Mission Statement
Identity and Mission
The Center for Lifelong Learning (ZWW) is the central institution for continuing adult education at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and is thus committed to the university's mission statement. Therein, the university defines continuing adult education as its third core task alongside research and teaching. The ZWW conceives continuing education offers that are specific to its target groups and carries them out in cooperation with its lecturers. It recruits third-party funded projects, advises learning organizations and provides general support. As a service facility of JGU, the ZWW advises and supports the university’s individual departments as well as the universities of the arts and scientific institutions in their activities in the area of continuing adult education.
With its lifelong learning programs at university level, it also addresses the interested public. Furthermore, the ZWW represents the interests of the university in this area in state, national and international committees for continuing adult education.
Values and Attitudes
The ZWW is oriented towards a humanistic view of humanity. Therefore, our activities focus on the human being as a learning subject, who wants to develop and unfold his or her possibilities and abilities in a self- responsible and critically reflective way. Just like the entire university, the ZWW is committed to the principle of equal oppor- tunities. The center enables all interested parties to participate in continuing adult education, regardless of social status, age, origin or gender. From this attitude, the ZWW also practices a transparent, collegial and participatory cooperation – the principles that guide us are developed in our ZWW team.
We therefore arrange our course fees in such a way that as many interested people as possible can participate and a reduction can be granted in cases of hardship. The ZWW is committed to the EU Charter for Lifelong Learning and therefore also considers target groups interested in extra-professional scientific further education. Together with JGU Mainz, the ZWW acknowledges its social responsibility by orienting its services according to the needs of society.
Customers, Clients, Participants, Addressees and Target Groups
The ZWW addresses its offers to university graduates, to persons who have acquired a first professional degree as well as to scien- tifically interested persons who want to up- date, deepen and supplement their own knowledge. In addition, the ZWW is also an attractive partner for public institutions and companies with specially coordinated programs and projects, building a bridge between university and business practice. The ZWW also offers services to the univer- sity’s employees, departments and facilities of the university, such as advice and support in the planning and implementation of scientific training courses or conferences.
Goals of this Institution
The goal of lifelong learning is to teach current findings from both science and research in such a way that the transfer into professional practice is successful. To this end, the ZWW works together with lecturers from JGU as well as external lecturers. The ZWW also contributes to current discussions on educational policy and maintains cooperations with other relevant educational institutions, as well as important political bodies at national and international level.
Skills/Expertise
The ZWW is a professional partner in the conception, planning, organization and im- plementation of scientific lifelong learning programs. In doing so, it has a nationally recognized expertise in the following fields (among others):
- Lifelong learning in higher education
- Learning in Later Life
- Educational counselling and coaching
- Organizational Development
- Human Resources Development and Leadership
- Migration, diversity and equality
- Train the Trainer
- Teacher training
- German as second language
- Professional summer schools of JGU
- Sciences and medicine
- Digitization of teaching
- Public relations and marketing
The ZWW follows current trends and helps to shape the scientific and political discourse in the field of scientific education. It conducts market research and analyses and uses the results to further develop its program and course offers. In addition, the ZWW has several years of experience in the acquisition, planning, implementation and transition to sustainable projects.
This professionalism, both in terms of con- tent and organization, is made possible by a team of dedicated and exceptionally service-oriented employees and lecturers. When selecting its staff, the ZWW takes care that they meet high professional, didactic and methodological quality standards, impart knowledge in a practice-oriented manner at an academic level and use innovative, participant-oriented teaching and learning methods.
Services
The center offers lifelong learning courses and Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) with qualifying degrees and individual seminars, as well as conferences, symposia and workshops and in-house events. The ZWW develops individual offers for institutions and companies that wish to offer their employees specialized continuing adult education. In addition, the ZWW cooperates on a project-related basis with institutions worldwide.
The ZWW advises JGU’s departments in the conception of further education projects. It supports them in their public relations and advertising activities and in the organization of events. The ZWW also handles contractual arrangements with companies and the financial management of the programs in cooperation with the university’s administrative units. The ZWW applies for accreditation and the recognition of the events by ministries and associations and also arranges for the departments to request in-house offers from institutions, companies and businesses.
Resources
In terms of personnel, the ZWW consists of a highly motivated team of qualified emp- loyees. The teachers are always up to date and equipped with the latest knowledge in their field. Existing (mainly technical) re- sources are used effectively in the transfer of knowledge. The team works closely together with a constantly growing number of cooperation partners and uses the synergies arising from this network. A suitable seminar administration software is available for professional seminar marketing, event management and financial processing.
The ZWW is financed by public funds and participation fees.
Definition of Successful Learning
The ZWW considers learning successful when learners have acquired scientifically sound knowledge and skills that enable them to independently master challenges in their life and work contexts. The learners are at the center of the learning process: their professional interests, scientific work, trans-fer to practice, as well as their learning needs and expectations. The teachers support the process with their professional, methodological and pedagogical com- petences. Appropriate framework conditions and an atmosphere in which learning is enjoyable support this process. Successful learning enables learners to control their own further learning process, develop their own ideas and apply what they have learned in their own work.
Definition of Successful Counselling
The ZWW represents a resource and client- centered approach to consulting that is based on humanistic psychology. We understand consulting as help for self-help with the goal of strengthening the self-organization and competences of those seeking advice, so that they can creatively develop their potential. We focus on their needs as well as their professional and life experiences. These principles guide us in our courses on consulting and coaching as well as in the consulting of individuals and organizations that we conduct at ZWW.
Definition of Successful Evaluation
The ZWW considers an evaluation success- ful if it develops courses further in terms of content and didactics and is thus relevant and profitable for all participants. The evaluation takes into account learning success, the satisfaction of participants, teachers and other participants/clients and institutions. The transparency and clarity of the questions make the sense and purpose of the survey clear and comprehensible to everyone participating in the evaluation process. A timely evaluation is ensured. The conclusions and consequences that we draw from the evaluation help us to continuously improve the learning process of the participants and to implement them within the framework of successful learning. To ensure the quality of the evaluation, the process itself is evaluated at regular intervals and updated as necessary.