Detailed CONFINTEA VII Programme

Press conference

• Room: Benguerir

• His Majesty, Mohammed VI, King of Morocco
• Ms Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General
• Mr QU Dongyu, Director-General, Food and Agricultural Organization
• H.E. Mr Victor Godoy Veiga, Minister of Education of the Federative Republic of Brazil
• H.E. Ms Sahle-Work Zewde, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Chair of the International Commission on the Futures of Education
• Film about adult learning and education by the host country

• Conference Objectives and Procedures
• Adoption of the Revised Provisional Agenda
• Election of the President of the Conference
• Adoption of the Rules of Procedure of the International Conference on Adult Education
• Election of the Vice-Presidents of the Conference, the Rapporteur-General, the President and the Vice-Presidents of the Commission, and Composition of the Drafting Committee
• Presentation of the organization of the work of the Conference (guidelines)

15 June 2022, 13:15 – 14:45 (GMT+1)

This session will present and launch the fifth Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE 5). Key insights from 12 years of the GRALE will contextualize the findings of GRALE 5, which addresses the role of citizenship education in adult learning and education (ALE) in UNESCO Member States, as well as trends in the development of ALE and actions to realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

 

The panel addresses the following key aspects:

• Assessing progress in ALE against the Belém Framework for Action (BFA) since 2009;
• Illustrating examples of innovation and good practice in ALE;
• Presenting trends and future perspective in light of the evolving relevance of AThe Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE) provides a comprehensive picture of the state of adult learning and education (ALE) around the world. 

GRALE monitors how well UNESCO Member States are putting their international adult learning and education commitments into practice. The reports combine survey data, policy analysis and case studies to provide policy-makers and practitioners with recommendations and examples of good practice. They present evidence on how ALE can help countries to address current and future objectives, including those of the Sustainable Development Goals. Published since 2009, GRALE serves to track and analyse progress in adult learning and education against the five areas of action identified in the Belém Framework for Action (BFA): policy, governance, financing, participation and quality. Since GRALE 4, the report also monitors implementation of the Recommendation on Adult Education (RALE), which analyses ALE provision against three fields of learning and skills: literacy and basic skills; continuing education and vocational skills; and liberal, popular and community education and citizenship skills.

 

Like the previous reports, GRALE 5 increases awareness of developments in adult learning and education among key stakeholders and secures greater attention from policy-makers. In addition, the report provides an important basis for discussions among the international education community on the continuing yet evolving relevance of adult learning and education for further development.

 

GRALE 5 shows that citizenship education is a key tool in the global response to contemporary challenges. The report provides examples of innovation and good practice, as well as evidence for assessing international progress. 

Moderator

• Ms Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education

Speaker 

• Mr David Atchoarena, Director, UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning

Panelists

• Ms Maria Brown, Minister of Education, Republic of Ecuador
• Ms. Kristina Persdotter, State Secretary, Ministry of Education and Research, Sweden
• Ms Mariatou Kone, Minister of National Education and Literacy, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire 
• Mr Abdellatif Miraoui, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation, Kingdom of Morocco
• Mr Jaime Perczyk, Minister of Education, Argentine Republic
• Ms Kanokwan Vilawan, Deputy Minister of Education, Kingdom of Thailand

Outcomes from the CSO, Youth and Private Sector Forum

• Report from the Private Sector Forum: Mr. Karim Chakib, Vice-President of the Human Capital Commission at CGEM 
• Report from the Youth Forum: Temilade Salami, Environmentalist, Author, Founder of Ecochampions, Member of UNESCO SDG4Youth Network
• Report from CSO Forum: Katarina Popovic, ICAE Secretary-General

15 June 2022, 15:30 -16:45 (GMT+1) 

This session will explore the role of lifelong learning in the new social contract for education developed by the International Commission on the Futures of Education. It investigates the right to education throughout life, identifies practical steps to affirm this right, and examines the process of establishing education and lifelong learning as a common good. Throughout the session, the vital contributions of ALE to lifelong learning and to the new social contract for education will be highlighted. 

 

The panel addresses the following key aspects:

• Affirming the right to education throughout life;
• Establishing lifelong learning as a common good;
• Forging a new social contract to advance sustainable futures.

 The world faces a dual challenge in education and learning today. The first is realizing the unfulfilled commitments to ensure the right to quality education for every child, youth and adult. Despite progress in expanding educational opportunity over the past decades, economically vulnerable and historically excluded communities continue to be denied the right to quality educational opportunity. The fact that two out of five youth in low-income countries continue to have low literacy skills, despite decades of national and international development efforts, reflects the stubborn persistence of broader social and economic inequalities, recently exacerbated by the multifaceted impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.   

The second challenge is to fully realize the transformational potential of education as a route for sustainable collective futures. Continued environmental destruction and climate change is putting the planet in peril while the accelerated technological transformation of the various dimensions of life needs to be better steered to ensure inclusive development and democratic participation. The shifts in the employment landscape resulting from structural changes and digitalization are making the creation of decent human-centred work a central challenge. Each of these emerging disruptions has significant implications for education. In turn, knowledge, learning and education can also help shape sustainable futures. 

It is by actively forging a new social contract that education can be renewed to ensure sustainable futures based on social, economic and environmental justice. The contours of this new social contract for education are framed by the contribution of ALE as a key component of lifelong learning, and its role in rebalancing our relationships with each other, with the planet and with technology.

Opening Remarks:

• Ms Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education
• H.E. Ms Sahle-Work Zewde, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Chair of the International Commission on the Futures of Education  

Keynote speech: 

• Mr António Nóvoa, Professor, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Lisbon, Portugal

Panelists:

• Ms Peggy Hicks, Director, Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division, Office of the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights
• Mr Timothy Ireland, UNESCO Chair in Youth and Adult Education, Federal University of Paraíba, Brazil
• Ms Sylvia Schmelkes, Provost, Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México, and member of the UNESCO Global Independent Expert Group on Universities and the 2030 Agenda

ALE in education policies in relation to SDG 4 and lifelong learning [Hybrid]

• Organizer: Conférence des ministres de l’Éducation des États et Gouvernements de la francophonie (CONFEMEN)
• Description of the workshop: This workshop aims to discuss the key challenges that hinder the development of adult learning and education (ALE) policies and programmes within the African context. It will also consider the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on the world of education in general and in the field of ALE in particular. Participants will explore the extent to which ICTs can improve education systems in terms of knowledge dissemination, access to information, and learning efficiency and quality. The workshop will also provide an opportunity to highlight the potential role ALE can play in fostering gender equality in education and identify mechanisms for establishing bridges between adult non-formal education and formal education. 
• Guiding questions:
  • What are the main barriers to delivering quality ALE programmes?
  • What are the potential challenges or obstacles related to the use of ICTs for ALE?
  • How can ALE promote the education of women and the integration of women into professional environments?
  • What actions should be taken to promote a relevant and effective transition from non-formal to formal education?
• Speakers:
  • Ms Blandine Codjia Agossou, Gender Programme Officer Education, who will participate in this conference on behalf of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Cotonou, Benin 
  • Mr Abdel Rahamane Baba-Moussa, Secretary General, CONFEMEN
  • Ms Koumbou Boly Barry, Head of the Education Sector, Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO)
  • Ms Louisette Renée Thobi Etame Ndedi, Secretary General, Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports of the Francophonie (CONFEJES)
• Moderator:
  • Mr Adama Ouane, Former Administrator of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie [OIF], former Minister of Education of Mali, former Director of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL)
• Language: French
• Room: Rabat

