This chapter describes the most important measures to ensure that adults (whether in or outside the labour market, employed or unemployed) can continue to learn. It focuses on the provision that is promoted/funded or coordinated by public authorities.

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Distribution of responsibilities

This section explains how the responsibility for adult education and training is distributed between central/top-level, regional and local authorities.

Developments and current policy priorities

This section provides a brief historical account of the principles underlying adult education and training and the current policy priorities.

Main providers

This section provides a brief description of various categories of adult education and training institutions.

Main types of provision

This section gives a concise overview of different types of adult education and training provision:

1. Provision to Raise Achievement in Basic Skills;

2. Provision to Achieve a Recognised Qualification during Adulthood;

3. Provision Targeting the Transition to the Labour Market;

4. Provision of Liberal (Popular) Adult Education;

5. Other Types of Publicly Subsidised Provision for Adult Learners.

Validation of non-formal and informal learning

 This section outlines to what degree the validation of non-formal and informal learning (VNIL) has developed in their system.