{"id":77895,"date":"2025-08-14T00:12:39","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T04:12:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=77895"},"modified":"2025-08-14T00:12:39","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T04:12:39","slug":"more-and-more-people-are-seeking-lifelong-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/more-and-more-people-are-seeking-lifelong-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"More and more people are seeking lifelong learning."},"content":{"rendered":"

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Education has historically been one of the fundamental pillars for the development of societies, constantly evolving to adapt to the social, economic, and cultural changes of each era. In recent decades, the acceleration of technological transformations and globalization have generated a new educational paradigm that transcends traditional concepts of when and how learning occurs. The\u00a0<\/span>knowledge society<\/span><\/a>\u00a0has driven a reconceptualization of educational processes, where the acquisition of knowledge can no longer be limited to specific stages of life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Formal, non-formal and informal education<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Lifelong learning\u00a0<\/span>transcends the traditional boundaries of formal education<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and integrates it with non-formal and informal learning.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this sense, any activity we undertake \u201c\u00a0<\/span>with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and abilities from a personal, civic, social or employment-related perspective<\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u201d is lifelong learning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Continuing education in formal education<\/strong><\/h4>\n

There are multiple alternatives for those seeking to continue their education. Within formal education, there are continuing education programs such as university programs for adults that provide specific degrees tailored to profiles with professional experience; advanced vocational training that allows for advanced technical specialization linked to the productive sector; and master’s and postgraduate programs that provide specialized training that combines theory and professional practice.<\/span><\/p>\n

All of them have experienced\u00a0<\/span>a 32% increase<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in enrollment over the last five years, with the technology and healthcare areas particularly notable.<\/span><\/p>\n

Non-formal education: MOOCs and Professional Certificates<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Non-formal education consists of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). Platforms such as Coursera, edX, and Udemy have democratized access to quality content. In 2021,\u00a0<\/span>approximately 220 million students used MOOCs, offering approximately 19,400 courses<\/span><\/a>\u00a0.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are also professional certifications, i.e., specific accreditations recognized by the industry in fields such as technology, management, or digital marketing.\u00a0<\/span>Examples include Professional Certificates<\/span><\/a>\u00a0such as “Application Development with Web Technologies,” “Administrative Management Activities,” or “Real Estate Commercial Management.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Also included in non-formal education is in-company training: internal professional development programs that represent\u00a0<\/span>an investment of approximately 2.8% of the total payroll<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in European companies.<\/span><\/p>\n

Informal learning<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Informal learning can take place in communities of practice or groups of professionals who share knowledge and experiences. It can also take place through self-education using digital resources such as podcasts, tutorials, specialized blogs, and other open-access sources. And let’s not forget mentoring from experts in specific areas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Increasing demand for training<\/strong><\/h4>\n

It’s worth noting that the demand for continuing education has grown exponentially in recent years.\u00a0<\/span>Fifty-four percent of workers<\/span><\/a>\u00a0participated in some form of training during the past year, compared to 38% in 2015. This increase is due to several factors:<\/span><\/p>\n