Gender equality in and through adult learning and education [Hybrid]

• Organizer: UNESCO
• Co-organizers: Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE); UN Women
• Description of the workshop: This workshop will: address the key role that adult learning and education (ALE) can play in addressing gender inequalities through learning and skills development and the persistent challenges to achieving gender equity; shed light on the connections between Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 and SDG 5, with a focus on non-formal education for young people and adults; illustrate good practices that are advancing gender equality in ALE policies and programmes; and highlight the impact of gender-transformative ALE on individuals, communities and societies.
• Guiding questions:
  • What does the evidence show about gender inequalities in adult learning and skills?
  • How can we promote gender equality through ALE policies and programmes?
• Speakers:
  • Mr Sardar Umar Alam, Head of Office and Representative to Cambodia, UNESCO Office in Phnom Penh 
  • Ms Darlene Clover, Professor, Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies,  University of Victoria, Canada
  • Ms Nasseneba Touré Diané, Minister for Women, Family and Children, Côte d’Ivoire 
  • Mr James Ensor, Chief Executive Officer, BHP Foundation  
  • Ms Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education 
  • Ms Martha Muhwezi, Executive Director, Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) 
  • Ms Josefina Montalvo Muñoz, Institute of Adult Education, Mexico 
  • Ms María Esther Hernández Pérez, student, entrepreneur and mentor, Mexico 
  • Ms Åsa Regnér, Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director for Policy, Programme, Civil Society and Intergovernmental Support, UN Women
  • Ms Stellah Keihangwe Tumwebaze, Executive Director,  Literacy and Adult Basic Education (LABE), Uganda  
• Moderator: 
  • Ms Elspeth McOmish, Programme Specialist, Gender Equality Division at UNESCO
• Interpretation: English, French and Spanish
• Room: Marrakech

Leading ALE into a lifelong and life-wide perspective: Challenges and lessons for ALE’s governance, redesign and financing [Hybrid]

• Organizer: UNESCO
• Description of the workshop: The aim of this workshop is to identify challenges and share promising practices on positioning adult learning and education (ALE) into broader frameworks of lifelong and life-wide learning ecosystems. Specifically, the workshop will address three aspects: (1) establishing multisectoral and whole-government policy frameworks and governance arrangements, (2) creating multiple and flexible learning pathways for redesigned ALE systems, and (3) increasing funding. Overall, the workshop seeks to acknowledge successful examples of ALE initiatives that have championed lifelong and life-wide learning. 
• Guiding questions:
  • What are the main challenges for developing and designing ALE policies that are integrated into lifelong and life-wide learning systems? 
  • Can you share three tips for ensuring ALE policies are integrated into a whole-government, lifelong and life-wide approach, and for making governance more multisectoral, consultative and participative? 
  • What can we do to engage employers and other social actors in providing multiple and flexible learning pathways?
  • What are the three most important mechanisms that governments or other actors should consider when mainstreaming adult and lifelong learning into national and education budgets and fiscal policies?
• Speakers:
  • Ms Marcela Browne, Education Coordinator, Fundación SES (Sustentabilidad, Educación, Solidaridad), Argentina
  • Dr Sara Ruto, Chief Administrative Secretary, Ministry of Education, Republic of Kenya
  • Ms Philany Phissamay, Deputy Director-General of Non-Formal Education, Ministry of Education and Sports, Lao PDR 
  • Ms Merlin Tatrik, Head of Adult Education, Ministry of Education and Research, Republic of Estonia
• Moderator:
  • Ms Paula Razquin, Programme Specialist, Section of Education Policy, Education Sector, UNESCO
• Interpretation: English, French and Spanish  
• Room: Benguérir

Lifelong learning for recovery and resilience: ALE for resilient responses to current and future challenges [Online]

• Organizer: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Centre for Skills
• Description of the workshop: This workshop aims to shed light on the role of adult learning and education (ALE) programmes in overcoming challenging social and economic conditions and building resilience. A key theme underscoring the workshop will be the importance of robust, cross-comparative indicators. More specifically, the discussions will consider how effectively ALE systems stood up to the obstacles brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and what lessons can be learned for developing future ALE systems that can withstand such challenges. Moreover, the workshop will consider the distributional effects of disruptions to ALE programmes and initiatives on vulnerable groups; shed light on how ALE programmes have adapted to a ‘new normal’, in particular, with respect to modes of provision and promoting participation and access; and identify transformations that the ALE sector is undergoing, and should work towards, to develop skills that promote resilience and labor market readiness in an uncertain climate.   
• Guiding questions: 
  • ​​​​​​How effectively were ALE systems able to provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic and which groups were left behind?
  • What kind of transformations has the ALE sector undergone and what kind should it aim for in order to promote skills development leading to resilience and labour market readiness in an uncertain environment?
• Speakers:
  • Mr João Costa, Minister of Education, Portugal
  • Ms Gina Ebner, Secretary General, European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA)
  • Mr Michael Fung, Executive Director, Institute for the Future of Education (IFE) at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico
  • Ms El Iza Mohamedou, Head of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Centre for Skills
• Moderator:
  • Ms Helke Seitz, OECD Centre for Skills
• Interpretation: English and French
• Room: Connection pool (computer room with the possibility to connect virtually)

Literacy: A lever for citizenship (17:00–19:00) [Hybrid]

