Learning and the Society

Global awareness and responsibility, as literacies, including environmental and sustainability issues, are important international dimensions of which any learner should be aware. A 21st century education needs to prepare learners to recognise their roles and responsibilities as members of the global society. Reflective and critical analysis of one's own local life, values and attitudes and its contrastive analysis with the global contexts of others, build towards a global society where there can be equal access to learning for all.

New research is required in order to meet the challenges that developments in the society pose to individuals' and organisations' learning needs. Maintaining the capabilities of an aging population, promoting and facilitating learning of different learners in different stages of their lives, is a major challenge for research and for the society. Particularly significant groups are aging learners, individuals with learning difficulties as well as individuals and communities with different cultural backgrounds.

Research focuses under this theme include:

   • changes in society and nature of work
   • competence building
   • knowledge management
   • social innovations
   • access to learning
   • inclusion, exclusion

Click here for theme-related links