Three Flemish universities – UAntwerp, Ghent University and VUB – have joined forces to create Nova Academy, a learning platform that allows you to deepen your knowledge of a wide range of subjects from different fields.
Nova Academy is a response to the goal set by the European Higher Education Area – 49 countries that have pledged to work together to foster reforms in higher education and promote lifelong learning. But what exactly does it involve? The website www.nova-academy.be allows users to choose among a broad array of in-service training programmes, postgraduate courses, lectures, study days and micro-credentials in many different fields of study. Earning a micro-credential, for example, means taking two or three university modules that allow you to deepen your knowledge or obtain more background information on a particular topic. And you also get a certificate, of course.
How does it work?
On the website, you can filter the courses on offer by area of interest, type of course, university, language of instruction and start date. Once you have decided to enrol, you go through a short admission procedure and then you’re ready to get started. Tuition fees vary from course to course.
Umbrella organisation
Before its establishment, the three universities that make up Nova Academy were already offering lifelong learning courses. These offerings will now be maintained, but also expanded. Nova Academy will thus function as an overarching umbrella organisation that will make it easier for students to find their way around the wide range of programmes on offer. That way, they can keep track of the latest developments in their fields and even delve into new subjects and areas of interest.
Future-oriented
‘The alliance between Ghent University, UAntwerp and VUB not only opens up new perspectives for higher education in Belgium, but also adds value on an international level’ , says Herman Van Goethem, UAntwerp’s rector. ‘Lifelong learning is both a challenge and an opportunity for future-oriented higher education. This alliance allows us to start working on a policy framework for lifelong learning and also to give shape to the central organisational structure.’
For more information, please visit www.nova-academy.be.
