The UK has assumed a leading role in ICT-supported learning in Europe. Supported by an extant nationwide system of educational institutions and a strategic government policy personally endorsed several years ago by Tony Blair, the British Learning Association took the opportunity to showcase its educational valuables.


Chairman Charles Jennings, Global Head of Learning at Reuters, gave an insightful overview of the conditions under which lifelong learning happens and which requirements have to be fulfilled to make the practice a desirable goal for all parties involved -"Driving the lifelong learning agenda - Participation, Policy and Practice" was the title of his opening keynote speech.


Stuart Jones, Assistant Director of Knowledge Systems at the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA), focused on "Building the Foundations to Achieve the True Potential for Lifelong Learning". With BECTA being the UK government's key partner in the strategic development, co-ordination, and delivery of its e-strategy, the agency is working to ensure that ICT is systemically embedded across education and training, both in policy and practice.


As Stuart Jones pointed out, three areas remain at the head of the to-do-list: the development and deployment of technology for transition; research and development in learning technology combined with building and disseminating good practice examples; and a clear focus on people, not technology.


Vocational learning and work-based education were two issues that were presented from different angles each. Rob Arnsten of MyKnowledgeMap presented a case study that described how a unique consortium of partners representing both the demand and supply side of the retail sector addressed the specific business and training challenges through the use of ICT and eLearning under the name "The Retail Academy".


The effort was the winner of the UK National Institute of Adult Continuing Education's "Opening Doors to Adult Learners" competition in 2006 and serves as the model for collaborative development of learning solutions for a complete industry sector.


Max Faulkner of Open Learning Centre International concentrated on practical training offered to people with limited or no access to existing further education institutions. Part of his presentation focussed on the growing demand for skilled female workers, particularly in all aspects of the construction business.


Dr. Jenny Naish, Head of International Development at the National Centre for Work Based Learning Partnerships, Middlesex University, talked about how work-based learning is a modern way of creating university-level learning in the work place. Its special work-linked features enable learning to take place at and be centred on the working environment.


Jack Wills, Cranfield University and Chairman of the British Learning Association, pointed out that appropriate learning design is the key to success in learning solutions. He affirmed that Cranfield University is taking a leading role in devising programmes to develop key skills in learning designers and awareness of the crucial role of design in learning in the UK.


Some of the less-than-satisfactory results in learning design may be attributed to an easy-to-fix-problem: budget constraints and poorly-paid learning designers. Yet further coordination and exchange among the learning designer community is also needed to ensure quality learning design in the long run.


The various sessions were followed by a lively round of questions and answers at the end of the day and ongoing conversations at the reception at the British Embassy in Berlin, which rounded out the day.