Lancashire, United Kingdom

This two day conference to launch the Widening Participation Research Centre at Edge Hill University aims to bring together practitioners, researchers, policy makers and managers to learn from each other and work together in relation to the conference theme of exploring learning trajectories.

Queensland, Australia

The 5th International Lifelong Learning Conference aims to identify and bring together the various partners involved with lifelong learning - educators from all sectors, industry representatives, policy makers and lifelong learners themselves. Work, society and life in general encourage learning using formats and strategies that need to be assessed for their effectiveness and relevance if their future usefulness is to be assured.

Conference organisers have identified several sub-themes to be discussed – assessment, evaluation, planning for success, objectives and outcomes, celebrating achievement and creating new futures, to name a few. Delegates are invited to contemplate the sub-themes related to the broader conference theme of Lifelong Learning: Reflecting on Successes and Framing Futures and to bring their thoughts and ideas to what promises to be a stimulating and rewarding conference.

In this context of assessing and evaluating progress made as well as renewing and reshaping visions for the journeys ahead, it is appropriate to ask questions such as these:

• How effective have lifelong learning policies and practices been so far and how do we know?
• Who have been some of the winners and losers from lifelong learning initiatives to date?
• Which concepts and strategies have been most successful in generating and sustaining lifelong and lifewide learning?
• Which factors have contributed to success and in which contexts and environments?
• Do we need new metaphors for life and learning in the future or can lifelong learning continue to inspire and transform our aspirations?
• How can lifelong learning be most effectively harnessed as we strive to create more equitable, meaningful and productive futures for ourselves and future generations?

For more information please visit:  http://lifelonglearning.cqu.edu.au/2008/overview.htm

York, United Kingdom

The Conference focuses on Challenging isolation through lifelong learning policies and practices.  Such policies and practices could be those of: national, regional or local government; specific lifelong learning or widening participation initiatives – such as Aimhigher or Lifelong Learning Networks in the UK; particular institutions, or parts of institutions such as academic/subject departments, student support services; different types of organisations including not only state-funded educational providers but also those in the voluntary sector, social enterprises and private training providers; and many other perspectives, most importantly those of the individuals and communities for whom lifelong learning has been, or could be, a route out of isolation and marginalisation.

For more information on the conference please go to: http://www2.yorksj.ac.uk/default.asp?Page_ID=4695&Parent_ID=2135