Our knowledge-based society and the digital revolution have made the continuous updating and expansion of knowledge, skills, competences and/or qualifications an absolute necessity. Lifelong learning is a concept that takes this reality into account. It includes all forms of learning over the course of one’s life that bring about such enhancements on a personal, social and/or professional level.
Much of this learning takes place in non-formal (e.g. continuing education and training) or informal (e.g. work situations) contexts. Our research focuses on how and under what conditions adults of all generations as well as adolescents learn in different contexts and what role their experience plays in the process. One particular challenge is to identify, formalise and recognise the prior experiential learning outcomes that individuals have acquired so that these can officially be taken into account.
