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Lifelong Learning

The Faure Report, Learning to be, published by UNESCO in 1972, and the Delors Report, Learning: the treasure within, published in 1996, recognise that learning does and should take place throughout life. Providing lifelong learning therefore means integrating learning and living both horizontally – across family, community, study, work, leisure and other areas of life – and vertically, from birth to old age.

Today, lifelong learning continues to be the key organising principle of education and learning systems. There has been a shift from purely educational policies to integrated lifelong and “life-wide” learning policies, embracing non-formal and informal learning, citizenship, social inclusion, employability, personal development and intercultural understanding. As a key to building “knowledge societies”, lifelong learning must first face the challenge of tackling social inequalities and building learning and literate societies from the grassroots. Literacy and basic education are the foundations of learning for everyone.

Through policy dialogue, UIL provides an opportunity for policy-makers, researchers and practitioners to examine educational reforms from a lifelong learning perspective.

As a nodal agency for lifelong learning, UIL collaborates closely with international organisations in implementing lifelong learning strategies in Member States and advocates their inclusion in EFA country plans and agendas. In the area of multilingualism and linguistic policy, UIL conducts research in mother tongue-based multilingual education.

Recognition, validation and accreditation of competencies acquired in different learning settings, including non-formal and informal learning and experience, are an important factor in achieving the broad aims of realising and implementing lifelong learning policy and practice in Member States. Currently, the focus is on establishing an observatory of models and practices for the Africa region, and exchanging national experiences.

Other key areas of work concern technical assistance for Member States; creating synergies between formal and non-formal education in specific areas, such as HIV prevention; promoting lifelong learning strategies for sustainable development; and studying the broader socio-economic impact of lifelong learning in Member States.

The overall objectives of the lifelong learning cluster are:
• To promote knowledge partnerships within the expanding international community of lifelong learning;
• To strengthen UIL further as an international centre and platform for advancing lifelong learning and multi-dimensional best practice research across the world;
• To show-case leading innovations in the area of lifelong learning for active citizenship, labour force development and social integration;
• To create more dynamic forums in which research is combined with practice, each interfacing with and informing the other;
• To share ideas and research insights and promote dialogue and collaboration between regions and between countries.

Contact: Madhu Singh

South-south policy forum on lifelong learning as the key to education for sustainable development "
Communication of the European Commission "Making a European Area of Lifelong Learning a Reality"
Report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century "Learning: The Treasure Within" (1996)
Report of the Education Commission chaired by Edgar Faure, "Learning To Be" (1972)

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