• Organizer: Agence Nationale de Lutte Contre l’Analphabétisme (ANLCA), Morocco
• Description of the workshop: This workshop aims to reveal the connection between literacy and citizenship education, as well as the crucial role that literacy plays in empowering citizens and developing their capacities to acquire new skills and updated knowledge that ultimately allows them to be active citizens and cope with a fast-changing world. Discussions will focus on the necessity of cooperation and solidarity in the organization of literacy programmes; the importance of demonstrating to learners the value of ethics and care, which are necessary to assume responsibility for our shared and common world; and integrating knowledge related to the common heritage of humanity into curricula. 
• Guiding questions: 
  • ​​​​How can a literacy programme contribute to strengthening the spirit of citizenship?
  • What are the competences (knowledge, skills and attitudes) that literate people must develop in order to be able to fully exercise their citizenship? 
  • What African network dynamics could promote an enriched approach to literacy, particularly by taking into account citizenship education and participation?
• Speakers
  • Mr Ahmed Abbadi, Secretary General of the Rabita Mohammadia of Ulema, Kingdom of Morocco 
  • Mr Moulay Driss Agoulmam, Director of Social and Cultural Action for Prisoners and their Reintegration, General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR), Kingdom of Morocco  
  • Mr Chakib Benmoussa, Minister of National Education, Preschool and Sports, Kingdom of Morocco  
  • Mr Ahmed Chaouqui Benyoub, Interministerial Delegate for Human Rights, Kingdom of Morocco  
  • Mr Ricardo Díez-Hochleitner Rodríguez, Ambassador of Spain to the Kingdom of Morocco
  • Mr Kang Dae Joong, President, National Institute for Lifelong Education (NILE), Republic of Korea
  • Mr Hicham Khabbache, Director of the Lifelong Learning Observatory (UNESCO Chair for Lifelong Learning), Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Kingdom of Morocco  
  • Ms Geneviève Perreault, Chairholder, UNESCO Chair in Applied Research for Education in Prison, Deputy Director of Studies, Curriculum and Pedagogical Development Service, Canada
• Moderator:
  • Mr Mohammed Elmeski, Senior Education Advisor, Rabat, the Kingdom of Morocco
• Interpretation: English, French and Arabic
• Room: Chefchaouen

ALE and decent work: Recognizing and developing skills for employability and decent work [Online]

• Organizer: International Labour Organization (ILO)
• Description of the workshop: The workshop will focus on three key elements underpinning the link between adult education and learning and Decent Work: (1) the recognition and validation of skills; (2) supporting and enabling individuals to develop their livelihoods and careers; and (3) community based training. The role of ALE providers in providing vocational education and training for employment is well known but the contribution of ALE providers to the attainment of Decent Work goes beyond that. Supporting and enabling individuals to develop their livelihoods and careers is likely to become a more important function as labour market volatility increases transitions between jobs and industry sectors. Such transitions call for well developed systems for the recognition and validation of skills linked to training provided at the community level responding to local community needs. The session will highlight existing good practice from ALE providers in each of the three areas to promote further engagement by ALE providers and to identify key issues and barriers to that engagement.
• Guiding Questions: N/A
• Speakers:
  • Mr Muhammad Nur Hayid, Vice Chief Trainer BLKK Ministry of Manpower, Indonesia
  • Ms Fjóla María Lárusdóttir, Research and Development Specialist, Education and Training Service Centre (ETSC) 
  • Mr Leonardo Pedreira, Executive Education Management, SESI-National Department, Brazil
  • Mr. Jose Descallar, Supervising TESD Specialist from the Office of the Deputy Director General for Communities and Local Government Unit Services
  • Mr Alan Ralphs, Independent Education Training Consultant
  • Mr François Ravalison, Education, Skills and Employability Specialist, University of Antananarivo, Madagascar
  • Mr Srinivas B. Reddy, Branch Chief, Skills and Employability Branch, ILO
• Moderator: 
  • Mr Pedro Moreno Da Fonseca, Technical Specialist on Lifelong Learning, Skills and Employability Branch, ILO
  • Ms Christine Hofmann, Skills and Employability Specialist, International Labour Organization (ILO)
• Interpretation: English, French and Spanish
• Room: Connection pool (computer room with the possibility to connect virtually)

Community learning centres (CLCs) as key structures for adult learning and education – Preconditions and good practices [Hybrid]

• Organizer: DVV International
• Co-organizers: International Council for Adult Education (ICAE); Georgian Adult Education Network (GAEN)
• Description of the workshop: This workshop will focus on the existing governance mechanisms and funding models of community learning centers (CLCs). The main objectives of the session are to share the concepts, set-ups and operations of CLCs; define CLC systems and highlight best practice from selected countries around the globe, such as Georgia, Germany, Peru, Thailand and Uganda; introduce some of the key functions of CLCs and their benefits and contributions to promote sustainable development and establish a learning culture for youth and adults; present different governance and funding models; discuss preconditions and challenges to setting up a CLC; and, finally, to identify and formulate policy recommendations to further promote CLCs as components of sustainable learning infrastructures.
• Guiding questions: 
  • What role do CLCs play in sustainable development and in providing lifelong learning opportunities for all? 
  • Which governance and funding schemes are favorable to ensure proper functioning of CLCs in the long run? 
• Speakers:
  • Ms Nino Babalashvili, Director, Georgian Adult Education Network (GAEN) 
  • Ms Sonja Belete, Regional Director for the East and Horn of Africa, Institute for International Cooperation of the German Adult Education Association (DVV International) 
  • Mr Tumwesigye Everest, Administration Committee, Representing the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Uganda 
  • Mr César R. Picón Espinoza, Educator, Professor, Researcher, Writer and Socio-educational Pro-moter, North American Academy of the Spanish Language (ANLE) 
  • Ms Punramol Sutthirit, Foreign Relations Officer, Division of Strategy and Planning, Office of the Non-Formal and Informal Education (ONIE), Ministry of Education, Thailand
  • Ms Julia von Westerholt, Director, German Adult Education Association (DVV)
• Moderators: 
  • Mr Christoph Jost, Director, DVV International
  • Mr Uwe Gartenschlaeger, Deputy Director, DVV International
• Interpretation: English and French
• Room: Rabat

In substance and in spirit: Delivering the SDGs through adult learning libraries [Hybrid]

• Organizer: International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
• Description of the workshop: This workshop will bring together a panel of library practitioners from around the world to ex-plore how libraries, in their work as providers of knowledge, can contribute to the provision of inclusive adult learning and education (ALE) from a lifelong learning perspective. In particular, it will look at how libraries can provide effective outreach to their communities; the emergence of new partnerships between libraries and other learning providers; and opportuni-ties for more intersectoral governance that allows libraries to realize their potential in the field of ALE. Based on the discussions, the workshop will aim to come up with a series of recommen-dations on how libraries can enhance their delivery of inclusive ALE and contribute to the wider 2030 Agenda. 
• Guiding questions:
  • How have libraries seized the opportunities – and overcome the challenges – associated with the growing role of digital technologies in providing learning for all, in particular during the pandemic? 
  • What is required to enable meaningful partnerships between libraries and other learn-ing providers, in support of inclusive ALE? 
• Speakers:
  • Mr Zulkifli Amin, Head of Adults, Service Development, Adult and Senior Services, National Library Board (NLB), Singapore 
  • Mr Miguel Ángel Rivera Donoso, Prison Libraries Coordinator, BiblioRedes Programme, Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Chile
  • Ms Lisa Krolak, Chief Librarian, UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning 
  • Ms Bernardita Simian Marín, Reading Promotion Officer, Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Chile
  • Mr Willy Ngaka, Senior Lecturer and National Coordinator for Lifelong Learning, College of Education and External Studies, Makerere University, Uganda 
  • Ms Lara Pugh, Project Leader, Wollongong City Libraries, Wollongong City Council, Australia 
• Moderator: 
  • Mr Stephen Wyber, Director, Policy and Advocacy, IFLA 
• Interpretation: English and French
• Room: Chefchaouen

