Firstly, the views of the European Union (E.U.) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (O.E.C.D.) are examined in relation to the issue of lifelong learning, as well as the challenges that render the reconstruction of the national educational systems essential. Following, it is pointed out that access to lifelong learning programmes and, more specifically, adult university education remains a process riddled with inequalities, not only within each country but also among different countries. At the same time, the European Union and the O.E.C.D. have expressed their concern about the inability of tertiary education to make changes, which are judged to be necessary, within the context of global economic competition and the learning societies. In order to enhance adult university education, certain proposals are put forward: accessing the universities to the needs of the local as well as the wider society; at the same time, universities must respond by meeting the diverse interests of adult students; developing flexible practical accreditation of non-formal and informal learning; and providing quality assurance procedures for the courses offered in this particular field of educational services.
Parental Unemployment and the Transition into Tertiary Education: Can Institutions Moderate the Adverse Effects?
