EUCEN

Today, the SAMUELE consortium is holding its WP4 ULLL Policy Workshop in Copenhagen, hosted by Station and CBS. We are at the on the first stage of the development of the SAMUELE Policy Recommendations and Action Plan.
During the workshop, partners are collaborating on the development of the SAMUELE Policy Recommendations and Action Plan aimed at strengthening the overall impact and implementation of University Lifelong Learning (ULLL) across European countries.
The objective of the Policy Recommendations and Action Plan will outline clear ULLL policy priorities to support the transformation of ULLL, while identifying key stakeholders and concrete actions needed to shape and implement effective ULLL policies across Europe.
We would especially like to thank Station an CBS for their support in organising today’s workshop.
Stay tunned for more news about the development of this tool.
Access to the SAMUELE website here:
https://eucen.eu/samuele-project/

📢 As part of the 𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗛𝗘 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁, we are gathering insights from the EUCEN community and wider stakeholders on key developments in university lifelong learning, and your input really matters.

We are still collecting responses to our short survey, and we would love to hear from more voices across our network. If you haven’t done it yet, it only takes a few minutes:

👉Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd3-jMzpmaomhpOWZPV27IWwHH4fudkr_cNDUEOFHZkLjnD1g/viewform

We also invite you to take part in our 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 taking place on Wednesday, 𝟮𝟬 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟬:𝟬𝟬 𝗖𝗘𝗧.
This will be an opportunity to discuss the first insights, exchange perspectives, and contribute to shaping the next steps of the project.

👉 Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/SpguIu06Q0y5ka8yFJAx9A #/registration

Your experience and views are essential to ensure that the outcomes of MESHE truly reflect the needs and priorities of our community.MESHE truly reflect the needs and priorities of our community.

📢 The 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲 for the 56th eucen Annual Conference is now available!

🔗 https://web.unica.it/unica/en/dip_scienzesocistit_95.page

This June, we're bringing together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and university leaders in Cagliari (IT) for three days of inspiring dialogue around some of higher education's most pressing missions.

Have a look at the 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗲𝘆𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱!

Speakers include: Mauro Palumbo, Laura Formenti,Marcella Milana,Eva Cendon, Oonagh Aitken,Beate Hörr, Ph.D. Giuseppe Scaratti, Paul Adriaanse, Jorie Soltic, Camilla Fitzsimons, Elisa Gambardella, Wieger Bakker

🎓 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀: 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱

📅 3–5 June 2026
📍 Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Department of Political and Social Sciences — Cagliari, Italy

Join us to connect, share evidence-based practices, and co-create strategies for more inclusive and resilient learning ecosystems.

🔗 https://web.unica.it/unica/protected/535955/0/def/ref/GNE525625/

📢 We’re now on Bluesky!

We’re expanding our presence in spaces that reflect our values: open and respectful communication 🤝

💬 Follow us on Bluesky to stay updated and join the conversation!
-eu.bsky.social

See you there 👋

🎙️ The #2 eucen 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 is now live!

This second podcast, hosted by eucen and moderated by Matthew Weait, features an interview with Renee Tan, Assistant Executive Director of Research Division at Institute for Institute for Adult Learning Singapore. She explains how Singapore has built one of the world’s most ambitious lifelong learning systems.

Join us as we explore key perspectives on lifelong learning and its impact across Europe and beyond.

🎧 Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3WZmwvhsmvrphVv4QzSHcN?si=a2563f9cbd124c7c&nd=1&dlsi=0d0f1e10829e4e45
👉 Don’t miss it, subscribe to our Spotify channel and stay tuned for a new episode every month!

This podcast is a teaser to the panel during the eucen Global Seminar on 29 April at 14:00 CET. Do not miss it!
✍ Register now: https://eucen.eu/6th-eucen-global-seminar-online/

🎧 It’s here! The first episode of Voices of Lifelong Learning is out now!

We’re launching our brand-new podcast series, hosted by eucen and moderated by Weait

Our first guest: Pascal Paschoud 👏

✨ Tune in now: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2pG4bHWZiACeqULW9ZAHfx

Don’t forget to subscribe on Spotify—new episodes coming every month!

At MESHE, we are working to better understand how micro-credentials can truly meet the needs of learners and the labour market and we would greatly value your perspective.

We have just launched a short survey aimed at industry and civil society stakeholders to explore:
✔️ What motivates learners to enrol in micro-credentials
✔️ The barriers they may encounter
✔️ How universities can design more relevant and attractive learning opportunities

🕒 The survey takes only 5 minutes to complete, but your contribution will make a meaningful impact.

