Pictured above, Professor Robert Klassen (left) after signing the agreement to fund Dr Olav Schewe's research project (Dr Schewe is in the centre)
On 5 March, Harris Manchester College hosted a delegation from Regnskap Norge, a trade association for accounting professionals in Norway. The body is funding a postdoctoral research project run by Dr Olav Schewe in conjunction with the College’s Professorial Fellow Robert Klassen.
Dr Schewe’s project, which focuses on lifelong learning at a time of increasing automation, aligns closely with Harris Manchester’s own mission to support and promote later-life education as the University of Oxford’s only college dedicated to mature students.
Entitled Developing Lifelong Learners for an Automated Future, Dr Schewe’s research aims to investigate the mindsets, motivational factors and learning strategies that support successful upskilling amid the rapid roll-out of generative artificial intelligence, as well as exploring the forms of digital learning resources that make such upskilling more effective and scalable.
Dr Schewe, who is the author of two books on effective learning strategies, will be based at the University of Oxford’s Centre on Skills, Knowledge, and Organisational Performance (SKOPE).
Professor Klassen, who also holds the University’s Chair in Education post, commented: “This project with Regnskap Norge speaks directly to Harris Manchester’s mission. As automation reshapes professional life, more adults will need to return to learning, rethink their skills, and adapt with confidence. Our college has long championed the idea that it is never too late to study, and this research explores how institutions and workplaces can better support that lifelong journey. We look forward to the next two years of collaboration.”
