Lifelong learning as an explicit part of engineering programmes: what can we do as educators?

Abstract

Whilst engineering education has primarily focused on providing students with the required technical competencies, new visions emphasise the importance of lifelong learning (LLL). They point towards the need to acquire the necessary competencies for LLL during the study programme. This requires a shift in mindset for both lecturers and students. Other studies have provided some key recommendations on how HEIs should integrate the development of LLL competencies in study programmes such as using authentic discipline-specific learning contexts and explicit teaching of the LLL competencies. This scoping review will provide an overview of which LLL interventions have already been implemented in higher education and aims to answer the question: How can HEIs support the development of students’ LLL competencies? The included LLL interventions are categorised based on the type and content of the intervention, the duration, the target audience, the effectiveness, and the efficiency. The outcomes of this review serve a dual purpose: (1) to define research gaps and (2) to provide educators with some general advice regarding the integration of LLL in engineering study programmes.