As part of the project FLECSLAB we organised a workshop at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Ljubljana on Tuesday, 22 October 2024. In connection with the planned results of work package 2 "Business model for lifelong learning", we tested business models with the leaders of the EUTOPIA learning communities at the University of Ljubljana.
Opportunity for universities in EUTOPIA Alliance to focus their attention on lifelong learning became clear. connected learning communitiesas building blocks of the EUTOPIA educational model

Given the results of work package 1, which focused on exploring the potential for lifelong learning in the 12 EUTOPIA learning communities, we decided to pilot-test the business models first, focussing on a single learning community.

Thus, at the University of Ljubljana with Prof Boštjan Botas Kenda, who leads the learning communityDesign & Scienceand Prof Dr Modest Vengušt, who leads the learning communityVeganism Vs. Animal Protein Consumptionwe tested the business models based on the characteristics of their communities.

In the introduction, Prof Dr Ivan Svetlik from the University of Ljubljana presented three alternative business models in the field of lifelong learning that are suitable for the higher education sector and adapted to the ecosystems in which the EUTOPIA learning communities operate, namely: (1) a regulated - highly structured business model; (2) a semi-structured business model and (3) a fragmented - low structured business model.

We found that both of the above EUTOPIA learning communities (considering their interdisciplinary activities) have a high potential for lifelong learning, namely: 1) the area of design, which interfaces with different scientific disciplines, is more likely to belong to the semi-structured model, while the area dealing with issues of veganism and animal protein consumption, originating from veterinary medicine, is more likely to belong to the regulated - highly structured - business model.

Our FLECSLAB results so far show that the activities and business models of connected learning communities can be a driving force for the development of lifelong learning, especially when it comes to linking higher education and the wider environment and tackling societal challenges.

The final results in the form of a report and guidelines will be presented in mid-December 2024.