From a degree to continuous learning – Can a university be a partner throughout your career?

The rapid transformation of working life challenges the traditional view of education as an investment made primarily at the beginning of life. Instead, education and competence development are increasingly becoming lifelong investments. We therefore need a model in which universities support learning and the development and renewal of competence throughout people’s careers. This also requires higher education pedagogy to evolve.

The role of universities is expanding: continuous learning supports both competence development and the creation of new innovations

A university is not only a place where people earn degrees. Increasingly, it is also a place where individuals and organisations seek solutions to the changing competence needs of working life.

In Finland, the Universities Act already requires universities to promote opportunities for continuous learning. This means that, alongside degree education, universities offer a wide range of opportunities for people already in working life to develop their competence. This reflects a recognised need for different forms of learning and competence development at different stages of a career: at the beginning of a career, during periods of change, and when deepening professional expertise.

At its best, the strong research-based education offered by universities can provide valuable solutions for organisational development and the creation of new innovations. For this reason, seeing a university as a long-term partner in competence development can provide companies and organisations with a significant competitive advantage.

Learners in working life challenge higher education pedagogy to evolve

Working learners have different needs from full-time degree students. Learning increasingly takes place alongside work, and it may not be possible to dedicate long, uninterrupted periods of time to studying. This places greater emphasis on the flexibility and accessibility of continuous learning provision, as well as on the practical applicability of what is learned.

Learners who are already in working life also bring with them a significant amount of competence, experience and practical insight. Learning does not start from scratch but builds on existing competence. This challenges higher education institutions to consider pedagogy from a new perspective: how do we recognise previously acquired competence, create flexible learning pathways, and combine research-based knowledge with practical working-life expertise in ways that create the greatest possible impact?

Working life is changing faster than ever, making the identification and anticipation of competence needs increasingly important for the development of education

Digitalisation, artificial intelligence, the green transition and societal changes are transforming working life faster than ever before. Although a university degree provides a strong foundation for expertise, not all the competence that will be needed in the future can be anticipated at the time of graduation.

Learning has become a natural and continuous part of working life. At the same time, identifying and anticipating competence needs are becoming increasingly important in the development of education. To ensure that educational provision responds to future needs, it is essential to maintain and further strengthen dialogue between higher education institutions and working life.

Future solutions will be built around flexible learning pathways, smaller competence-based learning modules, approaches that integrate work and learning, and close collaboration with working life. These can make learning part of people’s everyday lives and careers in ways that support the renewal of both individuals and organisations.

Let’s remember that learning does not end at graduation

Continuous learning challenges us to reconsider the entire educational journey. What if graduation is not the end of a person’s relationship with their university, but simply one milestone on a lifelong learning journey?

At the University of Oulu, we believe that the university of the future is not only a degree-awarding institution, but also a lifelong learning partner whose research-based knowledge and expertise are accessible at different stages of people’s careers. We invite both our alumni and new learners to explore the opportunities offered by continuous learning and to build the competence needed in a changing world of work, today and in the future.

Writer
Marika Koivuniemi
Director – Continuous learning
University of Oulu