Positioning Lifelong Learning in the Post-2015 Development Agenda

In collaboration with the German Association for Adult Education – dvv International – UIL hosted its second Think Tank meeting on Lifelong Learning: Positioning Lifelong Learning in the Post-2015 Development Agenda at its premises in Hamburg from 12–13 December 2013. The overall aim of the meeting was to clarify the concept of lifelong learning and seek key stakeholders’ advice on positioning lifelong learning more saliently in the post-2015 universal, sustainable development agenda. Seventeen high level experts in the field of lifelong learning from all regions of the world, representing UNESCO Member States, UNICEF, WHO, World Bank Youth and non-governmental organisations, participated in the meeting.

The education goal in the post-2015 agenda is so far titled Quality Education and Lifelong Learning. This target will be taken strongly forward in the coming months by UIL and partner organisations.  As lifelong learning is linked to and contributes to other targets of the development agenda, the participants pointed out that lifelong learning  is not limited to education, but  is linked to issues including health, employment, poverty reduction, and sustainable development. In national lifelong learning policies, attention should not only be paid to formal learning, but also non-formal and informal learning. The meeting also discussed a technical note on lifelong learning prepared by UIL. It will be revised based on the input received from participants and will be part of UNESCO’s series of technical notes. The meeting emphasized the importance of strong partnerships between international organizations, governmental and non-governmental organisations, and the private sector, in moving the lifelong learning agenda forward. 

Links:

http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/ED/ED_new/pdf/UNESCOConceptNotePost2015_ENG.pdf

http://www.post2015hlp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/UN-Report.pdf