DTU's strong tradition of strategic partnerships with the outside world is of course also the focal point for lifelong learning. The partnerships are developed in collaboration between the academic environments—DTU's departments and centres—and DTU Learn for Life. They are based on DTU's research and existing education and continuing education programmes, and are developed in dialogue with businesses and sectors to meet the employers' need to develop employee skills. Of course, courses and programmes will continue to be offered to individual customers.
The strength and quality of DTU's offering of lifelong learning is that it is based on the latest research and innovation with DTU's many positions of strength as a point of departure. Like the research, the teaching will therefore take place in DTU's academic environments. This is done in collaboration with DTU Learn for Life, which contributes with expertise in business development, finance, marketing, sales, customer service, and partnerships.
"We are looking forward to getting started with the implementation—after an intensive strategy process and approval by the Executive Board. Now we're ready to collaborate on the many ideas for partnerships and competence development courses offered by the departments and centres. We look forward to entering into a dialogue about this and contributing to DTU gaining valuable and important knowledge and experience that help boost DTU's research and teaching," says Caroline Arends, Head of DTU Learn for Life.
DTU Learn for Life serves as a platform for departments and centres, and links efforts across DTU and with external stakeholders.
New business model
"At DTU, we have Europe's best engineering programmes. That's why we must also offer excellent lifelong learning and become an attractive partner to the outside world. We must strive to become a network and development place where course and programme participants can make valuable contacts in an environment characterized by a high level of professionalism and academic competency. At the same time, DTU Learn for Life must contribute to ensuring that it is financially viable for departments and centres to offer continuing education," says Senior Vice President Carsten Orth Gaarn-Larsen, who has lifelong learning at DTU as his area of responsibility.
A simple and well-functioning business model that reflects DTU's total costs in relation to competence development programmes, market conditions, and compliance with legal requirements in the area will ensure financial profitability for DTU's departments and centres—and thus for DTU in general.
With the new strategy for lifelong learning, DTU will play an important role in relation to society's great need for competence development in the areas that will ensure the green transition, increased digitalization, technological development, and sustainability.
