{"685588":{"#nid":"685588","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Symposium Charts the Future of Lifetime Learning","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2025 Lifetime Learning Symposium Opens at Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe 2025 \u003Cem\u003ELifetime Learning Symposium\u003C\/em\u003E opened Monday at Georgia Tech with a forward-looking message: continuous learning is essential for everyone in the 21st century, which calls for reshaping the structure of education to meet the great social, economic and technological changes of the times.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn his keynote, Bill Gaudelli, dean of Georgia Tech\u2019s College of Lifetime Learning, positioned lifetime learning as a strategic, interdisciplinary field that connects K\u201312, higher education and workforce development with the shared goal of lifelong access to meaningful learning.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe challenged an audience of educators, policymakers and industry leaders to consider three key questions: What is learning vs. education? What\u2019s broken in the current system? And what is emerging?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHow do we adopt the mindset of a learning society, where everyone is engaged in learning from all points of experience?\u201d Gaudelli asked. He contrasted this with the traditional model of a \u201clearned society,\u201d where an often elite group completes formal education.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe cited several challenges to the current system, including rapid technological change, an aging population and a new generation demanding flexible, responsive learning. These pressures, he said, contribute to low public trust in higher education and underemployment post-graduation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur value proposition is meeting society\u2019s needs in a way that\u2019s timely, resilient and adaptable for learners in all contexts,\u201d Gaudelli said. \u201cWe\u2019re seeking partners across institutions to support this goal.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGaudelli highlighted education models from around the world, from experiential learning in Thailand that emphasizes social values to Georgia Tech\u2019s new Flexstack program, which offers online, live technical instruction with stackable courses that learners select.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA panel of state and Georgia Tech leaders discussed the university\u2019s Rural Computer Science Initiative, \u0026nbsp;a partnership between government, schools and the university which has served about 15,000 K\u201312 students and supported teachers in 50 rural Georgia counties since 2022.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA second panel of industry and state leaders explored the risks and potential of digital credentials as alternatives to traditional degrees.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe symposium continues Tuesday and Wednesday, with sessions focused on expanding affordability, strengthening credential pathways and designing lifelong learning systems.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe 2025 Lifetime Learning Symposium opened at Georgia Tech with a call to reimagine education as a lifelong pursuit rather than a stage of life. Dean Bill Gaudelli of the College of Lifetime Learning challenged participants to move from a \u201clearned society\u201d to a \u201clearning society,\u201d connecting K\u201312, higher education, and workforce development into one adaptive ecosystem. The symposium\u2019s sessions highlight global models, flexible credentials, and collaborative innovations that prepare learners and institutions for a century defined by change.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Educators, policymakers, and industry leaders gathered at Georgia Tech to explore how continuous learning can reshape education systems for a rapidly changing world."}],"uid":"36756","created_gmt":"2025-10-08 00:11:03","changed_gmt":"2025-10-08 00:11:39","author":"jalderman3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"660375","name":"Lifetime Learning"}],"categories":[{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"},{"id":"194612","name":"Workforce Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"193940","name":"college of lifetime learning"},{"id":"191429","name":"lifetime learning"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}