John Field: A gentle giant of adult education

Professor of Lifelong Learning at the University of Stirling, Scotland, John Field also served as expert adviser to various policy bodies, including the UK Government, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and UIL. He was one of the authors of UNESCO’s Fourth Global Report on Adult Learning and Education and acted as ‘critical friend’ to other reports in the series.

John published widely, including on adult learning, social capital, the history of adult education and lifelong learning policy, among many other topics, and contributed to the International Review of Education, as both author and reviewer. Recent publications included a study of British work camps. His ‘Learning Professor’ blog was a valuable source of information and analysis for adult educators and others interested in lifelong learning.

Isabell Kempf, Director of UIL, commented: ‘We are deeply saddened by John Field’s passing. He was highly regarded not only as a scholar but as a human being. His warmth, kindness and good humour will be greatly missed by all who knew him. He was a tremendous supporter of the work of others, creating a legacy that goes well beyond his own published work. 

‘John was also an avowed internationalist who offered expert support to many UIL projects and who was a regular contributor to teaching and research programmes in Germany. We are grateful for all of his time, commitment and generosity over the years. His family is in our thoughts.’