Harnessing the transformational power of lifelong learning for a more equitable world

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

The overall picture of wealth, income, environmental, gender and other dimensions of inequality offers cause for concern because of wide disparities between but also within countries. The great attention and efforts to obtain more data on the topic in recent years have revealed significant inequality in growth rates between the top and bottom of the income and wealth distribution (Chancel et al., 2022). These inequalities translate into socio-economic disparities in opportunities that are visible in every aspect of life. Moreover, global trends - such as environmental degradation and climate change, global migration, digitalisation and demographic changes – and most recently the Covid19 pandemic only exacerbate them. Particularly at risk of being left behind are those already disadvantaged and vulnerable, among them women, refugees and migrants, indigenous peoples, older persons, people with disabilities and children. To address these gaps and contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 10, calling on countries to “Reduce inequality within and among countries”, concerted actions are needed.
Education contributes to reducing inequality. It is often presented as a remedy to anticipate, understand, and cope with both the enormous potential and the growing risks, uncertainties, and disruptions of global trends and to build a more equitable world. The World Inequality Report 2022 (Chancel et al., 2022) explicitly calls for investments in education, along with health and the ecological transition, to tackle global inequality. As the core of lifelong learning, adult learning and Education (ALE) in particular, is assumed to reduce inequalities by providing second chances to those previously left behind. Accordingly, it remains high on the political agenda and is seen as an important social policy instrument. Most recently, the importance of ALE was reaffirmed during the seventh International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VII) (UILc, 2022), where Member States committed to progress in implementing ALE until 2030 and beyond. At the same time, there is a risk that ALE does not reduce existing inequalities but reinforces them. This is the case when the most advantaged benefit most from it, while those who need it most cannot access educational opportunities (Kosyakova & Bills, 2021). This tension requires two approaches: on the one hand, a consistent focus on equitable access, and on the other hand, more data and evidence on adult learning and education to better understand whether it reinforces or diminishes existing inequalities.
UNESCO’s Fifth Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE 5) that those who need adult education the most –such as indigenous learners, rural populations, migrants, older citizens, people with disabilities or prisoners – are deprived of access to learning opportunities (UILb, 2022). Moreover, gender imbalance in education persists, despite significant progress in the last decades. It is therefore insufficient to look at inequality, without considering its different dimensions. For example, while women's participation in ALE has increased, gender gaps persist in some parts of the world, requiring special attention to women's needs. Migrants and refugees are particularly vulnerable and often lack access to education. Mobility also brings a number of challenges associated with ALE, including recognition of prior learning and degree transferability. ALE also plays an important role in social and community life through its impact on active citizenship. A lack of ALE therefore hinders the ability to develop a political voice and a sense of participation. Finally, an increasingly important dimension of inequality is technology. While digital technologies offer great opportunities for making ALE more flexible and democratizing, they also pose risks in terms of access and use. These examples show that it is not enough to make ALE offerings available; they must also be accessible, gender-sensitive, and relevant to a broad spectrum of the population.
This panel aims to discuss the role of lifelong learning and adult learning and education for addressing global inequalities and promoting social justice and come up with concrete suggestions for the way forward. The foundation for the discussion is laid by presenting key data from the fifth Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE 5), which was released in June 2022, and the main outcomes of the seventh International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VII) held in June 2022. This will be followed by a panel discussion with experts who will share their expertise and latest research on ALE and inequalities, on one dimension of inequality - namely gender, migration, technology and citizenship – and exchange ideas with each other.

Sub Unit

• Inclusive Education SIG

Chair

• Cindy Hanson, University of Regina

Individual Presentations

• Can lifelong learning reshape life chances? - Karen M. Evans, University College London (UCL)

• Reducing gender inequalities: An exploration of global citizenship education using critical adult learning approaches - Cindy Hanson, University of Regina

Discussants

• Aaron Benavot, University at Albany-State University of New York

• Shibao Guo, Werklund School Of Education