This special edition on the theme
of lifelong learning is edited by
John Storan and Tony Hudson
from the University of East Londo

Hudson, A.

Storan, J.

UEL Research Repository at University of East London

The contributions that the variousauthors have made to this edition of thenewsletter represent a range of voicesand perspectives. In inviting these richand insightful inputs, my co-editor TonyHudson and I quickly realised we hadagreed to deliver the undeliverable, andthat was a newsletter that was all aboutlifelong learning. We of course hadchoices (the prerogative of exercisingeditorial responsibility, you could say) butwe may have also gone about the job ina different way. We could have asked our contributorsto all write about lifelong learning, andkept them strictly to this brief. In fact, asyou will see, we did invite one piece onlifelong learning head on, as it were, andthis is the contribution from ProfessorDanny Saunders at the University ofGlamorgan, which offers a tellingstrategic overview of lifelong learning inWales. The intention with the othercontributions was to try to illustratesomething of the breadth of provisionnewsESCalatewhich might fit most tellingly into astrategy or vision for lifelong learning.Does this selection of pieces representlifelong learning? No, it certainly doesn’tas there are gaps in terms of age basedprovision, informal and experientiallearning to name just a few. Lifelonglearning has a multiplicity of meaningsand therefore it could be argued that anymeaning that is applied is bothcontestable and problematic. The 2009Inquiry into the Future of Lifelong Learning(Schuller and Watson 2009) recognisedthis when it observed that for thepurposes of the report, ‘lifelong’ meansfrom cradle to grave and includes theimplications for early childhood educationand for schooling. However, here we arenot in tune with the inquiry, in that ourfocus in bringing together this collectionThe newsletter of the Education Subject Centre - advancing learning and teaching in educationThis special edition on the themeof lifelong learning is edited byJohn Storan and Tony Hudsonfrom the University of East LondonIssue 20 - Summer 2011of articles has been largely on adult,further and higher education (HE). So,partial and limited it is, but perhapsthrough the breadth and particularitiesof the contributions, we gain a glimpseof what a truly lifelong learning vision oflearning might constitute. So, each ofthese papers offers a part of thelandscape for thinking about what a Danny Saunders 4Tony Acland 7Alan Brown  10Alastair Thomson  27Damian O’Kane  12Raising HE participation in Northern IrelandUNH McNair Scholars  14Conference report: FACE 2010Tony Hudson  17Work integrated learningLifelong learning in WalesThe future of outreach Staff development with a differenceIn Conversation with...Andrew Pollard  28A letter from our DirectorMike Osborne 20Andrew Rawson 24The PURE projectVocational and WBL in HEESCalate @ BristolProfessor Andrew PollardDr Jocelyn WishartLiz HankinsonTeresa NurserBianca SoucekLyndsay GrantESCalate ConsultantsJulie HughesHenry LieblingEditorial Team:Tony Hudson (Editor)Professor John Storan (Editor)Lyndsay GrantTeresa NurserGet involved withESCalate, It’s easy.Please look at ourwebsite for opportunities.www.escalate.ac.ukESCalate news is a termly publication.The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of theeditor nor of the partner organisations. The editors reserve the right toedit, amend or abbreviate copy without notice.ESCalate (Education Subject Centre)Part of the Higher Education Academy Subject Centre NetworkUniversity of BristolGraduate School of Education35 Berkeley SquareBristolBS8 1JATel:  0117 331 4291Fax: 0117 925 1537Email: heacademy-escalate@bristol.ac.ukwww.escalate.ac.ukAn electronic version of this newsletter is available on theESCalate website.This newsletter is available free of charge. If you do not currently receivea copy and wish to do so in the future please contact heacademy-escalate@bristol.ac.uk. Your details will only be used for keeping youinformed of ESCalate activity and will not be made available to outsideorganisations.If you have any ideas or copy that you would like to see included in afuture newsletter please get in touch: teresa.nurser@bristol.ac.ukWe are especially interested in items which:• Show innovative practice in your Education Department;• Celebrate National Teaching Fellows and other awards forteaching and learning;• Showcase student achievement.ESCalatenews 3newsvision for lifelong learning might needto include. As you will see, the scopeand contents of each piece is as richas it is insightful, and I would like totake this opportunity to thank  eachcontributor  for their individual pieces,that form part of an emergent  lifelonglearning education landscape.  