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| Dear friends of UIL, Welcome to the latest edition of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) Bulletin. In this issue, we highlight key moments from our recent international workshop on teachers as lifelong learners, our collaboration with Kenya to strengthen adult educators’ digital skills, our work with UNESCO Learning Cities in Ukraine to build lifelong learning systems amid war, and upcoming events including a capacity-building workshop on lifelong learning and the right to education in the Kingdom of Morocco, and our Gender Talk in Hamburg, Germany. You will also find information on upcoming public webinars, our latest publications, and a vacancy announcement for a Senior Programme Specialist. We hope you enjoy reading this edition! News  International Workshop: Teachers and Educators as Lifelong Learners and Facilitators of Lifelong LearningAs part of their joint research project, UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning and Shanghai Normal University hosted an international workshop in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, from 30 June to 2 July 2025. Held under the theme Teachers and Educators as Lifelong Learners and Facilitators of Lifelong Learning the workshop brought together policymakers, academics, researchers, and representatives from national and regional governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as professional associations. Learn more ►  Teachers and educators are at the heart of learning. They are not just transmitters of knowledge but mentors, guides, designers of learning environments and champions of lifelong learning. In classrooms and community centres around the world, teachers help learners cultivate curiosity, resilience, critical thinking and joy in learning. To continue making this impact, teachers must be empowered to grow, adapt, and thrive throughout their own lifelong learning journeys.– Ms Isabell Kempf, UIL Director  In an era defined by lifelong learning, the question of how teachers themselves can become lifelong learners is more important than ever. At Shanghai Normal University, this question is at the heart of our mission. The way educators embrace lifelong learning shapes the minds of the next generation, making it a cornerstone of our collective future.– Ms Yuan Wen, President of Shanghai Normal University  Supporting Kenya’s journey in empowering adult educators with essential digital skillsAs technology continues to reshape education, adult educators are at the forefront – adapting to new tools, methodologies and expectations. Through the DELTA project (Digital Empowerment for Lifelong Learning, Transformative Andragogy), we work to equip educators with the digital competencies needed to foster inclusive, equitable and future-ready learning environments. The initiative is supported by Shanghai Open University. In collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection’s Directorate of Adult Learning and Education, Kenya, the National Commission for UNESCO, and the UNESCO Nairobi Office, UIL successfully held a workshop to contextualize the DELTA framework for Kenya. This effort built on insights from a baseline survey conducted across four counties, in which over 1,300 adult educators shared their needs and challenges. Learn more ►  Ukrainian UNESCO Learning Cities – Lviv, Sumy, Ternopil, and Poltava – are building lifelong learning systems amid warIn June 2025, in Kyiv, four Ukrainian UNESCO Learning Cities—Lviv, Sumy, Ternopil, and Poltava—presented their lifelong learning development strategies to the government and partners. These strategies were developed with the support of the UNESCO Antenna in Ukraine and UIL. The strategy presentation event was organized by UNESCO in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, DVV International and UIL. It brought together over 150 participants from across the country, including representatives of government bodies, international organizations, educational institutions, local authorities and civil society. Learn more ►  Ukrainian UNESCO Learning Cities are building lifelong learning systems amid war.  National launch in China: Our book Family and Intergenerational Literacy and Learning: International PerspectivesFamily and Intergenerational literacy and learning programmes are game-changers – breaking cycles of low literacy, empowering parents and opening doors to lifelong learning. Our book offers a comprehensive picture of how people and institutions in countries around the world are approaching and practising family literacy and learning. Together with Professor Jiacheng Li of East China Normal University – co-author of the chapter ‘Parental Involvement in Children’s Early Learning at Home: A Study in Rural China’ – we proudly introduced the book to a highly engaged audience on 3 July 2025. Learn more ►  |
| Annual outing of diplomatic corps in UIL host city Hamburg, Germany UIL Director Ms Isabell Kempf joined Hamburg Senator Andreas Dressel and members of the diplomatic corps based in Hamburg for their annual outing. The group’s visit to Aurubis offered fascinating insights into how copper and other essential metals are produced in UIL’s host city – and how lifelong learning is embedded in the company’s approach. A valuable opportunity to connect and exchange with consuls from around the world! |
| Vacancy |
| Events |
| Unlocking the Power of Lifelong Learning: A global webinar series |
| Don’t miss the next webinars in the series: |
 On 20 August 2025, the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities will host the webinar, ‘Digital learning in the city: Leveraging AI for inclusive learning’. This webinar focuses on how the integration of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) into learning environments presents exciting opportunities for transforming urban education.Learn more and register now  On 3 September 2025, UIL will host the webinar, ‘From chalkboards to chatbots: Educating adults in the AI era’. This webinar will explore current trends in policy, research and practice related to artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in adult learning and education.Learn more and register now |
 On 24 September 2025, UIL will host the webinar, ‘Global perspectives on education in prison’. This webinar will focus on UIL’s online collection of innovative practices on education in prison, which currently features 18 case studies showcasing successful initiatives and practical examples that ensure the right to education and lifelong learning for incarcerated individuals.Learn more and register now |
| Watch the recording of our latest webinar, ‘Reading behind bars in Cambodia’! |
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