eucen visits Sunderland for its first SAMUELE piloting visit
On 26 June, eucen had the opportunity to visit the University of Sunderland to observe one of the first institutional piloting sessions of the SAMUELE Self-Assessment Model, hosted by Professor Gary Husband.
The Self-Assessment Model is one of the key outputs being developed within the SAMUELE project. It is designed to help universities reflect on how University Lifelong Learning (ULLL) is organised, recognised and embedded within their institutions, while identifying strengths, challenges and opportunities for further development.
The University of Sunderland has adopted a particularly thoughtful approach to the piloting process by organising three separate workshops rather than a single session. This will allow participants to engage with the model, reflect on the outcomes between meetings and progressively refine their institutional assessment. It is an excellent example of how meaningful organisational reflection benefits from time, dialogue and continuous improvement.
The first workshop brought together colleagues from across the university who openly discussed the current state of lifelong learning within the University of Sunderland. The session demonstrated a high level of engagement, with participants sharing perspectives from different parts of the university and collectively exploring how institutional practices could be further strengthened. One of the most encouraging aspects of the session was the collaborative atmosphere.
The Self-Assessment Model is not intended as an evaluation or benchmarking exercise, but rather as a structured framework that supports institutional learning. The discussions illustrated how the tool can stimulate dialogue across departments, encourage shared ownership of lifelong learning strategies and help institutions identify practical actions for future development.
The University of Sunderland is one of 18 higher education institutions across Europe participating in the piloting phase of the Self-Assessment Model. The feedback collected through these pilots will play a crucial role in refining the tool before its final release, ensuring that it is both practical and relevant for universities operating in diverse national and institutional contexts.
We would like to thank Professor Gary Husband and all colleagues at the University of Sunderland for their warm welcome, their openness and their active contribution to the SAMUELE project. Their commitment to reflecting critically on institutional practice exemplifies the collaborative spirit that underpins both the project and the wider European University Lifelong Learning community.
We look forward to following the next stages of Sunderland’s piloting process and to sharing further insights as the remaining pilot institutions complete their own self-assessment journeys.