Norway has a long tradition for adult learning. Even if the arguments for policy efforts to improve the lifelong systems are mostly employability and better skills match, there is also a strong consensus on the importance of personal growth and critical thinking for adult learners. Adult education and training is high up the political agenda in Norway today, involving the social partners to secure that the workforce’s skills harmonise with the needs of working life by continuous education and training, also at higher education level.
Norway has recently established a modularised system for adult primary and secondary education. Participants at the introductory programme for refugees have the opportunity to combine this programme with the modularised adult education. Employees may participate in programmes for education and training in working life such as SkillsPlus (‘Kompetansepluss’) and the Sectorial Programme (‘Bransjeprogrammet’). Adults also have the opportunity to have their prior learning validated and to receive career guidance, both at the free career centres in each county and by web and phone.
In the 19th century, folk high schools, inspired by the Danish priest N.F.S. Grundtvig, played a crucial role in Norway. Grundtvig's philosophy emphasized lifelong learning, personal development and democratic, inclusive education. The first Norwegian folk high school was established in 1864. In 1976, an act on adult education was passed, stating that the “objective of adult education is to help each individual to attain a more meaningful life” (§ 1).
A skills reform was implemented in Norway in 1997–1998. The reform aimed to meet the needs of the labour market while also addressing individual educational goals. It resulted in the right to study leave for employees, a system for recognition of prior learning, legal rights for adults to primary and secondary education. The concept of lifelong learning was significantly promoted, encouraging adults to continue their education and training throughout their lives. By emphasizing the workplace as a crucial learning arena, the reform encouraged the integration of education and work. The reform fostered collaboration between various stakeholders, including government agencies, educational institutions, employers and labour organisations. Another skills reform was implemented in 2020, with the white paper Learning throughout life (‘Lære hele livet’). The objectives of the reform are to make sure that all employees have the necessary and current skills to remain competitive in the job market and that the labour market has access to the skills it needs. The main outcome of this reform is a sectorial programme (‘Bransjeprogrammet’) that gives employees access to flexible further education and training.
A national centre for learning in working life was established in 2001. After some reorganisations, the public institution with responsibility for adult education and training is today the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (‘HK-dir’).
Norway participates in a broad range of European activities for lifelong learning, such as EPALE and the European Agenda for Adult Learning, and has also established a Contact Office for Research, Innovation and Education in Brussels (Norcore). Corresponding to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), a Norwegian Qualifications Framework for Lifelong learning ('NKR') has been developed by Nokut.