After looking at today’s demographic situation, this paper will attempt to demonstrate the need for lifelong learning. It will briefly review the current world situation in terms of ageing, health, poverty and hunger, urbanisation and migration. It will then show that lifelong learning, in particular when conceived as an overarching sector-wide approach, can enable individuals to meet the challenges in their private lives and in social and work environments in today’s fast-changing world. The importance of literacy and adult learning and education – as the foundation and major component of lifelong learning – will be underlined.

Schlagworte
livelong learning, adult education, key competences