Event
Teachers and Educators as Lifelong Learners and as Facilitators of Lifelong Learning
Beyond facilitating the acquisition of knowledge, they help learners develop essential skills and attitudes. To meet the evolving demands of their profession, teachers and educators must continuously develop and improve their knowledge, skills, and practices. They also play a critical role in developing a culture of lifelong learning and improving lifelong learning systems.
Against this backdrop, the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) and Shanghai Normal University (SHNU) have initiated a research project on teachers as lifelong learners and as facilitators of lifelong learning. This initiative aims to reflect and reconceptualize teachers’ roles as lifelong learners throughout their careers and act as facilitators of lifelong learning to support students’ journeys of lifelong learning.
As part of the joint research project UIL and SHNU will host an international workshop in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, from 30 June to 2 July 2025. Held under the theme Teachers and Educators as Lifelong Learners and Facilitators of Lifelong Learning, the workshop will bring together policymakers, academics, researchers, representatives from national and regional governmental and non-governmental organizations, and professional associations.
The event will feature the presentation and discussion of key findings from six national case studies, along with two thematic papers focusing on early childhood care and education (ECCE) and adult education. These discussions will be complemented by a review of the draft Global Synthesis Report. The workshop will also introduce preliminary work on curriculum guidelines, policy recommendations, and training modules aimed at promoting teachers as lifelong learners, with the goal of gathering expert feedback.
Additionally, the workshop will serve as a platform to discuss preparations for the Sixth UNESCO Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE 6). GRALE monitors the implementation of the Marrakech Framework for Action (MFA), which recognizes adult learning and education (ALE) as a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of lifelong learning. During the workshop, UIL will collect expert input on the GRALE 6 survey instruments and guiding documents, and officially launch the data collection process for the report.
Workshop objectives
- Present preliminary findings and recommendations of the Global Synthesis Report “Teachers as Lifelong Learners and Facilitators of Lifelong Learning”.
- Share key findings from six national case studies, and two thematic papers on early childhood care and education and adult educators, to deepen the understanding of how lifelong learning is promoted among all types of teachers and educators across diverse contexts.
- Collect expert feedback, suggestions, and recommendations on defining and further developing draft policy recommendations, curriculum guidelines, monitoring frameworks and respective training modules.
- Present the GRALE 6 thematic and monitoring components and the launch of the GRALE 6 survey process.
Date
30 June – 02 July 2025
Venue
Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
