European Projects Join Forces in Professional Learning

More than 50 top research institutes and companies join forces to advance research and application of technology enhanced learning in companies and continuing education. The new Professional Learning Cluster PRO-LC bundles the work of four major European projects (the PROLEARN Network of Excellence and the Integrated Projects PROLIX, TENCompetence and APOSDLE) as well as several Specific Targeted Research Projects such as COOPER and iCAMP. The projects are funded through the 6th framework programme of the EC/IST unit on Learning and Cultural Heritage with a joint budget of more than 50 Million Euro. Initiated by the PROLEARN Network of Excellence, the cluster members focus on integrating technology enhanced learning, knowledge management and business process management in professional learning environments. PROLIX will provide solutions for the modular combination of eLearning environments with business process modelling tools, TENCompentence will support lifelong competence development of individuals, teams and organisations by developing a service-based and open source European infrastructure. APOSDLE will enhance knowledge worker productivity by supporting informal learning activities in the context of knowledge workers' everyday work processes and within their computational work environments.

Prof. Wolfgang Nejdl, coordinator of PROLEARN and director of the L3S research center, stresses the need for integration: “European companies need to consolidate technology enhanced learning solutions and integrate them with the rest of their IT and business process infrastructures. The PROLC cluster projects will give Europe a competitive advantage in this important area.” PRO-LC will serve as one stop shop for information, competencies and solutions for Europe's companies and research organisations in the emerging field of Technology Enhanced (Professional) Learning.

The PRO-LC Cluster will facilitate and strengthen the close cooperation between all involved research institutes and companies, enable sharing of results and infrastructures, and identify emerging research issues in technology enhanced learning relevant for future initiatives and programs. PRO-LC member will jointly work on European and world-wide standardization efforts, e.g. at CEN/ISSS and IEEE standardisation bodies. In October 2006, the First European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning will take place on the island of Crete, Greece, supported by the cluster.