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'…

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…

American music educators in the 1990s were confronted with several challenges: quickly advancing technology, reductions in support for arts in schools, and increased commitment to large-scale assessments by policy makers. Add to that several curriculum changes, especially a movement toward the individualization of classroom planning, expanding…

The democratic welfare government is not only interested in creating educational institutions as infrastructure for education for all, but is also equally keen on quality-oriented, even-handed, and equitable education. In fact, the focus of the Global Agenda SDG 4 is to raise the standard of living and quality of life by ensuring quality and…

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…

European policy-making in vocational education and training (VET) needs to be supported by sound evidence. In this report, Cedefop has selected a set of 36 indicators to quantify some key aspects of VET and lifelong learning. The selection was based on the indicators' policy relevance and their importance in achieving the Europe 2020 objectives.…

In the context of educational globalization and increasing dominance of supranational organizations in educational governance, least developed countries (LDCs) have faced a new level of tension about whether their educational policies should follow the global educational models or seek solutions of their multifarious problems by promoting local…

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…

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)…

The OECD Survey of Adult Skills is the jewel in the crown of its Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). This paper argues that the findings and policy lessons from the project to date justify the high hopes which were placed in PIAAC when detailed planning for the project began in 2003. First, it presents a brief…

The importance of lifelong learning has been recognized for many years and consequently many countries, disregarding their geographical location, differences in education systems and traditions, have adopted their lifelong learning policies to develop the lifelong learning system. The goal of the present comparative research is to study the…

Nations are tasked with expanding education, increasing its accessibility and quality to develop skilled labour forces needed to compete in the global world. Every nation is under pressure to strive to give their learners an opportunity to explore their potential to achieve the national and global educational goals. In learning, language and…

This paper presents preliminary findings of an extensive socio-legal research project, currently in progress, concerning the implementation of the European Union and the Greek institutional framework on lifelong learning (LLL) and exploring the social effectiveness of LLL policy. The main outcomes, based on testing two research hypotheses through…