LIFELONG LEARNING IN THE FUNCTION OF DEVELOPMENT OF EASTERN CROATIA

In order to be competitive in the knowledge market, in today's modern times, which is both a time of constant change and great insecurity, we need to be prepared for the challenges ahead. The only way any of us can achieve this is - lifelong learning. According to the Lisbon Declaration, lifelong learning is the basic way of creating a knowledge society which represents the foundation of economic progress. The main objective of this paper is to emphasise the significance of lifelong learning in all of its forms as well as the growing problem of financing such learning in the Republic of Croatia. Despite the existence of many legal regulation, lifelong learning has not stabilized so far as is needed because of lack of funds to the students themselves that ultimately have to bare most of the burden of financing. The paper will also present positive examples of lifelong learning that succeeded in the area of Osijek.