International

Adult learning and International Development

We believe that global development, framed by the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and the Education for All (EFA) goals would have greater impact and sustainability if adult learning was woven into the strategies and initiatives. For example, we believe that maternal health, early childhood care and development, primary education and HIV-AIDS programmes should have adult learning as part of them.

We also believe that by integrating adult literacy into International Development programmes we could achieve the goals more readily and equip individuals and communities to be more autonomous and self-reliant. The EFA goals relating to skills and adult literacy have been neglected by many governments and NGOs; NIACE advocates that in the interest of both social and economic outcomes, these aspects of adult learning should be actively supported.

Adult learning and Development Awareness

The realities of migrations of people within and across countries and continents; the globalisation of trade and the transnational nature of many employers, as well as issues of sustainability and climate change, mean that adults in the UK are influenced by global agendas on a daily basis. NIACE believes that adult learning opportunities which help to equip people to deal with change, uncertainty, cultural diversity and inter-cultural working both at home and at work should be supported and developed across the globe. Adults need opportunities to access information and to explore and understand the difficulties of living and working in the 21st century.