Lifelong learning
The scale of current economic and social change, the rapid transition to a knowledge-based society and demographic pressures resulting from an ageing population in Europe are all challenges which demand a new approach to education and training, within the framework of lifelong learning.
In the context of these challenges, lifelong learning was given a high priority at the Council meetings of Lisbon and Stockholm, and the Communication responds to the specific mandate of the Feira European Council.
Lifelong learning is defined in the Communication as "all learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competence, within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective."
Lifelong learning is therefore about:
acquiring and updating all kinds of abilities, interests, knowledge and qualifications
from the pre-school years to post-retirement. It promotes the development of
knowledge and competences that will enable each citizen to adapt to the knowledge-based
society and actively participate in all spheres of social and economic life,
taking more control of his or her future.
valuing all forms of learning, including: formal learning, such as a degree
course followed at university; non-formal learning, such as vocational skills
acquired at the workplace; and informal learning, such as inter-generational
learning, for example where parents learn to use ICT through their children,
or learning how to play an instrument together with friends.
Learning opportunities should be available to all citizens on an ongoing basis.
In practice this should mean that citizens each have individual learning pathways,
suitable to their needs and interests at all stages of their lives. The content
of learning, the way learning is accessed, and where it takes place may vary
depending on the learner and their learning requirements.
Lifelong learning is also about providing "second chances" to update basic skills and also offering learning opportunities at more advanced levels. All this means that formal systems of provision need to become much more open and flexible, so that such opportunities can truly be tailored to the needs of the learner, or indeed the potential learner.
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