The role of artificial intelligence in adult education [Hybrid]

• Organizer: Arab League of Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO)
• Description of the workshop: Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the key technologies driving the great digital transformation that characterizes the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which now covers wide-ranging fields, including education. Although the issue of leveraging modern technologies for adult learning and education (ALE) attracts significant attention, no effective solutions or concrete results have so far been achieved. Accordingly, this workshop will highlight the role of AI in ALE and explore the significant tools and solutions that can be put in place to promote their collaboration.  
• Guiding questions: 
  • How can artificial intelligence provide effective solutions for adult education? 
  • What are the added values of AI compared to traditional ICTs in the field of adult learning and education? 
• Speakers:
  • Mr Mohamed Ould Amar, Director-General, ALECSO, Kingdom of Morocco
  • Mr Mário Franco, Founder and Chairperson, Millennium@EDU SUSTAINABLE EDUCATION 
  • Mr Abderrahim Ghassoub, Head of Service, Digital Resources Validation, Ministry of Education, Kingdom of Morocco
  • Mr Aboul Ella Hassanien, Professor, Faculty of Computers and Artificial Intelligence, Cairo University, Egypt 
  • Mr Ahmed Tlili, Associate Professor, Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University, People’s Republic of China
• Moderator:
  • Mr Mohamed Jemni, Director, ICT Department, ALESCO, Kingdom of Morocco
• Interpretation: English, French and Arabic
• Room: Marrakech

National policies on lifelong learning towards sustainability in Southeast Asia [Online]

• Organizer: Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Secretariat
• Description of the workshop: Despite significant progress achieved in Southeast Asian countries in expanding citizens’ access to lifelong learning and educational resources, from formal to informal learning, challenges remain in ensuring inclusive, equitable and high-quality opportunities for all. To address this challenge, Southeast Asian countries need to learn from one another and continue to expand the provision of rich and diversified programmes. This workshop will therefore take stock of what has been achieved and how best practice can be leveraged through regional cooperation to strengthen a joint lifelong learning process for sustainable development.  
• Guiding questions:
  • Describe the current national policy and/or strategies for Lifelong learning in your country and share some specific challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic for the implementation.
  • Highlight an innovative approach, action plan, policy or initiative of your country that was successful in overcoming the specific challenge during the pandemic and that other countries can utilize as a best practice.
• Speakers:
  • Mr Shigeru Aoyagi, Director, UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, Thailand
  • Mr David Atchoarena, Director, UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, (UIL), Germany
  • Ms Leonor Magtolis Briones, Education Secretary, Department of Education, the Philippines
  • Nguyen Huu Do, Deputy Minister of Education and Training, Vietnam
  • Mr Armindo Maia, Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, Timor-Leste
  • Ahmad Masrizal bin Muhammad, Deputy Minister of Higher Education Malaysia
  • Mr Hang Chuon Naron, Minister of Education, Youth and Sport and Vice-Chairperson of the Supreme National Economic Council (SNEC), Cambodia
  • Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh, Minister of Education, Brunei Darussalam
  • Ms Phout Simmalavong, Minister of Education and Sports, Lao People’s Democratic Republic 
  • Ms Treenuch Thienthong, Minister of Education, Thailand
• Moderator:
  • Ms Ethel Agnes Pascua-Valenzuela, Director, Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Secretariat
• Language: English
• Room: Connection pool (computer room with the possibility to connect virtually)

16 June 2022, 12:00 – 13:15 (GMT+1)

This session will reflect on the progress in youth and adult literacy and on the persistent challenges to identify areas for action in the next decade to promote youth and adult literacy for humanity and the planet.  

The panel addresses the following key aspects:

• Implementing an expanded notion of literacy; 
• Improving literacy policy and governance; 
• Addressing literacy financing challenges;
• Strengthening research, evidence, and data on literacy.

Literacy is an integral part of education and the foundation of lifelong learning; it is also explicitly mentioned in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as Sustainable Development Target 4.6.^[1] Yet, in 2019, more than 773 million youth and adults worldwide, around two-thirds of whom are women, still lacked basic literacy and numeracy skills. Moreover, there is also a growing concern about low or poor literacy and numeracy  among students. 

In 2017, 617 million children and adolescents – 56 per cent of children in primary education and 61 per cent of adolescents in lower secondary education – were unable to achieve minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics. More recently, the COVID-19 crisis has worsened the situation, resulting in global discussions on learning loss or worsening learning poverty due to disrupted educational provision. These challenges will have an impact on the future of youth and adult literacy if they are not addressed effectively and in a timely manner. Furthermore, despite the existence of an overall agreement on the importance of literacy as well as the magnitude of the literacy challenge, financial investment for youth and adult literacy has consistently remained low and the policy attention insufficient.

Building a sustainable  literacy system from a lifelong learning perspective requires a reconceptualization of literacy policies and strategies and strengthening effective governance . Research on youth and adult literacy needs to expand and diversify to improve the understanding of the field, reinterpret literacy for the future, support meaningful learning and development of adults, enrich educators’ repertoire and capacities, and design relevant learning materials and tools. To achieve this, cross-national, cross-disciplinary, and cross-stakeholder partnerships and collaboration should be at the heart of new initiatives to facilitate comparative and diverse perspectives. 

Moderator:

• Ms Helen Dabu, Secretary-General, Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education

Panelists:

• Mr Wendkouni Joël Lionel Bilgo, Minister of National Education, Literacy and Promotion of National Languages, Burkina Faso
• Ms Silvia Montoya, UIS Director 
• Mr Mohamed Yehia Nasef, Chairman of Adult Education Authority, Arab Republic of Egypt
• Mr Deepak Sharma, Joint Secretary of Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Nepal 

• Ms Donna Johnson, Deputy Minister of Education, Saskatchewan, and Chair of the Advisory Committee of Deputy Ministers of Education (ACDME), Canada

16 June 2022, 13:30 – 14:45 (GMT+1)  

This session will reflect on the role of ALE and the changing nature of work, and identify the effects of shifts in lifelong learning policy development and the factors affecting provision of youth and adult skills and learning. It will suggest directions for strategies aimed at establishing an entitlement to learning and skills throughout life, fostering flexible lifelong learning pathways and strengthening technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to address youth and adults’ demand for decent work.

The panel addresses the following key aspects:

• Establishing an entitlement to learning and skills throughout life;
• Building flexible lifelong learning pathways;  
• Transforming and adapting TVET systems.  

In the context of rapid and broad labour market transformations, the workplace is increasingly becoming a learning place. New technologies, expanding informal economies, economic recessions and the resulting pressure on labour markets, the greening of economies and societies, demographic shifts and external shocks (like the one caused by the COVID-19 pandemic) are transforming jobs and labour market participation patterns. 

In this context, where new occupations emerge every day (many of which did not exist 10 years ago) and where the performance of companies is often linked to their flexibility in the market, it is increasingly difficult to imagine working in the same occupation in the same place throughout one’s life. As such, lifelong learning is a condition that enables individuals to adapt to a changing labour market. Establishing a culture of lifelong learning is imperative in supporting the workforce with new job requirements, building more inclusive and just societies, and promoting personal fulfilment and development.  

With lifelong learning regarded as a key component of a society that recognizes learning opportunities for all, wherever they are and however old they may be, establishing an entitlement to learning and skills throughout life – involving an entitlement to lifelong learning – is key in national policy-making, governance and resource allocation, as are flexible lifelong learning pathways and the strengthening of TVET to address youth and adults’ demands for decent work. 

 

Policies, strategies and programmes for ALE through TVET are therefore needed to aid the acquisition of skills for this transition, drawing on the capacities of the private sector to invest in skills programmes and provide opportunities for learning in the workplace, as well as ensuring the private sector’s involvement in the recognition, validation and accreditation (RVA) of learning outcomes – including skills – achieved through TVET.  

Moderator:

• Mr Borhene Chakroun, Director, Division for Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems, UNESCO Education Sector

Panelists:

• Mr Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Republic of Indonesia
• Ms Kristina Persdotter, State Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Research, Kingdom of Sweden
• Mr Srinivas Reddy, Branch Chief, International Labour Organization (ILO) 
• Ms Sara Ruto, Chief Administrative Secretary, Ministry of Education, Republic of Kenya
• Mr Younes Sekkouri, Minister for Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills, Kingdom of Morocco

16 June 2022, 15:00 – 16:15 (GMT+1)

This session will look at the role of technology in fast-tracking access to ALE, address issues of equity, identify ways to overcome the digital divide and promote digital skills, and formulate directions for new learning alliances that build upon recent international normative instruments that frame access to knowledge, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and connectivity for learning.

The panel addresses the following key aspects:

• Enabling equitable access to technology for educational opportunities;
• Enhancing quality of learning through technology;
• Redefining the role of the private sector, grassroots organizations and open education solutions.

Technological progress is changing the way societies and economies work, with disruption to education and learning at all levels. Technology has become more powerful, more affordable and more widely used in education, work and our daily lives, leading to profound social change and disruption. The widespread use of technology today, accelerated by COVID-19, heightens the importance of access to digital devices and to the internet, and to acquiring the digital skills to participate in society.

Such widespread technology diffusion, coupled with its networked and interconnected nature, has also led to significant risks. These include the spread of mis- and disinformation, misuse of personal data, extremist content, and other threats to democratic, fair and just societies. These developments reinforce the need for a continued focus on citizenship education for youth and adults and the fostering of citizenship skills.

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be a catalyst for ALE development, disrupting face-to-face provision of ALE and making online distance learning the default in many areas of ALE, from basic skills and literacy provision to higher education and workplace learning. Given the digital divide and educational inequalities, the right of youth and adults to education needs to be ensured by establishing lifelong learning as a common good.

The obligation of Member States to respect, protect and fulfil this right is paramount. While the private sector has innovated and expanded ALE products in major international languages and developed countries’ markets, they do not meet fully the diverse needs of the Global South and marginalized communities, specifically those striving for acceptance and promotion of linguistic and cultural diversity.

Moderator:

• Ms Ethel Agnes Pascua-Valenzuela, Director, Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Secretariat (SEAMEO Secretariat)

Panelists:  

• Mr Martin Dougiamas, CEO, Moodle   
• Ms Jenny Glennie, Executive Director, South Africa Institute for Distance Education (SAIDE), Republic of South Africa 
• Ms Elsie Kiema, aerospace engineer, alumni of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Regional Regional Leadership Center East Africa, Republic of Kenya
• Mr Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO, Coursera 
• Mr Yao Sun, Vice-Minister, Minister of Education, People’s Republic of China

Adult learning and education amid global crises: The urgency for active citizenship education [Hybrid]

• Organizer: International Council for Adult Education (ICAE)
• Co-organizers: European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA); Arab House of Adult Education and Development (AHAED); Pamoja West Africa; Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education (ASPBAE); Consejo de educación popular de América Latina y el Caribe (CEAAL)
• Description of the workshop: This workshop aims to identify the current global flashpoints that underscore the importance of an active citizenship education which recognizes cross-cultural complexities, interrelationships and responds to multiple crises – including the current pandemic, conflicts in Europe, natural disasters and the climate crisis, mass migration and more. It will explore what it means to be an ‘active global citizen’, as well as the rich educational approaches that accompany this concept. The unique contributions of social movements and civil society actors challenging all forms of inequalities across the social, economic, cultural, political and environmental arenas will be highlighted, as will the contribution of transformative adult learning and education (ALE) initiatives and global policy frameworks, such as SDG 4.7 and UNESCO’s ‘new social contract for education’, to active and global citizenship education for sustainable development. 
• Guiding questions:
  • From your local context and experience, what does it mean to be an ‘active and global citizen’ and what educational approaches have been used to successfully develop these capacities in your country? 
  • What are the challenges that must be overcome to conduct effective active citizenship education? How can concepts and practices of transformative ALE and global policy frameworks, such as SDG 4.7 and the new social contract, help to building resilience amid ongoing global crises? 
  • What specific provisions would you recommend be included in the Marrakech Framework for Action? 
• Speakers:
  • Ms Shermaine Barrett, President, Jamaican Council of Adult Education, and Vice President for the Caribbean Region, ICAE  
  • Mr Ronald Cameron, Member of the Executive Committee, ICAE
  • Ms Carole Avande Houndjo, Coordinator, Pamoja West Africa, and Vice President for Africa, International Council for Adult Education (ICAE)  
  • Ms Christy M. Rhodes, Director-at-Large, American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) and Board Member of the Coalition of Lifelong Learning Organizations (COLLO)
  • Ms Nélida Elcira Céspedes Rossel, Executive Council Member, ICAE, and Honorary President, Council of Popular Education of Latin America and the Caribbean (CEAAL) 
  • Mrs Elsy Wakil, General Secretary, Arab House for Adult Education and Development (AHAED)
• Moderators:
  • Mr Jose Roberto Guevara, President, ICAE 
  • Ms Katarina Popovic, Secretary General, ICAE 
• Interpretation: English and French
• Room: Rabat

