Abstract
Lifelong learning policies are subject to various approaches of educational governance. Our research presents a hypothesis that lifelong learning policies are creating and engaging with new facets of governance. To test for proof of concept, the lead author conducted interviews with officials and policy makers from international organisations such as the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organisation, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the International Labour Organisation and the Council of Europe. The thematic analysis of the data revealed lifelong learning governance is characterised by an «effects spiral» or «interactive governance» – an institutional formation, functioning and conditioning in decision making of international, European and national actors. A double issue is also highlighted: the economic difficulties (employability, flexi-security, funding and mobility) and the monitoring process (expertise, comparison, transposition, supervision and control), which are prioritised over the social role of education. This is important because it is the social role of education that empowers citizens to realise national, regional, and international strategic plans, and the monitoring process for sustainable development. The thematic analysis reveals new forms of governance in lifelong learning policies, namely collaborative governance, competitive governance, control governance and thematic governance. The authors present this taxonomy on lifelong learning governance with recommendations of how lifelong learning policies can be optimised.
Highlights
Lifelong learning policies are increasingly being discussed by policy makers, researchers, teachers and parents
Our research presents a hypothesis that lifelong learning policies are creating and engaging with new facets of governance
If lifelong learning is a current preoccupation in academic and political circles, the question arises, what are the pre-eminent features of governance and administration for lifelong learning policies developed by the International Organisations? To address this question we describe the international lifelong learning policies, the research hypothesis and methods as well as the data analysis and reveal a typology of four forms of educative governance, namely collaborative, competitive, control and thematic governance
Summary
A double issue is highlighted: the economic difficulties (employability, flexi-security, funding and mobility) and the monitoring process (expertise, comparison, transposition, supervision and control), which are prioritised over the social role of education. This is important because it is the social role of education that empowers citizens to realise national, regional, and international strategic plans, and the monitoring process for sustainable development. The thematic analysis reveals new forms of governance in lifelong learning policies, namely collaborative governance, competitive governance, control governance and thematic governance The authors present this taxonomy on lifelong learning governance with recommendations of how lifelong learning policies can be optimised
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