For many years institutions of higher education have been emphasizing the importance of lifelong learning as an important goal for their students.  The goal is to give students the skills and knowledge for them to continue to engage in learning about things that will enhance their knowledge and capabilities in their professional and private lives.  Several years ago, I attended a celebration of the tenth anniversary of a psychological services center on the campus of a very large university.  The ceremony included talks by alumni of the doctoral program in Clinical Psychology.  One of the speakers said that he now does many things that he did not learn in graduate school.  He went on to say that his graduate education taught him how to learn those things and that he was grateful for what he had learned in his graduate program because those skills allowed him to be successful in his career.  This alumnus was clearly a lifelong learner, and his program could be credited with giving him the skills to be so.

Lifelong learning should be a goal not only for students but also for faculty members and administrators.  Faculty members teach in a specific discipline.  All disciplines increase their knowledge through research which often results in publication in professional journals. 

All faculty members have the responsibility to keep current with the new developments and knowledge in their disciplines.  They also have the responsibility to do research in their discipline.   In this way the courses that they teach will provide the students with the latest information available on the important topics in their discipline.  In doing research and reading, faculty members are also providing a model of lifelong learning for their students.

Provosts, Deans, and Department Chairs recognize a faculty member’s research when they do the faculty member’s annual evaluation and the requirement for published research is often a major criterion for promotion and tenure.  The evaluation of teaching usually includes questions about the course which reflects the student’s perception of the faculty member’s expertise in the discipline in which they teach.  These questions indirectly recognize the faculty member as a lifelong learner.

Administrators usually come from the teaching ranks and have the same responsibility to keep current in their discipline.  Administrators have an added responsibility to keep up with developments and changes in higher education.  They need to read the important journals and newsletters to make sure they know what direction their institution should be taking in order to keep up with the current trends in higher education and to be aware of the political forces which are exerting influence on institutions of higher education.  Administrators should also attend workshops and presentations that address topics important to higher education. It would also be appropriate for academic administrators to expand their scholarly publication portfolio by adding to the higher education administration literature. 

In addition, administrators, including chief academic officers, may need to learn laws, regulations and substantive procedures relating to disciplines they have not had much experience with.  For example, skills that human resource specialists may possess, knowledge about accreditation, communication skills, project management, insights into how to be an effective fundraiser, and more.  While of course to some extent there is “on the job training” out of necessity, the fact remains that reading some good books and articles, and attending workshops where simulated practical experience can be gained, will enhance one’s ability to successfully problem-solve and plan on a constant basis.  Many colleges and universities offer professional development in various modalities/formats, complementing offerings from specialized membership organizations.

In summary, all the members of the higher education community, students, faculty members, and administrators need to lifelong learners. Perhaps that is also why people are drawn to work in institutions of higher education.  Chief Academic Officers should lead by example – in both being a lifelong learner and supporting others to do the same.

Louis H. Primavera, Ph.D., Associate Provost for Special Projects, Touro University