Portuguese Higher Education: a view from outside (perceptions, observations and challenges) Learning, teaching and lifelong learning Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes U.Porto/BFUG representative Conselho Nacional de Educação (CNE), Lisboa 1

Learning, teaching and lifelong learning 1. Teaching and learning  Convergence of challenges to Higher Education Institutions:  Significant and rapid changes in the contemporary world  New needs (of society, of youth, of the economy, of multiculturality) + European strategy 2020  New student profiles – young and adult  Growth and relevance of interdisciplinarity  Challenges of a more volatile labour market  Increasing mobility (students, graduates, workers) 2 Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE,

Learning, teaching and lifelong learning 1. Teaching and learning (cont.) However:  Difficulties in the recognition of previous training at the same level and strong dependency on the concept of “equivalence” of contents  Insufficient understanding of the relevance of qualification frameworks for Higher Education  Reduced flexibility of study plans (especially in integrated master programs)  Insufficient awareness of the relevance of curricular designs and of student trajectories as a function of learning outcomes 3 Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE,

4 1. Teaching and learning (cont.)  More active involvement of students in the learning process > towards effective student centred learning  Better understanding of its meaning  Allowing the development of students’ diverse skills > Differentating students according to their skills – through more flexible trajectories  Fostering complementary activities allowing those skills and their differentiation – relevant to their professional performance - to be potentiated But: All this requires physical, material and human conditions…

Learning, teaching and lifelong learning 2. Teaching  Greater interrelation of research and teaching > More effective learning by students, development of critical mind and scientific method  Different (but no less important) role of teacher > towards effective student centred learning  Relevance of evaluation > due to its central role in students’ work  Definition and evaluation of learning outcomes (and not only of objectives, often based only on the teacher’s perspective)  More use of new educational technologies 5 Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE,

Learning, teaching and lifelong learning 3. Lifelong Learning  3 different perspectives:  Ongoing updating of knowledge by graduates > access to other qualification levels  Access to Higher Education for adults without a secondary degree (ex. M23)  Multidisciplinary training (intercycle mobility) 6 Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE,

Learning, teaching and lifelong learning Necessary conditions:  Regular following of graduates’ professional trajectories  Strong connection to social, economic and cultural sectors for the definition of the supply necessary to the updating of knowledge and skills  Diversification of the tools for e-learning and distance teaching and learning  Awareness of the importance of quality in higher education and of the mecanisms for quality improvement 7 Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE,

Learning, teaching and lifelong learning  Greater recognition of the “teaching” component in academic careers  Possible differentiation of careers according to main option for research or for teaching  Team recommendation: evaluation of success of M23, in different areas 8 Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE,

Learning, teaching and lifelong learning  Team’s recommendations: some final remarks  Importance of LO: needs a national and institutional discussion about their meanings and their role in the curriculum design and in recognition of prior learning  LLL strategy: asks for a deeper discussion about the linkage between learning, teaching and research, as well as the role and career of academics  Course portfolio: Das the R35 mean a national decision of the titles of first and second cycle portfolio according to the CNAEF, limiting the autonomy of IES?  Will CEES work closely with IES, to involve them in the pretended reforms? 9 Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE,

Learning, teaching and lifelong learning Thank you! 10 Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE,