CONFERENCE
From 23 to 28 November 2025, the 17th Asian Conference on Education (ACE2025) took place in Tokyo. It is one of the most significant platforms for educational research and innovation in the Asian region. The main themes of the conference covered the role of technology and artificial intelligence in education, global citizenship, sustainable development, and leadership in education.
Latvia was represented at the conference by Associate Professor and Lead Researcher Gunta Siliņa-Jasjukeviča from the Faculty of Education, Psychology and Art at the University of Latvia, and Professor and Lead Researcher Inese Lūsēna-Ezera from RTU Liepaja Academy. They participated within the framework of the State Research Programme “Education” (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” (No. VPP-IZM-Izglītība-2023/4-0001).
Associate Professor and Lead Researcher Gunta Siliņa-Jasjukeviča presented a poster titled “Defining Contemporary Adult Professional Development: Insights from Service Users, Providers, and Experts in Latvia”, reporting on how adult education service providers, users, and policy experts understand the need for flexible, targeted, and collaboration-based learning opportunities for adults. In November and December 2024, fourteen focus group discussions were organised with 129 participants—adult education service providers, users, and policy experts. The findings reveal that users emphasise the importance of practical skills relevant to the labour market, providers highlight the need for technology-supported and personalised learning environments, while experts stress the importance of systematic cross-sectoral cooperation and policy alignment. These aspects are critical for building a competitive and sustainable adult education system in Latvia.
Professor and Lead Researcher Inese Lūsēna-Ezera presented a poster titled “Barriers to Adult Professional Competence Development in Latvia: Insights from Service Users, Providers, and Experts”, reporting on the key obstacles hindering the development of adult professional competence in Latvia. The study shows that these barriers are largely contextual—existing policy frameworks, administrative obstacles, and workplace environments. At the same time, a significant challenge lies in the insufficient transfer of skills to the actual workplace—training is often formal, misaligned with organisational needs, and participants lack confidence in the practical value of the knowledge acquired. The study concludes that an integrated approach addressing both individual and systemic factors is necessary to foster adult professional competence in Latvia.
The ACE2025 conference offered not only academic discussions but also opportunities to develop international cooperation networks, promoting innovation and the exchange of knowledge. The global nature of the conference and the opportunities for international collaboration in education were reflected in its wide representation, bringing together 736 participants from 65 countries and 445 institutions and organisations.