Towhet your appetite a taster of eachcontribution is now provided.For example, in his piece, TonyAcland helps us to consider the valueand significance of the future ofoutreach work, and how the lessonsand successes of the Aimhigherprogramme in England can be furtherbuilt upon. The adult college perspectiveprovided by Alan Brown illustrates animaginative and innovative approach tocontinuing professional development,aimed at both community volunteersand also qualified tutors. Theprogression and professional learningopportunities this programme hasproduced has significantly enhancedtutoring capacity. Understanding and raisingparticipation in Northern Ireland is thefocus of Dr. Damian O’Kane’s paper.He gives a strategic perspective on thepolicy developments which arecurrently underway in Northern Ireland.Drawing on his extensive and impactful‘Step-Up’ programme, he reminds usjust how critical it is to connect uppractice and policy in this area oflifelong learning. The perspective of learners isprovided by a group of McNairscholars from the University of NewHampshire who also gave aninternational perspective, or at least acommentary, from a USA standpoint.Coming to terms with an unfamiliarsystem of education and taking part ina short post-graduate programme,their developing research skills areframed by their formative experience oftheir time meeting and learningalongside lifelong learning educators atthe FACE conference, as well as othercontexts. Work integrated learning (WIL) isthe focus of Tony Hudson’s article inwhich he reflects on an innovativeproject: Creative Industries - CreativeSolutions, designed to enhancegraphic design students’employability. Given the portfoliocareers that many creative andcultural industries graduates are likelyto experience, such programmesneed to operate in a climate ofintellectual enquiry which enables andencourages students to becomelifelong learners.The multi-national character of thePASCAL Universities RegionalEngagement project is the backdropfor Professor Mike Osborne’s piece.The PURE project illustrates the wayin which a wide range of internationalknowledge and expertise can bemobilised to support and engage withhigher education institutions and theirregions across a range of areas,including widening access, CPD, andknowledge exchange througheconomic, social and cultural lenses.The paper reminds us, if indeed weneed reminding, that the questionsand issues that many of thecontributors highlight are truly globalquestions, and in a sense take usback to the need for a vision.Last but by no means least,Andrew Rawson provides aninsightful account of the lifelonglearning networks which have doneso much between them to broker HEprogression opportunities betweenpartners in different parts of thecountry. So at the risk of being seen tomake the conclusion fit the evidence,I am drawn back to the deliberationsof the Inquiry into the Future forLifelong Learning that offers a visionof society in which lifelong learning iscentral. By using this picture of alearning society, we can begin to seethe values, perspectives andaspirations of our seven contributorsin a way that speaks loudly to thisvision.John StoranDirector of Continuum,the Centre for WideningParticipation Policy Studiesat the University of EastLondon. Professor John Storan is also Director ofAction on Access which is the national Co-ordination team for widening participation.As founding current Chair of the Forum forAccess and Continuing Education (FACE)he represents communities of practitionersinvolved in Access and Lifelong Learningfrom across the UK and beyond. For manyyears John has has been an influentialregional and national figure on LifelongLearning and Widening Participation in HE.In 2001 he was made a Professorial Fellowat the University of Manchester Institute ofScience and Technology (UMIST). He isalso an ESCalate Advisory Board member.‘‘Our vision is a society inwhich learning plays its fullrole in personal growth andemancipation, prosperity,solidarity and globalresponsibility. We believethat it is intimately connectedwith the achievement offreedom of choice, healthand wellbeing, dignity,cultural identity anddemocratic tolerance. As aconsequence, we begin fromthe premise that the right tolearn throughout life isa human right.‘‘ReferenceSchuller, T., & Watson, D. (2009)Learning Through Life: Inquiry into thefuture for lifelong learning. NIACE,Leicester.

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