A new window on health and well-being through adult learning and education (ALE) [Hybrid]

• Organizer: World Health Organization (WHO)
• Co-organizer: UNESCO
• Description of the workshop: This workshop will expand the discourse on ALE, health, well-being and adults – in particular, older adults. It aims to address the concepts and practice of ALE from a global perspective, linking it to the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030) and the Sustainable Development Goals. The workshop will bring together experts in educational gerontology to discuss the latest theories and philosophies on older adults’ learning, wherein older people are seen as agents of change. New discoveries in gerontology, neuroscience and brain placidity will also be presented.
• Guiding questions:
  • How is ALE implemented globally? What works and what doesn’t? 
  • What types of adult learning and education are needed to reach disadvantaged adults throughout the life course and positively impact older peoples’ health and well-being?
• Speakers:
  • Mr Anshu Banerjee, Director, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent health, and Ageing, MCA, WHO
  • Ms Shen-Hsing Annabel Chen, Director, Centre for Research and Development in Learning (CRADLE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore  
  • Mr Hany Hachem, PhD Candidate, School of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, Örebro University, Sweden 
  • Mr Didier Jourdan, Chair Holder, UNESCO Chair Global Health and Education (GHE), Head of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research in Education and Health and Professor, Institut national supérieur du professorat et de l’éducation Clermon Auvergne, France
  • Mr Tonic Maruatona, Professor of Adult Education, Department of Lifelong Learning and Commu-nity Development, and Deputy Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Botswana, Botswana
  • Ms Christine O’Kelly, Age Friendly Global Network Co-ordinator, Dublin City University, Ireland  
  • Ms Macarena Sanchez-Izquierdo, Associate professor in the Department of Psychology of the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Spain on behalf of Ms Rocío Fernández-Ballesteros, Professor Emeritus, Department of Psycho-biology and Health Psychology, Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain
  • Ms Mariana Reis Santimaria, Professor and Coordinator, Vitalitá Center for Aging and Longevity, the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas, Brazil 
• Moderator:
  • Mr Anshu Banerjee, Director, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent health, and Ageing, MCA, WHO
• Interpretation: English, French and Spanish
• Room: Marrakech

Current challenges of educational governance: Innovate to protect and progress [Hybrid]

• Organizer: Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture (OEI)
• Description of the workshop: Ibero-America covers three geographical areas: Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe. Adult learning and education (ALE) is still not a top priority in the education and financing policies of these three regions, despite differences in governance. This absence of prioritization has an impact on institutional strengthening and prevents long-term quality goals and actions from being reached. In this context, this workshop will be an opportunity to discuss elements of effective governance, such as promoting intersectoral approaches, strengthening institutions, the articulation of practices, monitoring national commitments to meet learners’ needs, building international alliances and generating learning opportunities for the most excluded. 
• Guiding questions:
  • What elements linked to the generation and implementation of innovative governance approaches are the countries applying and through which mechanisms?
  • What are the characteristics of a representative and effective intersectoral approach and/or a public-private alliance in ALE in the Ibero-American context? Are there different specific features depending on elements such as connectivity, rurality, vulnerability and gender? 
• Speakers:
  • Mr  Gonzalo Baroni, National Director of Education, Uruguay
  • Ms María Brown Pérez, Minister of Education, Ecuador 
  • Mr Ignacio Vidaguren, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Aleph Holding 
• Moderator:
  • Mr Andrés Delich, Deputy Secretary General, OEI 
• Interpretation: English and Spanish
• Room: Chefchaouen

Learning cities: Territorial and African dynamics (16:30–19:00) [Hybrid]

• Organizer: Agence Nationale de Lutte Contre l’Analphabétisme (ANLCA), Morocco
• Description of the workshop: The concept of learning city, as promoted by the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC), is linked to several SDG indicators. Learning cities aim to be ecologically friendly and healthy, fair and inclusive, committed to employment and entrepreneurship, and supportive of culture and the arts. On the African continent, and within the context of continuous urban development, the concept of the learning city is of particular interest. This workshop aims to explore and discuss how to strengthen cooperation and partnerships between African learning cities; how to promote the exchange of experiences of African learning cities; and how to implement conferences, seminars and workshops on the African continent to promote and concretize the concept of lifelong learning.  
• Guiding questions:
  • How can the learning city concept be beneficial on a regional scale and for Africa overall, particularly in relation to literacy? How can it be adapted to the African context?  
  • What are the main characteristics of the learning city strategies that are currently being carried out on the African continent?
  • Which African network dynamics would be most likely to develop learning city practices to better promote lifelong learning and, in particular, literacy?  
• Speakers:
  • Ms Adjovi Lolonyo Anakoma-Apedoh, Minister of Social Action, Women’s advancement and Literacy, Togo 
  • Mr Philippe Bohelay, Learning City Focal Point, Clermont-Ferrand, France
  • Mr Hamadjoulde Djidda, Mayor, Mayo-Baléo, Cameroon  
  • Ms Mariatou Koné, Minister of National Education and Literacy, Côte d’Ivoire  
  • Ms Camélia Ntoutoume Leclercq, Minister of National Education, Gabon
  • Ms Fatima Zahra Mansouri, Mayor, Marrakech, Kingdom of Morocco  
  • Mr Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa, Minister of Basic Education, Cameroon 
  • Mr Khalid Safir, Wali-Director General of Territorial Collectivities, Ministry of the Interior, Kingdom of Morocco  
  • Mr Mamadou Talla, Minister of Education, Senegal 
• Moderator:
  • Mr David Atchoarena, Director, UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning
• Interpretation: English, French and Arabic
• Room: Benguérir

Building a resilient learning city for a resilient society [Hybrid]

• Organizer: UN-Habitat
• Co-organizer: National Institute for Lifelong Education (NILE)
• Description of the workshop: Protecting urban communities and enhancing urban systems forms the foundation of a resilient city and safeguards local educational spaces and learning more generally. Strategies that nurture learning city development must take into account the symbiosis between a city’s resilience and the capacities of urban practitioners.  In this workshop, UN-Habitat experts will explain the need for trained urban leaders and practitioners, the importance of well-designed public spaces for learning, and their connection to urban resilience.  A key focus of the workshop will be ‘SDG localization’ and how UN-Habitat and the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) organization support multi-level governance partnerships. The National Institute for Lifelong Education (NILE) will also showcase its exemplary efforts in implementing the Republic of Korea’s national lifelong learning agenda. 
• Guiding questions:
  • How can city resilience strategies and plans protect lifelong learning agendas and vice versa?  
  • How do we scale up multilevel governance partnerships to nurture learning cities and contribute to the long-term achievement of the 2030 Agenda? 
• Speakers:
  • Ms Sara Hoeflich, Director of Learning, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) 
  • Ms Naomi Hoogervorst, Programme Officer, Planning, Finance and Economy Section Nairobi, UN-Habitat 
  • Ms Rehema Kabare, Volunteer, GoDown Arts Centre HerCity HerStreets Project 
  • Ms Hyeyoung Kim, Team Leader, Seoul Metropolitan Institute for Lifelong Education (SMILE)
  • Mr Nam-Seok Ko, Mayor, Yeonsu, Republic of Korea 
  • Ms Hyejin Lee, Director, Lifelong Education Policy Division, Ministry of Education, Republic of Korea
  • Ms Joy Mboya, Executive Director, GoDown Arts Centre, Kenya 
  • Mr M.K. Mbugua, Transformation Project Coordinator, GoDown Arts Centre, Kenya 
• Moderator:
  • Ms Raphaëlle Vignol, Programme Management Officer, Capacity Development, UN-Habitat 
• Interpretation: English, French and Spanish
• Room: Marrakech

