Orienting higher education towards lifelong learning: Insights from a policy discourse analysis of the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore

• In Event: Higher Education Policy at the Intersection of Immigration, Funding, and Lifelong Learning

Proposal

Introduction

Higher education (HE) plays a crucial role in advancing adult and lifelong learning. However, there are significant tensions and limitations within the sector that challenge its capacity to support lifelong learning, among these the internal structure of universities and potential conflicts with traditional academic values (Boyadjieva & Orr, 2022; Duke & Hinzen, 2014).

In Southeast Asia, lifelong learning is further promoted by regional initiatives that position it as part of human resource development. This aligns lifelong learning with national strategies aimed to contribute towards the region’s socio-economic development (ASEAN, 2021). The unique demographics of the countries in the region, combined with their distinct socio-economic demands and emerging local and global challenges in school and the workplace, invite a closer examination of how the links between higher education and lifelong learning are being positioned as policy agendas. This paper aims to answer the central question: How is lifelong learning framed in national HE policies in select Southeast Asian states?

Theoretical and Methodological Approach

The study employs a discourse analysis of current key national and higher education policies in the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. The enquiry is anchored on policy agenda-setting theory, which posits that how certain issues are positioned, reflect the priorities of particular socio-political groups and illuminates policy decisions and choices (Capella, 2020). Additionally, we draw upon principles of critical discourse analysis to problematise the policies and to examine in closer detail how the policy agenda are informed by and relate with other policy texts and with their socio-political/economic histories and environments.

The policy documents included national development plans, higher education and/or lifelong learning legislation, and state educational programme strategic plans, among others. Thematic analysis, involving multiple readings and coding of the policy texts, was used to identify major and sub-themes.

Initial Findings and Discussion

Rationales for lifelong learning in the HE policies across the three countries consistently align with the idealised narrative of developing individual’s capacities and potentials and the consequent aspirational objective of contributing towards national socio-economic development. This remains consistent with the human capital development perspectives pervasive in lifelong learning discourse (UNESCO, 2016; ASEAN, 2021). The concepts of ‘future-proofing’ and ‘future-ready education’ have also emerged linked to the concept of knowledge economy/society and the subsequent changes in the world of work. In Malaysia and Singapore where political governance is more centralised, there is a strong and clear articulation of a promotion of a ‘culture’ of lifelong learning. Positioned more than a mechanism for national workforce development, lifelong learning in this case is also an aspirational collective mindset crucial for nation-building and the fostering of national values and identity.

The policies justify their focus on lifelong learning by referencing various drivers and anchors of change. These include the pandemic, emergence of AI and disruptive technologies, changing future of work, ASEAN regional trends; but also distinctively, concepts such as New Academia and national aspirations towards becoming an advanced economy.

The policies continue to view higher education as a pathway to access a form of ‘advanced’ lifelong learning. However, less emphasis is given on how the sector itself can embody lifelong learning paradigms more fully. Within higher education, the lifelong learning agenda is explored in two dimensions: (1) programmatic/curricular i.e., concepts such as credit transfer, micro-credentials and multi-track career pathways or continuing professional development; and (2) mode of delivery emphasising digital technology integration.

Lifelong learning as part of the formal school system remains synonymous to technical-vocational education made available through polytechnics and special vocational schools, as reflected in the education qualifications framework of countries like Malaysia and the Philippines. In Singapore, policies allude to lifelong learning as building learning communities (through networks and communities of practice), and furthering access for students with special and diverse needs and interests.

Significance and Implications

These initial insights reflect the increased attention given to lifelong learning in national policy agenda-setting in these countries particularly regarding its integration within curriculum and widening access and participation. Several important implications emerge, including the need to expand definitions and metrics of lifelong learning within higher education beyond employability outcomes, stronger attention to other priority groups such as students with special educational needs in higher education, and development of HE governance models that incentivise mechanisms for integration of lifelong learning.

Authors

• Joclarisse Albia, National Chung Cheng University

• Sheng-Ju Chan, National Chung Cheng University