Making LLO Work: From Ambition to Reality
Many educational institutions give Lifelong Learning (LLL) a prominent place in their strategy. But turning LLL from strategy into reality requires more than that. Read how to make LLL work, with leadership, focus, and Ownership at the highest level.
Turner provides its clients with timely, fresh, and relevant insights into their markets and the Strategy Execution challenges they face. In this blog, Nicolai Manie, Turner’s Strategy Execution expert in the Education sector, explains the implications of LLO for Innovation and Strategy Execution.
LLO: From Ambition to Realization
- LLO is a strategic priority at virtually every educational institution, yet a real BREAKTHROUGH often fails to materialize.
- The reason? As long as LLO remains one of the “twenty-five top-three priorities,” it will remain nothing more than an aspiration without implementation.
- LLO requires a different organizational structure than primary education, in terms of governance, processes, and mindset.
- Make LLO a regular agenda item for the Executive Board—not as a project, but as an organizational priority.
- Ownership without a mandate or resources is merely symbolic. Without explicit administrative decisions regarding focus and ownership, nothing will change.
- Organizations that are successful in LLO combine a focused offering with entrepreneurship and a clear Business Model.
Lifelong Learning (LLL) is now on the strategic agenda of virtually every educational institution. But the reality is somewhat different: LLL is often one of the “25 top-three priorities.” (credits to Prof. Mark Levels for this term). Everything is important, but nothing really takes priority. So remains LLO eand a priority on paper, but not in practice. Even though we know that strategy is worthless without execution.
LLO Calls for Decisions
If LLO were truly a priority, various issues would have already been resolved. Instead, many institutions are running into the same obstacles. Here are a few examples:
- Educational logistics do not meet the needs of participants: “We regularly receive requests for courses, modules, or training programs. But when we forward these requests to the faculties, academies, or institutes, the respective administrations tell us that no instructors are available and that non-initial education was not taken into account in the planning.”
- IT and facilities are overburdened. “We’d like to purchase and roll out an app, system, or platform, but our IT management is holding us back. There aren’t enough people available, and they need to focus first on cybersecurity, AI issues, and keeping our current IT infrastructure—which is rather makeshift—up and running.”
- Lack of available and appropriate facilities. “We would like to welcome our LLO participants in a professional environment with facilities that work properly. Our Facilities and Real Estate Department has indicated that it does not have the capacity to do so and, given declining resources, does not intend to seek a solution.”
These challenges are understandable. Each department operates based on its own priorities, resources, and constraints. Without an explicit decision by the board to make LLO a priority—including the necessary resources and mandate—nothing will change. Board-level leadership is therefore not a luxury, but a prerequisite. This requires clear decisions in a balanced change portfolio, with ownership at the highest level. A PSYCHOLOGICAL CHECK-IN is essential in this regard.
From Intention to Execution
Making LLO a strategic priority is not enough. If you want to make LLO work, you need to start by clearly defining the challenge of change. Where does your institution stand? What is your ambition? The LLO Scan Van Turner helps institutions answer these questions and provides insight into where action is needed. Zuyd Professional, part of Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, began using this approach in 2023 and is now considered a leader on several crucial LLO issues, as was evident at the LLO conference of the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences in May 2025. The key: focusing on ambitions and clarifying what implementation requires.
Small Shops and Entrepreneurship
It’s not all doom and gloom. There are already several examples of successful LLO initiatives. These are often the “small shops” next to the big “education factory”: small-scale initiatives with a clear offering and a proven Business Model. Think of Avans+, the Koningsacademie, or UMIO. They know how to cultivate a market, how to choose a sharp positioning, and what is needed organizationally to achieve sustainable implementation—precisely the three themes that Prof. Ron Meyer (TIAS) highlighted at the VH LLO Congress in 2024. Yet within many institutions, the starting point is still: how are we organized? Instead of: what does the market demand, and how can we contribute to that?
LLO is calling for a different organizational structure
LLO calls for a different organizational structure. Board members who expect an LLO director—without a mandate or budget—to make a difference are overestimating the feasibility of this approach. Without leadership and collaboration within the institution, fragmentation and wasted energy will result. As a board, choose a limited number of powerful initiatives with clear objectives and collaboration within strong coalitions, sufficient resources and administrative attention. Only then will it remain manageable and motivating. Especially in times of budget cuts and high workloads.
Make decisions, set guidelines, take ownership
Boards must ask themselves: What do we want to achieve with LLO? Who is responsible for what? How do we structure our organization so that collaboration is rewarded and fragmentation is prevented? This should be a regular agenda item for the board and executive management within the institution. Learning shows that if you try to carry out twenty projects at once, none of them will really get off the ground. A limited number of initiatives—backed by a mandate, resources, and administrative attention—make all the difference. This requires tough choices and clear frameworks, especially in times of scarcity and budget cuts. Without targeted investments, LLO won’t get off the ground. And those who don’t invest now will pay the price later—in terms of relevance, alignment, and appeal. After all, you only get one chance to get it right. This realization has now taken hold at several institutions.
Turner supports educational institutions in turning their LLO ambitions into reality. We offer customized support for Strategy Execution: from initial assessment to implementation. We assist LLO program and project leaders in drafting LLO Catalyst grant proposals and in the actual execution of their LLO strategies. For vocational schools, community colleges, and universities. Want to learn more about our LLO approach? Schedule an appointment.
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