Connected higher education in crisis contexts through international partnerships and inclusion in national systems [Online]

• Organizers: UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR); Connected Learning in Crisis Consortium (CLCC)
• Co-organizers: Borderless Higher Education for Refugees (BHER); CLCC Instructional Design for E-Learning (IDEL) group
• Description of the workshop: The Connected Learning in Crisis Consortium (CLCC) provides refugees with opportunities to access further studies at post-secondary level. Nevertheless, evidence of how students affected by conflict can best be supported to continue their education with the support of technology is inadequate. Building on the wide experience of the CLCC and UNHCR in this area, this workshop will focus on the results of a study conducted by Borderless Higher Education for Refugees (BHER), a collaborative project that has been piloted in the Dadaab Refugee Complex in Kenya by the Dadaab Response Association (DRA), a community-based organization that looks to lead research initiatives in the Dadaab region. The workshop will also explore how refugees can be supported in post-secondary education through the digitalization process taking place in national systems of higher education.   
• Guiding questions:
  • How can connected learning opportunities create long-term solutions for communities affected by conflict?  
  • How can connected higher education embedded within national systems support refugees?
  • How can marginalized learners access sustained learning opportunities? 
• Speakers:
  • Mr Abdikadir Bare Abikar, Advocacy, Campaigns, Communications and Media, Dadaab Response Association
  • Mr Nouh Alhindawi, Director of Information Technology and Electronic Transformation, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Jordan 
  • Mr Arte Saman Dagane, Member, Dadaab Response Association 
  • Ms Sahra Ismail, Co-director, Dadaab Response Association 
  • Ms HaEun Kim, BHER Programs Administrator
  • Mr Ochan Leomoi, Researcher, Dadaab Response Association 
  • Mr Mark Okello Oyat, Project Director, Dadaab Response Association
  • Mr Francis Randle, Connected Higher Education Specialist, UNHCR 
• Moderator:
  • Mr Mohamed Duale, Research Coordinator, BHER
• Interpretation: English, French and Arabic
• Room: Connection pool (computer room with the possibility to connect virtually)

Responding to the skills revolution – Development of skills through innovative instruments [Online]

• Organizer: European Commission
• Description of the workshop: Challenges that prevent adult learners from taking up training opportunities include financial concerns as well as uncertainty about the quality of opportunities and their subsequent recognition by the labour market. To provide significantly more adults with the means and incentive to take up learning opportunities, the European Commission has put forward proposals regarding individual learning accounts and micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability. This workshop will explore how adult learner enrolment could be substantially increased – for example, by building and further strengthening employer-organized learning – and the complementary actions needed to empower all adults to learn. 
• Guiding questions:
  • How can training funds support the increasing need for labour market-relevant training?
  • What innovative models exist to empower individuals to participate in learning, including for improving their transversal skills?  
  • What potential do short courses and micro-credentials offer to meet training needs? How can these support the supply side of training?  
• Speakers:
  • Mr Philippe Brivet, Director of Partnership Projects, Groupe Caisse des Dépôts 
  • Ms Claire Field, Principal, Claire Field & Associates  
  • Ms Soon-Joo Gog, Chief Skills Officer and Chief Research Officer, SkillsFuture Singapore 
  • Ms Cristina Mereuta, Senior Human Capital Development Expert, Coordinator for Active Labour Market Policies, European Training Foundation (ETF)
  • Ms Rexin Singotani, Policy Officer EU Affairs at the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, Netherlands
• Moderator:
  • Ms Klara Engels-Perenyi, Policy Officer, Higher Education Unit, European Commission
• Interpretation: English and French
• Room: Connection pool (computer room with the possibility to connect virtually)

Transformative adult learning and education (ALE) for inclusion, participation and sustainability [Hybrid]

• Organizer: Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education (ASPBAE)
• Co-organizers: Advanced Continuing Education Association (ACEA); Campaña Latinoamericana por el Derecho a la Educación (CLADE)
• Description of the workshop: Adult learning and education (ALE) can transform the lives of individuals and communities, especially the most marginalized. Its value was proven during the COVID-19 pandemic, when ALE contributed to disseminating information for public health and safety. The objective of this workshop is to share examples of best practice from ALE programmes that promote participation, inclusion and equity; highlight implications for policy development; discuss recommendations for strengthening ALE provision and financing; and formulate key messages that will be advocated through CONFINTEA VII, particularly on the role of ALE in realizing the 2030 Agenda message to ‘leave no one behind’.
• Guiding questions:
  • What kind of ALE programs need to be in place to address the persistent and emerg-ing inequalities in society and promote sustainable futures?
  • What reforms are needed to ensure that ALE is strengthened in the public education systems? What collaborations are required to ensure that marginalised sectors have access to quality ALE?
• Speakers:
  • Mr Zahi Azar, President, Arab Campaign for Education for All, Secretary- General, Arab Network for Popular Education (ANPE) 
  • Ms Makiko Kondo, Vice-Chair, Development Education Association and Resource Centre (DEAR) 
  • Ms Nelsy Lizarazo, General Coordinator, Latin American Campaign for the Right to Education (CLADE)
  • Ms Giovanna Modé, Policy Coordinator, CLADE
  • Mr Ehsanur Rahman, Executive Director, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, and Executive Council Member, ASPBAE
  • Mr Refaat Sabbah, President, Global Campaign for Education (GCE), and General Secretary, Arab Coalition for Education for All (ACEA) 
  • Ms Cecilia V. Soriano, Programmes and Operations Coordinator, Asia Policy Advocacy and Campaigns, ASPBAE
  • Ms Nani Zulminarni, President, ASPBAE 
• Moderator:
  • Ms Maria Helen Dabu, Secretary-General, ASPBAE
• Interpretation: English and Spanish
• Room: Rabat

Adult educators and literacy practitioners: Recasting the profession [Hybrid]

