From a Curriculum that Integrates Work to a Curriculum that Integrates Life: Changing a University's Conceptions of Curriculum

Bringing about significant change in a mature and successful work-integrated learning (WIL) scheme is quite a difficult thing to accomplish. The University of Surrey, which has a long established WIL scheme based on year-long professional training work placements, has embarked on a programme of research and development aimed at adapting and enhancing its WIL model for learning by adopting a life-wide concept of learning and curriculum. The intention is to develop a new University Award through which an individual's life-wide learning enterprise can be encouraged, supported, valued and publicly recognized. This paper describes the concepts that are intended to inspire change and the initial steps to try to turn a good educational idea into new organizational practices. (Contains 3 figures and 13 notes.)