Adult Learning Australia (ALA) has declared 2018 to be a Year of Lifelong Learning. This raises many questions about why Lifelong Learning should be a priority. How might policy to promote Lifelong Learning develop? Are there particular outcomes which should be anticipated from a year focused on lifelong learning? How to get the various stakeholders for formal, non-formal and informal learning across various age levels to work together to promote a more coherent and engaged framework for all people to see themselves on a lifelong learning journey?

As part of its campaign for a national lifelong learning policy, the ALA will devote the November issue of the Australian Journal of Adult Learning to this topic. The issue will be edited by guest editors, Mike Osborne (Glasgow University) and Bruce Wilson (RMIT University).

We invite academics, policy makers and practitioners to contribute articles on these and many other questions which might address the importance of lifelong learning, and its personal and social importance. Contributors might like to consider the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, the Agenda to 2030) when writing their article. Not only do the SDGs include a priority on promoting lifelong learning (in Goal 4, Education), but their achievement in relation to all 17 Goals depends on the effectiveness of lifelong learning in enabling citizens in all countries to understand the context and issues of all Goals, and also to enhance their capacity to act.                                                                                                                                                            

We are interested in contributions related to learning in any context, providing that their evidence and analysis contributes to understanding about the design or implementation of lifelong policy and its implementation. We look forward to your contributions.

Notes for Prospective Authors: Submissions for inclusion in the AJAL Special Issue should be between 6,000 and 7,000 words and conform to the AJAL Style, details of which can be found via the ‘Submissions’ tab at this link. 

Submissions must be made online at www.ajal.net.au before 30 April 2018 for publication in November 2017.

Further information about the special issue can be obtained by contacting Bruce Wilson at [email protected]