eucen: Universities Building Pathways, Protecting Trust

The 54th eucen Conference, held in Cork, Ireland © eucen

Europe’s universities face pressure to adapt, from the rise of AI to threats against academic freedom and the spread of degree mills. At the same time, they remain central to trust, knowledge, and lifelong learning. eucen, the European University Continuing Education Network, is the continent’s largest association dedicated to university lifelong learning. 

President Pascal Paschoud discusses opportunities, vulnerabilities and collaboration following the eucen Autumn Seminar 2025 in Barcelona and ahead of the 56th Annual Conference in Cagliari in 2026.

Headquarters: You lead eucen as President while also directing the lifelong learning centre at UNIL-EPFL, the joint continuing education hub of the University of Lausanne and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. How does your roles influence your approach to university lifelong learning in Europe?

Pascal Paschoud (on the right): This dual role is a privilege, as it connects the local realities of university lifelong learning in Switzerland with the wider opportunities and challenges we face across Europe. At UNILEPFL, I am closely involved in the daily running of lifelong learning: designing programmes, supporting teachers and learners, and encouraging collaboration between a comprehensive university and a technical university. I also contribute to discussions at the national level. This hands-on experience constantly reminds me of both the potential and the complexity of putting lifelong learning into practice.

At eucen, I can take these insights into a broader European conversation, where we work to shape policy on University Lifelong Learning. I see how the European Commission, through initiatives like the Union of Skills, is building a framework at EU level, and I observe how challenges may differ from one country to another, as well as the creative solutions our members develop. For me, this dialogue between the local and the European levels is vital, as it ensures eucen’s work stays rooted in university life while bringing new perspectives back to my institution.
 

HQ: eucen’s 55th Annual Conference in Lille and the upcoming Autumn Seminar address lifelong learning from very different angles – one on strategic ecosystems, the other on AI. How do these events help universities exchange ideas and respond to fast-changing contexts?

PP: Our conference and seminar complement each other. The conferences give space for research and strategic reflection, while the Autumn Seminars focus more on practice and immediate challenges for lifelong learning professionals. For example, the Annual Conference in Lille explored lifelong learning as part of wider strategic ecosystems: how universities connect to other stakeholders to contribute to economic development, sustainability, and digitalisation. It was a chance to reflect on higher education’s role in society, and then to see how that vision takes shape inside universities.

This year’s Autumn seminar in Barcelona took a deep dive into AI, addressing immediate opportunities, risks, responsibilities, and concrete university examples.

Together, they form a continuum: from long-term vision to more short-term challenges. In both, the real strength lies in peer exchange. Universities learn best from one another, and eucen provides a trusted space where institutions can share openly, test ideas, and help shape the future of education collectively.
 

 
Cagliari, Sardegna - the 2026 eucen Conference destination 

HQ: The Autumn Seminar on ‘University Lifelong Learning in the Age of AI’ came at a time of rapid disruption. How can universities support staff and students in using AI responsibly, and what priorities does eucen see for embedding it in higher education?

PP: AI is reshaping higher education, and universities must engage thoughtfully, supporting teachers to integrate it, helping students use it critically, and building ethical frameworks for fairness and academic integrity. Adoption must be transparent and equitable, avoiding new divides between learners or institutions.

At eucen, we believe AI should enhance, not replace, learning, and we share practices that balance innovation with responsibility. We see three main priorities: embedding AI responsibly in teaching, learning, administration, and research; ensuring equity of access so that lifelong learning stays inclusive; and keeping education student-centred.

As a network, our role is to nurture dialogue, share good practices, and champion approaches that combine innovation with responsibility.

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HQ: In our previous issue, Dearbháil Lawless of the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA) described adult learning as a democratic act. How does eucen’s partnership with EAEA help build a more inclusive and coherent European lifelong learning space?

PP: Our partnership with EAEA is effective because we share the same values: equity, inclusion, and the belief that learning is a democratic right, while bringing complementary strengths. EAEA works closely with adult education providers rooted in communities, while eucen represents universities. By working together, we show policymakers that lifelong learning is an ecosystem, and that it only works when all sectors are connected.

Universities have a special responsibility in this ecosystem. They are often public institutions with strong credibility, and they must act as open, civic actors, not closed ivory towers. That means creating pathways between formal, non-formal, and informal learning, recognising prior learning, and giving adults real opportunities to access higher education throughout their lives. The power of lifelong learning pathways is that they enable learners to keep building their knowledge and skills, progressing from lower levels of education to higher ones. Strong foundations through adult education can open the door to university, which makes these connections absolutely crucial.

Building a coherent European lifelong learning space is not about competition between sectors. It is about connection, ensuring that community learning and campus-based learning reinforce each other, so that every learner can find their place.
 

HQ: Scandals over false degrees, alongside political interference and the rise of degree mills, have undermined trust in higher education worldwide. How can universities defend academic integrity and ensure credential legitimacy, and what role can networks like eucen play in this effort?

PP: Scandals remind us that trust is the cornerstone of education. When integrity is shaken by fake degrees, interference, or shortcuts, universities and democracy also lose credibility.

Public universities must safeguard that trust through rigorous quality assurance, transparent credentialing, and independence to uphold academic freedom.

Yet universities cannot do this alone. Networks like eucen are essential: we offer a platform to exchange good practices, we advocate at European level for policies that protect institutional independence, and we amplify the collective voice of universities so it is stronger than any single institution.

In today’s climate of doubt and misinformation, universities must remain custodians of credibility, and networks like eucen can stand beside them to make that possible.
 

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HQ: What do you see as the main opportunity, and greatest vulnerability, for university lifelong learning in Europe?

PP: The green, digital and demographic transitions open major opportunities for upskilling and reskilling, and universities are well positioned to respond. EU policies on skills, microcredentials, and the European Education Area also give us a real chance to make lifelong learning a core mission of universities. For learners, this means new pathways into higher education, greater access for those with fewer qualifications, and the chance to continue studies at any stage.

Vulnerabilities are real: universities risk moving too slowly and losing relevance to more agile private providers, and losing relevance if they fail to adapt. Funding remains fragile, many institutions still treat lifelong learning as peripheral, and without proper support, inequalities could deepen.

This is a decisive moment. Europe’s universities can make lifelong learning a true pillar of their mission, but it requires urgency and commitment. If they hesitate, others will fill the gap, and equity, quality, and trust may be the first casualties.

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