Towards a New Understanding of Education in the Globalizing World: Life long Learning

More than three decades ago, Robert Hutchins published his visionary book, The Learning Society. “In the 21st century,” wrote Hutchins, “education can at last be come what it is in itself... The learning society will not only offer opportunities for developing every one’s education through all stages of one’s life but will also succeed to transform its values in such a way that learning, self‐regulation, humane behaviour will be come its goals and all in stitutions will be oriented towards them” (Hutchins, 1968: 134). If, in the year of publication, these ideas were accepted as scientific foresight, today, they describe the reality in the advanced western democratic societies. The concept of continuing education is defined as “one of the key ideas of the 21st century” and the very education throughout life, as “a key to the 21st century” (Delore, 1997: 20, 97). Today, education ceases to be viewed only as preparation for life, as its so‐to‐say foyer with clearly outlined boundaries. It is turning into a permanent companion of the individual, not only a part of one’s life but also a specific form, a way of life.