The potential of continuous learning, sustainable development and mentoring in adult learning and working life has long been identified. However, the connection between mentoring, continuous learning and sustainability has been limited in research. This study addresses this research gap and answers the question: What are mentors' perceptions of…

Despite communities in emergency situations expressing the desire and need for education beyond schooling to support the learning needs of adults and youth, the focus tends to remain on providing conventional, school-based education for school-aged children. Taking a decolonial approach to interrogating this prioritisation of schooling in…

Education is a human right but one that remains elusive for displaced people and refugees affected by crises and emergencies. Against the background of global commitments to education, lifelong learning policies are essential to ensure self-sufficiency and autonomy for displaced people. While the field of Education in Emergencies (EiE) has…

This article focus on what is and isn't 'new' in the most recent European Union (EU) key policy document for Adult Learning (AL), because it claims (in its own title) that it will constitute a basis for a 'new' agenda. As this document has been much disseminated to Member States, we think it is important to analyse its evidence of the 'new'…

This paper explores the application of the card-sorting interview technique in understanding the complex interplay of motivations and barriers faced by adults engaging in learning. Traditional research methods, whether quantitative or qualitative, often fail to capture these nuanced interactions or to provide scalable insights for policy…

Priority one of the Marrakech Framework for Action (MFA) involves promoting adult learning and education (ALE) within a lifelong learning perspective. This article intends to describe how the MFA places lifelong learning into a new era of ascension that will be transformational towards ALE, sustainable development goals, the world promise of…

In the context of rapid economic, social, and demographic change, fostering equity and inclusion in third level education is a prerequisite for adaptability, social cohesion, and human development. Community-university collaborations demonstrate significant potential to widen participation in Higher Education (HE). In the following article, we…

'Learning the lessons' looks at the history of learning and skills policy, going back to the late 19th century. It is the third report produced as part of our Ambition Skills programme of work, supported by City & Guilds and NOCN, which considers the economic and social case for a higher ambition for learning and skills, and how we can achieve…

The paper examines the influence of cultural capital from one's family of origin on adult participation in education. International research confirms that factors such as education level, professional status, age, and attitudes significantly explain variations in adult learning. To explore inequalities in adult education participation further, the…

Lifelong learning is a key element that helps adults undergo and adapt to different career stages. This study analyzed job service specialists' lifelong learning experience of successfully matching the needs between job seekers and employers. The researchers adopted the qualitative research method and conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews…

This article critically examines the intricate balance between instrumentalism and the pursuit of a comprehensive perspective within higher education. Specifically, the study investigates the experiences of vocational teachers enrolled in a master's program at a Norwegian university, as they grapple with the challenge of reconciling academic…

This book traces the motivational dynamics embedded within lifelong foreign language learning trajectories, examining the factors which generate and sustain motivation throughout a learner's life. Embracing a complexity approach, it views motivation as a long-term individual process that evolves along a narrative continuum, developing over the…

This policy brief highlights the need to transform adult skills development by expanding beyond traditional continuing vocational education and training (CVET) to include workplaces and digital environments supported by frameworks that connect formal, non-formal and informal learning pathways. It stresses the importance of workplaces as lifelong…

Fifty years after its founding, Cedefop reflects on the evolution of vocational education and training (VET) in Europe and presents a renewed vision for the future. While the EU has built strong foundations in initial VET, major challenges persist in adult learning, skill mismatches, and the need to integrate VET more closely with broader…

Responding to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and generative AI, this book unites global scholars and practitioners to examine emerging innovations and challenges in Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) for adult learners. Through eight case studies, the volume examines how WIL programs can better support adult learners by enhancing delivery models,…