THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN LIFELONG LEARNING OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROFESSIONALS: UNIVERSITY EXTENSION COURSE ON BIO-REMEDIATION OF INDUSTRIAL POLLUTANTS

Resumen

Lifelong learning refers to the continuous, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge and skills throughout one's entire life. It goes beyond formal education and occurs at various stages and in diverse settings, including both structured and informal learning environments. The concept of lifelong learning acknowledges that learning is not confined to a specific period of life or a particular institution but is an ongoing and integral part of personal and professional development. Indeed, the importance of lifelong learning is more pronounced than ever in today's rapidly changing and dynamic world (UNESCO, 2023).Universities and higher education institutions employ various tools and approaches to offer lifelong learning activities. The goal is to provide flexible, accessible, and diverse learning opportunities that cater to the needs of individuals throughout their lives. One of these tools, are Short Courses and Certificates: Universities design short courses and certificate programs to address specific skills or knowledge areas, providing targeted professional development opportunities for lifelong learners (UNESCO, 2023). In Spain these courses are called as well University Extension Courses.Universities should not only provide formal education in the form of undergraduate and graduate programs but also offer short-duration courses that address specific educational needs within society or a particular professional sector. In addition, now more than ever, sustainability is of paramount importance. Professionals dedicated to environmental protection should have the opportunity to continually learn and stay up-to-date of new decontamination methodologies throughout their entire lives (UN, 2008). This diverse and cross-disciplinary group of professionals includes chemical engineers, environmental science graduates, civil engineers, and others.This paper introduces a case study involving the implementation of a training course on the latest technologies for bioremediation of industrial pollutants. The course is designed for graduates and senior students in Environmental Sciences and Industrial Chemical Engineering. Upon identifying this training need, in response to this society, the research group on Water Treatment and Reuse of Universidad de La Laguna organized a 1 ECTS course on the bioremediation of industrial contaminants. The course was delivered by a Chemical Engineer, expert in the field, currently working as a postdoctoral researcher in Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB), Spain.Finally, 20 graduates and senior students from Environmental Sciences and Industrial Chemical Engineering programs enrolled in the course. An assessment of the acquired knowledge and an evaluation of the satisfaction of the participating students and graduates were conducted. The overall satisfaction level with various aspects of the training course was found to be very high. Additionally, differences in satisfaction levels among students and graduates from the two mentioned programs were analyzed.