Adult learning

Adult Learning and Education (ALE) is essential for societies facing rapid change. Ageing populations, digitalisation, and the green transition demand that adults continuously reskill and upskill. The EU has set a target of 60% participation in adult learning by 2030, yet participation remains far below this level. Expanding opportunities for adults to learn is therefore a priority for competitiveness, innovation, and social cohesion.

Why adult learning matters

More than being seen as a labour market tool, adult learning can be beneficial in numerous ways, as it influences: 

  • Economic resilience: equipping workers with skills for new industries and technologies.
  • Social inclusion: ensuring minorities, migrants, and disadvantaged groups can access learning.
  • Democracy and citizenship: enabling participation, voice, and dignity for all adults.
  • Personal growth: fostering the joy of learning, curiosity, and lifelong engagement.

Key challenges

The ETF’s work and international dialogue highlight recurring challenges across countries:

  • Access and outreach: those most in need of learning often participate least.
  • Fragmentation: responsibilities spread across ministries and institutions can weaken systems.
  • Quality and relevance: teacher training, accreditation, and innovative curricula are vital.
  • Funding: ALE investment remains low, averaging 0.1% of GDP in EU Member States.
  • Recognition of skills: migrants and mobile workers need fair systems to validate competences.

Towards inclusive systems

Adult learning systems must be coordinated, inclusive, and future‑oriented. Effective approaches include:

  • Inter‑ministerial coordination and regional task forces.
  • Partnerships with civil society, chambers of commerce, and employers.
  • Innovative tools such as micro‑credentials and individual learning accounts.
  • Outreach strategies that actively bring learning opportunities to adults where they live and work.
 

The ETF’s role

The European Training Foundation supports partner countries in:

  • Designing policies that make adult learning accessible and inclusive.
  • Sharing evidence and good practices across EU and Neighbourhood countries.
  • Strengthening teacher excellence and innovative learning pathways.
  • Promoting adult learning as a right, a culture, and a driver of human capital development.
 

Adult learning as culture

Adult learning is lifelong, life‑wide, and life‑deep. It is not only about preparing for work but about building societies where learning is a pleasure, a practice, and a shared culture.