Search results

To date, little attention has been given to the circumstances in which the process of developing key competencies for sustainable development may take place. The purpose of this paper is to consider, the possibilities both of formal and informal learning and their relationship to competence development within higher education.

An explorative, qualitative study based on focus groups was designed using different groups from formal and informal learning settings.

The development of key competencies is based both on cognitive and non‐cognitive dispositions and asks for multiple contexts. Through combining formal and informal learning settings within higher education – as part of a new learning culture – a variety of contexts can be given and competence development can be enhanced.

While aspects of both formal and informal learning settings could be identified, the interdependencies between them remain elusive.

Based on the findings, some main aspects for acquiring competencies can be pointed out that may be crucial in higher education settings.

The paper analyses the implications for both formal and informal learning settings of new ways of developing key competencies within higher education. Particular attention is given to interdisciplinarity and students' self‐responsibility.

The theme of this conference is an appropriate place to speak about issues of methodology, research and teaching and thus to define and elaborate different approaches and viewpoints to social sciences. The academic discourse in the humanities af ter the end of the Cold War provokes efforts forinter disciplinary explanations of present‐day realities as well as transnational, cross‐cultural and transcontinental subject areas that should provide better academic co‐operation and widening of research perspectives.