Renewing the social contract for education is the central call of the "Reimagining Our Futures Together: A New Social Contract for Education" report from the International Commission on the Futures of Education. The International Commission outlines two foundational principles for such renewal: an expanded vision of the right to…

In the framework of European countries' cooperation on VET and lifelong learning, Cedefop monitors, analyses and reports on countries' priorities and activities. Cedefop's role in the process is pivotal: it gathers the necessary national information through its network of expertise spanning all EU Member States, Iceland and Norway, ReferNet, and…

With the rising costs of participating in higher education; uncertain economies buffeted by technological, structural, and political forces; and shifting perceptions of the usefulness of credentials once obtained, the purpose of college has become a popular topic for everything from sound bites and screeds to serious studies. In our contemporary…

This article, which draws on a review of primary and secondary literature, examines the role of a human rights-based approach to adult learning and education (ALE) in the context of the global Education 2030 agenda, which is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) launched in 2015 by the United Nations. Whereas the Millennium…

The Sustainable Development Agenda is a universal and ambitious agenda that challenges every single country in the world to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 -- and this is why it matters for OECD countries. In this context, Sustainable Development Goal 4 sheds light on education policy issues which were not traditionally included…

The context in which the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) works has changed dramatically since their last Medium-Term Strategy (MTS) in 2014 (see ED619370). New challenges have emerged while old ones have become more acute. These changes have not diminished the need for lifelong learning; just the opposite. There is a need to widen…

This synthesis report summarises the findings of the Cedefop project "The changing nature and role of vocational education and training (VET) in Europe (2016-18)." Research aimed at taking a step back and painting a comprehensive picture of VET developments in Europe, identifying challenges and opportunities. The summary shows that…

Learning throughout life is the driving force for transforming the world to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Many countries and communities regard lifelong learning for all as essential to their education goals and development frameworks. This report is a compendium of country reports on good practice in lifelong learning in…

In this paper, we strive to provide a primer for students on how to thrive and learn effectively in engineering education in the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) times following the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic, which has disrupted the educational enterprise massively with universities physically closing in many parts of…

A quality education is one that best fits the present and future needs of an individual within their current society. Case-based Learning (CBL) is inquiry-based learning which allows self-directed learning, logical reasoning, problem-solving and decision-making. CBL enhances knowledge, teamwork and problem-solving skills; it is used worldwide…

The goal of this paper is to describe what is needed to develop and implement a more robust and effective learning agenda focused on addressing fragility that effectively informs policy decisions. In particular, the paper makes three overarching recommendations: (1) Focus the learning agenda on the "collective wisdom" on supporting peace…

The publication "Global inventory of regional and national qualifications frameworks 2019 -- Volume II: National and regional cases" gathers information on progress in establishing national qualifications frameworks (NQFs), as well as the challenges and success factors in implementation. It shows how countries around the globe are…

COL's mission is to help governments, institutions and organisations expand the scale, efficiency and quality of learning by using appropriate open, distance and technology-based approaches. In 2021-2027, COL will: i) build on its expertise in ODL, OER and TEL to play a more influential role in national policy development and implementation; ii)…

This article reflects on a fairly recent continuing education experience, seeking to identify some general principles for getting the most out of an approach to learning that has objectives which celebrate the acquisition of new knowledge" for its own sake," rather than with a specific end in view, such as the attainment of a…

Despite the ever-growing number of institutions using the e-portfolio, educators do not agree on a common definition of it. The authors of this article define the e-portfolio and explain the unique nature of its use as a tool for documenting and managing one's own learning over a lifetime in ways that foster deep and continuous learning. Jill…