Lifelong learning is becoming more and more established in German society as an integral component of education. For this reason universities must try to meet the needs of the different student groups in a considerably more targeted way. Each group has special needs, in particular, professionals studying alongside their fulltime careers. For example, when interviewed, this group more often made a higher subjective estimate of their learning success if they had received positive support during their studies. On the other side, to meet the demands which academic studies will make on their time and lives, the professionals themselves must prepare conscientiously, when deciding to continue their education alongside their careers. The route to completing a degree is not without obstacles. In particular the time management and level of organisation required to combine studies with other areas of life, the work-life-learn balance, turns out to be exceedingly difficult.
Within the framework of the model project “Open University” we have gathered data over 3 years in a longitudinal survey on the characteristics of the new university target groups. The goal of the study was to fill the clear deficit of information regarding students in full time employment by gathering tested scientific data on the central factors influencing these students’ success in their lifelong learning. Our findings show that the characteristics of successful students are a high level of professional commitment and the readiness to sacrifice or limit certain aspects of private life for the duration of their studies. In addition, self-motivation to explore topics further than proscribed course content is also connected to study success. Therefore, the successful students are those committed and independent personalities who are ready to apply themselves to pursue their studies in order to realise ambitious professional goals.
Our knowledge about the ideal professional student has flowed into the development of our online-self-assessment tool, “The LLL Professional”. This tool allows professionals who are considering studying alongside work to reflect on their strengths and interests as well as their current private and work situation to help them envision a work-learn-life reality (similar to the concept of a realistic job preview). The tool is an internet-based orientation resource with which users can make a realistic self-assessment to match their own interests and expectations against success factors for studying alongside work. The included variables for success were identified in our longitudinal study and fall into the categories: learning type, work-learn-life-balance, support from family, friends and acquaintances, career aspirations and possibilities for transfer of learning into the workplace, motivation, and commitment to perform well. In addition, the tool presents typical situations and video clips from a working student’s life with real narratives from professional students mixed in. The participants receive meaningful and helpful feedback regarding their strengths and weaknesses.