The Context

Lifelong learning approaches education and training to include the organized activities that go on within formal educational institutions (e.g. a degree course followed at university) and beyond that both non-formal learning (e.g. vocational skills learned in the workplace) and informal learning (e.g. learning to use ICT on a personal computer at home) i.e. it includes all deliberate forms of self-directed or collective learning. Lifelong learning seeks to understand and promote the relations between the formal, non-formal and informal education, and addresses all learning activities (knowledge, skills and competences) undertaken through life.

Lifelong learning seeks to promote opportunities for all to update their skills, abilities, interests, knowledge and qualifications, and pursue learning opportunities at more advanced levels. Consequently, it requires more flexible formal systems of educational provision to allow provision to be better tailored to the needs of the individual learner.

What role does FACE Play?

FACE provides a network and a forum for discussion for practitioners and policy makers. Research, best practice and experience can be shared at FACE seminars and through workshops or papers at the FACE Annual Conference or electronically through the network.