Going with the flow: First‐cycle higher education in a lifelong learning context

Abstract

Higher education is in flux as governments around the world seek to use it as an instrument to enhance national economies, and the half‐life of knowledge steadily decreases. Lifelong learning is presented as critically important to the development of human capital, but its implications for first‐cycle higher education have yet to be fully appreciated. It is argued that first‐cycle higher education is evolving in the light of changes in the relationship between the academy and employers. Students’ part‐time work is a significant component of their experience in higher education, yet its potential for learning is generally under‐exploited. The argument is made that part‐time work can be drawn into the formal curriculum without prejudice to traditional academic concerns, particularly if a lifelong learning perspective is taken.