Lab for Lifelong Learning at Tsinghua University (TULLL) Inaugurated

A Lab for Lifelong Learning at Tsinghua University (TULLL) was inaugurated on April 19 at the Lee Shau-Kee Science and Technology Building, by Vice President of Tsinghua University Yang Bin, and Hanne Rasmussen, CEO of the LEGO Foundation.

The Lab aims to become an international teaching and research center, developing in-depth research and innovation on theory as well as techniques of innovative pedagogies. It will also create tools and platforms better serving exploration and tactile learning for students.

Vice President Yang and CEO Rasmussen gave an opening speech at the inauguration. Deputy Head of Mission of the Royal Danish Embassy in Beijing, Lars Bo Larsen also offered his congratulations for the opening of the new lab at the ceremony.

After the opening ceremony, a panel was held to discuss supporting innovative pedagogies and looking into the future.

The mission of TULLL is to explore innovative pedagogies through mixed-age and cross-disciplinary learning activities, focusing on creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving capabilities.

Vice President Yang, along with CEO Rasmussen and other guests, visited the Lab on Tuesday and looked at the curricula for three age groups: early learners group (8-10 years old), middle learners group (12-14 years old), and undergraduate group (19-21 years old). Their tour was guided and introduced by Xu Yingqing, the Director of TULLL.

TULLL will build itself into an international cooperation center, where Chinese students can communicate with companions from different regions, understanding differences among various cultures and thinking modes.

The LEGO Foundation will share its experiences from other international projects and partners, supporting agenda advancement, and will extend the expansion of TULLL’s research. It has already collaborated with MIT Media Lab and the University of Cambridge, progressing at the front of the field of innovative pedagogies.

TULLL is accessible to students from all specialties for learning through practice platforms such as LEGO robots. With TULLL, not only can students master primary skills of robot programming, but they can also develop creative concept prototypes of innovative products.

TULLL's program affords students the opportunity to integrate design, art, science, technology, and even project management into practice, helping to train the comprehensive abilities of students.

Tsinghua University has been collaborating with the LEGO Foundation for three years. Their cooperation is based on the shared value that the innovation of education systems will benefit society greatly. During the cooperation, the two sides have together founded innovative learning workshops.

TULLL was co-founded by the Academy of Arts & Design, the Fundamental Industry Training Center (iCenter), and the Institute of Education at Tsinghua University. It is supported by the LEGO Foundation, and Tsinghua University Education Foundation (donated by Tsinghua University's alumna Ms. Huang Xia-Fei).

(From Office of Global Communications and Outreach)