started on 1 September 2005; Duration: 23 months
Supported by two Austrian Federal Ministries: Federal Ministry of Social
Security, Generations and Consumer Protection and the Federal Ministry
of Education, Science and Culture
Considerable contribution by the University of Graz
Target groups: senior citizens and non-traditional students (women
returners, drop-outs, persons without university entrance qualifications,
etc.)
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Project Vita Activa: Basics (2)
Background: Development plan of our university 2005-2010:
“Uni for Life – university education for everyone between 18 and 88”
Main objectives of the project:
• develop a profile, an organisational model, a new (university-accredited)
programme and
• institutionalise what has been developed
Quality:
• research-based level
• accompanying programme including: personal growth, study skills, ITskills
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Project Vita Activa: Work Packages
Project environment analysis: estimate of potential, competitors, developments and
benchmarking at European level, literature survey
Supplementary funding (subsidies): EU-proposal
Organisational models (organisation and management, basic structure programme,
resources needed, financing model)
a. Access to regular university studies accompanied by additional seminars
b. U3A as a separate programme, e.g. Studium Generale
Pilot Modules
Meeting Point for non-traditional learners and seniors (at the Center and “virtually” on the
website)
Communication process: Project team; involvement of stakeholders, experts, potential
learners; project meetings; expert workshops; documentation
Consultant: Prof. Dr. Franz Kolland, University of Vienna, sociologist (mainly empirical
research), focusing on social gerontology (Learning in Later Life, biography, ageing,
life styles, use of new technologies) and education sociology.
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Project Vita Activa: Progress (1)
Project environment analysis:
a. Desk-based research: Statistical data gathering and analysis
b. Survey of providers of Learning in Later Life done from Jan – March 2006 in Styria;
results: 18 institutions, 107 courses; topics: IT-skills, personal skills, languages,
health and well-being; mostly short courses, max. 2-weeks
Supplementary funding (subsidies): EU-proposal submitted in February 2006
Grundtvig project ADD-LIFE! ADDing Quality to LIFE through inter-generational
learning via universities
Grundtvig 1, application submitted in February 2006
Aims (amongst others)
• Explore different models of inter-generational learning, collaborative learning
between older and younger learners, and inter-generational collaboration on
designing new modules
• Develop learning opportunities that will promote participation of individuals in
European civil society as promoters and facilitators of others
• Design 12 modules using different models, pilot 6 of these
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Project Vita Activa: Progress (2)
Organisational models (organisation and management, basic structure programme,
resources needed, finance model)
a. Access to regular university studies accompanied by additional seminars
b. U3A as a separate programme, e.g. Studium Generale
Comparative analysis of best practice – examples in progress; study visit to
University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland in June 2006
Pilot Modules: Summer University Vita Activa 2006: What does Nano Research
contribute to improving the quality of our everyday life? (September 2006, 1-week
programme)
Meeting Point for non-traditional learners and seniors (at the Center and “virtually”
on the website): first contacts with potential volunteers
Communication process: Project team established; contact to and involvement of
stakeholders, experts, potential learners; marketing started; ongoing
documentation
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Project Vita Activa: For discussion
Challenge
Solutions?
Why develop research-based “University Continuing
Education / Continuing Professional Development”
for non-traditional students and seniors?
Aims and learning targets, content, practical uses?
Potential learners: UCE is not for me!
University academic staff: Why older learners at the
University?
Negotiating processes: What do people want to
learn? How do we organise this feedback?
Qualified teachers: finding them, training them
Funding – pricing – sustainability
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Contact
Dr. Andrea Waxenegger
Center for Continuing Education at the University of Graz
EUCEN: www.eucen.org
AUCEN: www.aucen.ac.at
E-mail: andrea.waxenegger@uni-graz.at
Center: www.uni-graz.at/weiterbildung
Project manager for Vita Activa: Dr. Marcus Ludescher
E-mail: marcus.ludescher@uni-graz.at
Vita Actica: www.uni-graz.at/vita-activa
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