DEVELOPMENT OF ADULT EDUCATION IN THE CONTEXT OF UKRAINE’S INTEGRATION INTO THE EUROPEAN AND WORLD EDUCATIONAL SPACES

Abstract

The article is focused on the study of the main aspects and trends of adult education as an important component of lifelong learning in the international educational space with the view to use good practice in adult education development in Ukraine. Foreign experience in studying this subject is analyzed, and researches by domestic scientists are systematized. A number of decisions and documents confirming the importance of adult education development in the context of Ukraine’s integration into the EU are outlined. The main factors affecting the functioning and development of adult education, namely economic, social, demographic, cultural, and international relations, are highlighted. The analytical tools of the Web of Science Core Collection database were used to іdentify researches on the development of adult education at the international level. This tool has made it possible to find the most cited research papers and the frequency of using the concepts of «adult education» and «adult learning» in titles of scientific publications in the Web of Science Core Collection database as of February 10, 2021. The Eurostat database was used and some educational indicators of adult education were compared in terms of 35 countries. The activities of main international organizations for adult education such as UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, International Council for Adult Education, European Association for the Education of Adults, Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe, etc. are characterized. The findings of the analytical report «What adult learning policy should be in Ukraine?» and the results of an online questionnaire «Expert survey to determine the main directions for the formation of state policy on adult education in Ukraine», were analyzed in detail in order to describe the recent trends of adult education in Ukraine. The conclusion was reached that it is necessary to adopt a law on adult education in Ukraine, as well as to expand cooperation between Ukraine and EU сountries on the development of adult education.