This talk was organised by FALNI (Forum for Adult Learning Northern Ireland) as a contribution to the first Belfast Festival of Learning, an initiative arising from the launch in 2015 of Belfast Strategic Partnership’s “Belfast a Learning City” and the Learning Charter for Belfast.

FALNI is a voluntary network of stakeholders in adult learning from across the sectors and exists to increase the profile of adult learning, lobby for recognition and resources and celebrate adult learning achievements. FALNI very much welcomes the Festival of Learning as an important means of demonstrating the breadth of contribution that lifelong learning makes to the social, economic and cultural life and growth of the city of Belfast.

We were delighted that Prof Alan Tuckett was able to come and speak as Alan has been a great champion of lifelong learning throughout his distinguished career both in the UK and internationally. In 1988 he was appointed chief executive of the National Institute of Adult Education and led NIACE for 23 years, where he started Adult Learners’ week, which has spread to 55 countries, and commissioned the independent Inquiry into the Future of Lifelong Learning (published by NIACE in 2009 as Learning Through Life). Alan is currently job-sharing the Chair of Education at the University of Wolverhampton.