Your input will directly inform the MESHE Advocacy Pack for learners and contribute to our upcoming online consultation. We would also appreciate it if you could share it within your networks, the more responses we gather, the stronger our insights will be.

👉 Take the survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd3-jMzpmaomhpOWZPV27IWwHH4fudkr_cNDUEOFHZkLjnD1g/viewform

📅 Save the date: Join us on 20 May for our online consultation
✍ Registration is open (link available in the survey)

Thank you for supporting lifelong learning across Europe.

Food Includes: Open Educational Resources (OERs) coming soon!

The Food Includes project is using food as a pedagogical tool to create inclusive learning opportunities across Europe, supporting adult learners, educators, and communities through innovative, food-based approaches.

🚀 Coming soon: a new set of Open Educational Resources (OERs) designed to support food-related educational initiatives.

The OERs will cover:
• Exploring Cultural Value & Food Traditions
• Organising a Food Festival
• Creating an Inclusive Recipe Book
• Tackling Sustainability & Food Waste
• Running a Food Stand in Local Markets
• Overcoming Challenges through Food

🌍 Learn more: https://buff.ly/R6b7OK4

🌍 👩‍💻 Celebrating the 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴!

This year’s theme, “Building digital futures for public education,” strongly resonates with EUCEN’s ongoing commitment to fostering digital transformation in higher and adult education.

Over the years, EUCEN has actively contributed to strengthening digital readiness among both educators and learners through projects such as 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 and 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀, supporting the development of essential competences for a rapidly evolving digital world.

At the same time, projects like 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 have helped higher education institutions enhance their capacity to understand and teach smart data skills, an increasingly critical area for today’s societies.

EUCEN has also participated in the project 𝗦𝗗𝗖𝗘 – 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀, empowering students to actively participate in civic life through digital technologies.

Currently, EUCEN continues to drive innovation and inclusion through projects like and participates in the project 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗠𝗘+, which promotes a more inclusive and responsible use of digital media.

https://eucen.eu/projects-resources/

💡 Together, these efforts reflect our dedication to shaping a more inclusive, skilled, and digitally empowered future for education.

University Lifelong Learning is no longer optional, it is essential for Europe’s future.

As we face the green and digital transitions, demographic shifts, and growing inequalities, universities must support learners across the life course. Yet in many institutions, lifelong learning is still treated as a peripheral activity rather than a core mission.
Evidence from the SAMUELE project shows that the key barrier is not pedagogy, it is governance.
Across Europe, ULLL is often underfunded, fragmented, and dependent on short-term projects or individual initiative. This “governance gap” limits universities’ ability to deliver inclusive and sustainable learning opportunities at scale.
At EUCEN, we argue that it is time for a shift from project-based approaches to structurally embedded governance.

This means:

✔ Integrating ULLL into institutional strategies and missions
✔ Establishing clear roles and stable structures
✔ Ensuring sustainable and inclusive funding models
✔ Recognising lifelong learning in academic careers
✔ Strengthening partnerships with employers and regions
Lifelong learning is not an add-on. It is a defining mission for the future of higher education in Europe.
Read our full position paper and join the conversation on how to strengthen governance for inclusive and sustainable ULLL.

Authors: Lyndsey El Amoud - Carme ROYOD - Diana Treviño-Eberhard

Read Paper here: https://eucen.eu/policy/position-papers/

⏳ Extended abstract submission deadline: 𝟭𝟱 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲!

Don’t miss the opportunity to help shape the future of lifelong learning in higher education, and join us in 𝗖𝗮𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗿𝗶, 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗮 (𝗜𝗧) 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 📅 𝟯–𝟱 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

We invite researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and institutional leaders to share experiences and innovative practices that are shaping the future of University Lifelong Learning, skills development, and community engagement across Europe.

https://web.unica.it/unica/en/dip_scienzesocistit_94.page

Theme: 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀: 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱

💡 We welcome contributions connected to University Lifelong Learning on:
• 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 – Universities as catalysts for inclusive social transformation
• 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 – Equipping diverse learners for a changing world of work
• 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 – Designing futures through policy, innovation, and equity in LLL

🔗 Only submissions via the official online form will be considered.

👉 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲:
https://lnkd.in/eT9vUp8t

📍 Cagliari, Italy | Università degli Studi di Cagliari
📅 3–5 June 2026

We look forward to your ideas, research, and practices!