Beschreibung
For the European Union, lifelong learning has become a means of achieving
both competitiveness and social cohesion in an increasingly
knowledge-based and globalised economy. Though the concept of lifelong
learning is not new, it now coincides with a period of rapid EU expansion.
The research project the book is based on examines how lifelong learning
is understood and operationalised, especially in countries within the area
of the EU’s expansion.
Europe, its policy-makers and peoples, need to know whether lifelong
learning can contribute to the construction of a European identity – and
if so, how. The research points to the importance of diverse national
contexts, which suggests a single model of lifelong learning across the EU
is unlikely to be achieved. While the EU may encourage a common policy,
and this may generate significant national policy developments, these will
be strongly influenced by national context: institutional, political,
social, ideological. Many countries will continue – consciously or
unconsciously – to ‘`pick and choose” between different EU priorities.
