Drawing on the experience of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, this document identifies effective adult education policies and practices. The following are among the topics discussed: (1) issues in adult learning and why adult learning is important; (2) patterns of participation and provision (the supply of adult education; trends, needs, and priorities); (3) country policies and practices (the diverse objectives for public intervention in adult learning; country policy approaches to adult learning; features of policy design and implementation); (4) strengthening the incentives and motivation for adults to learn (the challenge of covering learning needs; employment-related training; public training programs); (5) improving the delivery of learning to adults (learning methods specific to adults; appropriate delivery mechanisms); (6) promoting better integration of supply and demand; and (7) desirable features of adult learning systems (the increasing policy relevance of adult learning; improving equity and efficiency in provision; key features of an integrated approach to adult learning policies). (Thirty-five tables/figures are included. The chapter bibliographies contain a total of 163 references. The following items are appended: a discussion of comparable sources of data on adult learning; data for figures; lists of coordinators and review team members; country codes used in the tables and charts; and a list of acronyms.) (MN)