Strategic competencies as bridging means between formal university and non-formal education

Abstract

EU understanding of lifelong learning, as recorded in the recent EU documents, is that lifelong learning must be an inherent part of the European social model. The Barcelona Conclusions inform the world that the European social model is based on good economic performance, a high level of social protection and education and social dialogue. Within this context the status of tertiary education to provide complete set of professional competencies is challenged by the dynamic learning opportunities and learning needs. The review of Lithuanian systems of formal and non-formal professional education, university and non-university education opportunities allows to compare basal competencies and distinctive competencies that the universities as providers of education seek to achieve with the horizontal competencies – strategic competencies. Strategic competencies, such as self-learning, are the competencies that take university education into the practical world. Strategic competencies, in fact, become distinctive competencies for non-formal, non-university education. The attempt is made to suggest a bridge formal, non-formal and informal education through locating the strategic competencies in case samples.