• Organizer: UNESCO
• Description of the workshop: This workshop will examine the working conditions and professional development of adult education teachers, particularly at the literacy and basic education level, and will identify key challenges to improving the quality of teaching and the social standing of the profession. Case studies from different world regions will showcase the successful institutionalization of adult education in teacher-training and higher education institutions as well as policy measures that have been implemented to harness the social standing, labour standards and professional development of adult education practitioners. Inspired by the renewed role of teachers depicted in the International Commission on the Futures of Education report, Reimagining Our Futures Together: A New Social Contract for Education (UNESCO, 2021), the workshop will also explore alternatives for the institutionalization and professional development of adult education teachers and will provide policy recommendations in order to recast the profession.
• Guiding questions:
  • What are the main challenges ALE teachers face with regard to their professional status and development?   
  • What kind of public policies are needed to promote broader institutionalization of adult education and the advancement of the teaching profession? 
  • What role do universities and other teacher-training institutions play in the professionalization of adult educators?
  • What existing frameworks may be useful for the development of qualifications and standards to guide this professionalization?   
• Speakers:
  • Mr Mohammed Bougroum, Implementation Project Coordinator, l’Institut de Formation aux Métiers de l’alphabétisation (IFMA) 
  • Mr Timothy Ireland, UNESCO Chair in Youth and Adult Education, Federal University of Paraíba, Brazil 
  • Mr Samba Diarry Ndiaye, Member of the National Technical Team, Validation of Acquired Experience (VAE), Ministry of Education, Senegal 
  • Ms Katarina Popovic, Secretary General, International Council for Adult Education (ICAE)
• Moderator:
  • Mr Carlos Vargas Tamez, Section of Teacher Development (Secretariat of the International Task Force on Teachers), UNESCO 
• Interpretation: English and French
• Room: Chefchaouen

OER and Lifelong Learning: Current trends and Future Perspectives [Online]

• Organizer: UNESCO
• Description of the workshop: The aim of this workshop is to provide an overview of open educational resources (OER) and the role they could potentially play in lifelong learning and adult education. Moreover, the workshop aims to identify bottlenecks and barriers to the innovative implementation of OERs in adult learning and to discuss factors for the successful implementation, upscaling and mainstreaming of innovative OER practices. Moreover, it will facilitate dialogue around the five action areas highlighted in UNESCO’s 2019 Recommendation on Open Educational Resources. Experts from government, the private sector, civil society and academia and will seek to raise awareness of OERs as digital public goods, solicit input and feedback from the adult learning community, and identify how evidence-based policies could be translated into an operational framework that can support Member States and institutional stakeholders. In addition, the workshop will take stock of current initiatives to develop access to OERs and reflect on how effective partnerships between governments, industry and civil society can help countries develop OERs for the benefit of everyone.
• Guiding questions: N/A
• Speakers:
  • Mr Neil Butcher, Director, Neil Butcher and Associates  
  • Ms Dianne Chambers, Associate Professor, Coordinator of Special and Inclusive Education, University of Notre Dame Australia  
  • Mr Gašper Hrastelj, Deputy Secretary-General, Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO  
  • Ms Marielza Oliveira, Director for Partnership and Operational Programme Monitoring (CI/POM) and Secretary of the Information for All Programme (IFAP), UNESCO 
  • Mr Wayne Mackintosh, Managing Director of the OER Foundation and UNESCO/ICDE Chair in OER 
  • Ms Lisa Petrides, CEO and Founder, Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education
• Moderator:
  • Ms Zeynep Varoglu, Programme Specialist, Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO 
• Language: English
• Room: Connection pool (computer room with the possibility to connect virtually)

17 June 2022, 13:30 – 14:45 (GMT+1)

This session will identify comprehensive measures and targeted policies aimed at reducing youth and adults’ vulnerability to climate change. It will also explore new ways of fostering skills and knowledge for climate action and resilience across societies.

The panel addresses the following key aspects:

• Promoting active citizenship for the climate: awareness and empowerment;  
• Reducing the vulnerability of disadvantaged groups;  
• Fostering resilience and adaptability. 

The planet and its inhabitants are under increasing pressure: human-induced climate change, limited resources, rising temperatures and sea levels, climate-related poverty and environmentally unsustainable economic structures are just a few of the challenges governments and populations face around the world. With global warming set to advance in the years to come, those challenges are expected to remain and even intensify. While the threats are clear, human activity continues to produce greenhouse gas emissions at a record high, with no signs of slowing down. Fundamental transformations in all aspects of society are required to alter the course of these developments, including in terms of how we grow food, use land, produce and transport goods, and power our economies. 

 

Recently, there is a growing call for education and learning to enable individuals, as agents of change, to acquire the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that will lead to a ‘green transition’ of our societies, as called for in the Education for Sustainable Development: Towards achieving the SDGs (ESD for 2030) framework, enshrined in SDG Target 4.7,^[2] and, indeed, across the 2030 Agenda. 

 

Education for Sustainable Development is key to reversing current trends and achieving sustainable consumption and production; ALE must be part of this green transformation, which will also benefit those who are already affected by climate change in their everyday lives. It gives youth, adults and older people an understanding of the issues, raises their awareness, and equips them with the knowledge and agency needed to adapt to climate change and mitigate its impact. 

Hence, ALE can play an important role in empowering youth and adults to address challenges within the framework of broader developments, including social movements at local, national and global levels.  

 

Moderator:

• Mr Shigeru Aoyagi, Director, UNESCO Bangkok, Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education

Panelists:

• Mr Niels Annen, Member of Parliament and Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Federal Republic of Germany 
• Ms Curmira Gulston, Youth Representative, National Coordinator, Sustainable Solutions for Island Development 
• Mr Manuel Hernández, Advisor of the Department of Youth and Adult Education, Republic of Costa Rica
• Ms Anjeela Jokhan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts, Republic of the Fiji Islands
• Mr Dan Koivulaakso, Vice Minister of Education and Culture, Republic of Finland

17 June 2022, 15:00 – 16:00 (GMT+1)

• Remarks by H.E. Mr Santiago Irazabal Mourão, President of the UNESCO General Conference
• Presentation and Adoption of the Marrakech Framework for Action (MFA), Daniel Baril, Chair of the Governing Board of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning
• Oral Report by the Rapporteur

17 June 2022, 16:00 – 16:15 (GMT+1)

• Ms Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education
• Mr Chakib Benmoussa, Minister of National Education, Preschool and Sports, Kingdom of Morocco

^[1] United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 2022. SDG 4, Target 4.6: ‘By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy’. [online] New York, UNDESA. Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4 [Accessed 18 May 2022].

^[2] United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 2022. SDG 4, Target 4.7: ‘By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development’. [online] New York, UNDESA. Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4 [Accessed 18 May 2022].