Open Education 2030: planning the future of adult learning in Europe

Adult learning and open education have become key elements on the European Agenda. This paper presents the first results of a foresight activity that aims to contribute to an understanding of how 'Opening up Education' can improve adult learning in Europe in the future. It argues that to open up adult learning two main challenges must be overcome: the extent to which learners need guidance and, depending on the learning goals, the extent to which learners need recognition and certification. On the basis of these challenges, four non-exclusive scenarios are presented, illustrating different versions and contexts for open adult learning. The main conclusion of the paper is that in order to enhance the quality of adult learning and to avoid the risk of social exclusion, policy-makers need to develop a framework that allows learners to flexibly move between different learning scenarios. Learners also need to acquire 'Open Education Competences'. Finally, a roadmap is presented outlining how this future vision could be implemented.