CONFERENCE
On 23 October 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., a conference entitled “Lifelong Learning: The Key to Tomorrow’s Skills” took place at the Library of the University of Latvia. Experts in education policy and the labour market discussed the importance of adult education and the development of future skills.
In the first part of the conference, Dr paed. Gunta Siliņa-Jasjukeviča, Associate Professor at the University of Latvia and Lead Researcher of the State Research Programme (SRP) “Education” project “Elaboration of evidence-based solutions for effective professional competence development of adults and assessment of the transfer of its results into practice in Latvia” (project No. VPP-IZM-Izglītība-2023/4-0001), delivered a presentation entitled “Adult Professional Development in Latvia — Insights from the State Research Programme ‘Education’ Project Results”.
The presentation provided an overview of the interim research findings, including the theoretical concept of adult professional competence development, examples of international good practice, the current situation regarding adult professional development in Latvia, as well as the project’s ongoing activities related to the creation of a new framework.
Among the main personal barriers to adult professional development, the following were identified: lack of intrinsic motivation, limited aspiration for growth, and insufficient understanding of one’s learning needs and career goals. To improve the situation, several solutions were proposed — the creation of a unified information platform, increasing the flexibility of learning opportunities, and promoting a learning culture within organisations.
“Our research results show that promoting adult professional development requires an integrated approach that takes into account both individual and systemic factors — cooperation between the state, employers, education providers, and the adults themselves,” emphasised Gunta Siliņa-Jasjukeviča. “Improvements are needed in the professional development support system, particularly in terms of resource provision and coordination between different levels and sectors, as well as addressing the accessibility of learning opportunities in the regions. It is also essential to raise public awareness of the importance of adult education for professional growth and the need for lifelong learning.”
Further information about the conference is available on the EPALE platform: EPALE News about the Conference.
