Functional, participatory and expressive ambitions: the dilemmas of Europe’s lifelong learning policy.

Vanwing, T. en Notten, T. (2004) Functional, participatory and expressive ambitions: the dilemmas of Europe its lifelong learning policy. In B. Hake, B. van Gent, & J. Katus (Eds.), Adult Education and Globalisation: Past and Present. Studies in Pedagogy, Andragogy and Gerontagogy, nr. 57. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 195-208

Over the past years, Europe has developed huge ambitions towards creating a knowledge-based society. These ambitions are food for professionals on the field of adult education. In this article we look from an 'andragogic' perspective at recent developments in adult educational policies and practices. We elaborate some main characteristics of the European lifelong learning strategies. General considerations upon these characteristics, in particular those regarding non-formal and informal education, will be illustrated by the case of the socio-cultural work in Flanders, Belgium.