Learning for all

Adult learning covers:

• formal, non-formal and informal learning for improving basics skills, obtaining new qualifications, up-skilling or re-skilling for employment
• participating in social, cultural, artistic and societal learning for personal development and fulfilment

As regards age, it refers to all learning undertaken by adults after they have left their initial education and training.

Adult learning - challenges

The economic crisis, the need for new skills and the demographic changes facing Europe have highlighted the key role of adult learning in lifelong learning strategies and as part of the policies for competitiveness and employability, social inclusion, active citizenship.

However, the potential of adult learning has not been yet fully exploited: participation in lifelong learning varies greatly and is unsatisfactory in many EU countries, and well below the EU target for average participation in lifelong learning (15% by 2020 for adults aged 25-64). In 2011, average participation was 8.9%.

The participation rates vary significantly between EU countries: from 1.2% - 32.3% (2011). The overall trend is negative. In 2011, only six EU countries had reached or exceeded the target participation rate. Participation also decreases substantially in the case of low-skilled and older adults.

EU policy and action

The EU Commission supports EU countries policy developments by:

• publishing indicators and data on the current situation in member countries and on their progress towards the targets agreed by the Council ("benchmarks")
• facilitating exchange of good practice and peer learning on policies within the Education and Training 2020 work programme
• supporting projects through the Grundtvig programme for adult learning
• commissioning studies which bring evidence and data to support more effective policies
• coordinating a network of national coordinators [124 KB] nominated by EU countries, tasked with promoting adult learning in their countries

See also

• European Agenda for adult learning and recent policy developments
• Priority areas for European cooperation on adult learning
• EU studies and reports on adult learning