Lifelong learning
As its name suggests, lifelong learning is based on integrating learning and life. It includes learning activities for people of every age, in all contexts (family, school, community, workplace, etc.) and using different modalities (formal and informal education), which together respond to a wide range of learning-related needs and demands.
Today, lifelong learning is at the center of international debate, since it is part of the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 4, which urges countries to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”
This form of learning has been named as a priority at the regional level. In the Buenos Aires Declaration (2017), emanating from the Regional Meeting of Education Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean, the ministers recognized the importance of the educational targets of SDG 4, which address education and lifelong learning. At the same time, the road map for monitoring the commitments made at that meeting established lifelong learning as one of four priority themes for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Core work themes:
- Strengthen lifelong learning from a regional standpoint, as a framework for holistically addressing the education process and learning in the 21st century.
- Make progress on implementing lifelong learning as an organizing principle for transforming the education systems of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Events
International Literacy Day 2018
8 September
Regional Meeting: Learning to Live Sustainably in Cities in Latin America and the Caribbean
26 April 2017 to 28 April 2017. Villa María, Argentina
Launch of the Portuguese version of the 3rd Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE III) in Latin America and the Caribbean
15 February 2017
Experts' Meeting of Latin America and the Caribbean: Literacy and Youth and Adult Education
“Literacy and Sustainable Societies: translating the ‘2030 Vision of Literacy’ into action in Latin American and the Caribbean”
26-27 November 2015. Montevideo, Uruguay
Final report (PDF) - spa
- Collection of Lifelong Learning Policies and Strategies
UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) - Global Conference on Literacy Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of International Literacy Day (2016)
- Report on the 2nd International Conference on Learning Cities (2016)
- Self-construction and Social Transformation: Lifelong, Lifewide and Life-deep Learning (2016)
- Youth Driving Community Education: Testimonies of Empowerment from Latin America (2016)
- Harnessing the Potential of ICTs (2016)
Literacy and Numeracy Programmes Using Radio, TV, Mobile Phones, Tablets and Computers - Final report (PDF) Experts' Meeting of Latin America and the Caribbean: Literacy and Youth and Adult Education (Montevideo, Uruguay, November 2015)
- Teaching and learning: Achieving quality for all. Focus on Latin America and the Caribbean (2014)
- Global Forum on Skills for Work and Life: post 2015. Global forum report. 14-16 October 2014, Bonn, Germany
- Strategic approaches on the use of TICS in education in Latin America and the Caribbean (2013)
- Alfabetización y Educación. Lecciones desde la práctica innovadora en América Latina y el Caribe (2013)
- Upper secondary education and vocational education. Challenges of integration (2013)
- The Social and Economic Impact of Illiteracy. Analytical Model and Pilot Study (2010)
Related publications | UNESCO Santiago publications | UNESDOC
-
UNESCO International Literacy Prize 2015 - Chile