The programme 'Leaming for Sustainable Development, exploring leaming strategies across the lifespan' was initiated by the Netherlands National Commission for UNESCO and the Dutch Institute for Vocational and Adult Education (CINOP). The programme consists of three scientific reports on the issue and an international expert meeting. (1) Sustainable learning and societal participation. Van Esch et al, CINOP. (2) ON COURSE : the contribution of lifelong learning to sustainable development. Van Beilen, University of Groningen (RUG). (3) Sustainable development and education : theory and practice / S. Tebbes, University of Groningen, (RUG). The first report deepens the knowledge of the learning process itself. The second and the third discuss sustainable development in relation to lifelong learning, two issues of major importance to our societies.
Chapter 2 of this report short introductions to the issues of Sustainable Development (SD) and Lifelong Leaming are given. In the same chapter a theoretical background is presented, based on the three reports and the conceptual basis presented by Wildemeersch. This acts as a start to the discussion that was held during the international expert meeting. Before the discussion is presented in chapter 4, case studies of sustainable development and lifelong learning will be presented in chapter 3. In chapter 5 content and policy recommendations are given and chapter 6 provides the conclusions based on the reports, conceptual basis and discussions.
The expert meeting was organized by the National Network for Sustainability in Higher Education (DHO), 23-24 April 2008, Leiden, The Netherlands. The goal of the expert meeting was to strengthen
the knowledge of and to set the agenda for the issue of sustainable development in relation to lifelong learning.
