Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are essential actors in the promotion and offering of Lifelong Learning, servicing an increasing interest and demand for Lifelong Learning. Despite the recognition of monitoring and evaluation being regarded essential in the provision of Lifelong Learning in HEIs, different approaches and a diverse student population with specific needs made it difficult to capture progress made in this area. While there is a need for Lifelong Learning to incorporate innovative and holistic approaches to evaluation and assessment, existing literature offers limited insights into effective evaluation methodologies.
This study addresses this gap through an exploratory qualitative research design conducted at a Dutch University (Maastricht University). By employing semi-structured interviews with seven expert participants, the research investigates perceptions of success in Lifelong Learning. The findings reveal that success is primarily conceptualized through two key dimensions: the quality of Lifelong Learning programs and their direct relevance to professional skill transfer. Moreover, the study uncovers a shared commitment among Lifelong Learning providers to be informed on evaluation methodologies for assessing impact.
Please register at the following link:
https://maastrichtuniversity.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_abCH3T1aSzJp5pI
This project is supported by Universiteitsfonds Limburg SWOL: https://www.ufl-swol.nl/
