About the conference

From 9-11 May 2012, the 43rd EUCEN European Conference “Universities’ Engagement in and with Society. The University Lifelong Learning contribution” took place at the University of Graz and was jointly organised by the Center for Continuing Education at the University of Graz and the European University Continuing Education Network (EUCEN). This conference offered an open and stimulating forum for 140 practitioners, policy makers and researchers looking at the contribution that universities are currently making to Lifelong Learning in today’s civil society and what the future role of the universities will be in promoting lifelong learning. The year 2012 was the “European Year for Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity” promoted by the European Commission and other stakeholders, and was intended to raise awareness, identify and disseminate good practice and to encourage policymakers and stakeholders at all levels to promote active ageing; for this reason, the conference also focused on learning in later life.

The conference programme included (among others):

• a University-Business Panel
• Keynote speeches on the role of universities in the area of community-based education and learning in later life
• a panel discussion on the future of university continuing education in Europe with contributions from the European University Association (EUA), the European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee.

In addition, research results and good practice examples were presented and discussed in eight in-depth workshop sessions on these topics.

Reference materials: Selected presentations and texts in English are available for downloading. The official conference website is offline.

Contact: Dr. Andrea Waxenegger, Center for Continuing Education at the University of Graz / e-mail: andrea.waxenegger(at)uni-graz.at / Tel.: +43/(0)316-380-1101

The conference was supported by: