UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning

Are you trying to help adults navigate today’s complex information landscape? In an era where misinformation spreads rapidly and the integrity of information is constantly challenged, media and information literacy has never been more essential. The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, in collaboration with UNESCO’s Media and Information Literacy and Digital Competencies Unit, has launched a new free, self-paced online course: Media and Information Literacy Manual for Adult Educators. This course equips adult educators with practical tools to strengthen learners’ ability to: 🔵 Critically evaluate information sources 🟢 Identify and counter misinformation 🟣 Navigate social media responsibly 🟠 Understand the impact of AI on information ecosystems 🔴 Promote online safety and ethical digital citizenship 🟡 Challenge gender stereotypes Designed as a practical toolkit, it includes interactive activities, step-by-step guidance, and real-world teaching strategies that are accessible, clear, and adaptable across contexts. 🎓 Participants receive a UNESCO certificate upon completion. Stay ahead in the rapidly evolving digital landscape and help shape the next generation of critical thinkers. 👉 Register today and start learning - https://shorturl.at/i43ex

Climate action starts locally — and cities are leading the charge. As front line responders to climate change, cities and communities are shaping more resilient, sustainable urban futures. Join our webinar “Greener cities, stronger communities – Advancing local climate action.’ Discover how learning cities are powering sustainability through inclusive, community led approaches — cultivating green learning cultures, strengthening neighbourhood resilience and driving climate action through lifelong learning and collective effort. 📅 20 May 2026 ⏰ 13:00–14:00 CET 🔗 Register now: https://shorturl.at/yF8FN

In a digital, AI driven world, media and information literacy (MIL) is no longer optional — it’s essential. From navigating misinformation to participating fully in society, critical engagement with information matters more than ever. Join the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning for the webinar ‘From misinformation to empowerment – Media literacy for youth and adults in the age of AI.’ Special highlight: We will officially launch the Media and Information Literacy Course for Adult Educators in French and Spanish. Discover how lifelong learning approaches can strengthen media and information literacy among youth and adults, and explore concrete tools to help educators foster critical thinking, ethical AI awareness and responsible media engagement. 📅 19 May 2026 ⏰ 13:30–15:00 CEST 🔗 Register now: https://shorturl.at/7zmWg

Are you at WUF13 Azerbaijan? Discover how local wisdom can shape climate action. 🌱🏡 Join us at the WUF Academy for an interactive and inspiring UIL session: From Local Wisdom to Climate Action - Community Driven Pathways to Resilient Housing and Greener Communities This dynamic session explores how communities, culture, and co-design can drive meaningful climate action, especially in vulnerable, flood-prone contexts. Join us to: ✅ Co-design resilient housing solutions using traditional knowledge and affordable innovations ✅ Learn from global and local examples, including a powerful case from Thailand ✅ Turn ideas into action with practical tools for community-based planning and greening strategies Together, we will rethink housing - not just as infrastructure, but as a living system shaped by people, knowledge and environment. 🗓️ 20 May 2026 | 09:30–11:30 📍 Multipurpose Room 10 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dea5jziz #WUF13 #WUF13Azerbaijan #SDG4 #SDG11 #SDG13

🕊️ On the International Day of Living Together in Peace, we are happy to spotlight an article on building peace through lifelong learning. Drawing on an integrative review of peace education research published in the International Review of Education over the past 40 years (1983–2023), the article traces the evolution of the field - from early conceptual reflections on peace to today’s diverse, globally grounded empirical research. Framed against key international policy agendas, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Our Common Agenda, and the Pact for the Future, the authors highlight both the potential and the risks of policy‑driven approaches to peace education. They call for more critical and decolonial perspectives to ensure that peace education is truly transformative in practice. As we mark this day, the article reminds us that living together in peace depends on lifelong learning that is reflective, inclusive and critically engaged with global realities. 🔗 Read more https://lnkd.in/d-s53ZKP #InternationalDayOfLivingTogetherInPeace #PeaceEducation #LifelongLearning

This week at the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, we were pleased to welcome experts from the University of Hamburg, Germany and Gulu University, Uganda for an enriching exchange focused on action research initiatives in lifelong learning across African countries. Bringing together Professors Anke Grotlüschen and Klaus Buddeberg of the University of Hamburg, Robert Jjuuko of Gulu University, and Raul Valdes-Cotera, Chief Programme Coordinator at the UIL, the visit created space to share experiences, discuss emerging research approaches, and reflect on how collaborative action research can strengthen lifelong learning policy and practice in diverse contexts across the region. The discussions also contributed to preparations for this week’s Conference of the ESREA Network on Policy Studies in Adult Education (13-15 May), hosted by the University of Hamburg.

UNESCO’s first Higher Education Global Trends Report shows that the number of students enrolled in higher education worldwide has more than doubled over the past two decades, reaching 269 million in 2024. International mobility has tripled over the same period, with nearly 7.3 million students studying abroad, half of them hosted in European and North American countries. Women now outnumber men in higher education but lag behind at doctoral level. Serious geographical inequalities remain with lower enrolment and completion rates in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa. Read the full press release: https://unes.co/t3v2qu

We are excited to invite member cities of the UNESCO Global Network of #LearningCities to apply to host Seventh International Conference on Learning Cities #ICLC7, taking place in June 2027.     🌐 Theme: Learning Cities in the Age of AI - Towards Inclusive Digital Urban Futures     ICLC 7 will bring together city leaders, policymakers, researchers and practitioners from around the world to explore how AI is reshaping urban life and how learning cities can harness digital innovation to build inclusive, sustainable, and resilient futures.     Why host ICLC 7?   ✔️ Position your city as a global leader in #LifelongLearning  ✔️ Strengthen international and regional partnerships   ✔️ Drive local innovation and development   ✔️ Attract investment and collaboration   ✔️ Engage communities around a shared learning vision     The conference will highlight how #cities can leverage AI to:   🔹 Advance lifelong learning   🔹 Build smarter, more inclusive urban communities   🔹 Support the SDGs at the local level     📩 Apply!   Member cities are invited to submit their applications - endorsed by the city’s mayor - by 29 May 2026.     👉 Access the call for applications https://lnkd.in/e-3QtUCn     #SDG4 #SDG11 

Final days to apply for the 2026 UNESCO International Literacy Prizes. 📚 If you’re advancing literacy, or know an initiative that is, don’t miss the deadline! 🗓️ For applicants: 18 May 2026 🗓️ For nominating entities: 1 June 2026 Apply now 👉 https://shorturl.at/3sCl6

In a new article published in Studies in Adult Education and Learning, UIL Director Isabell Kempf explores how adult learning and education can help rebuild communities, foster dialogue and strengthen peace in times of conflict and uncertainty. From community learning centres to civic education and transformative learning, the article highlights how lifelong learning can nurture empathy, solidarity and democratic participation — and why investing in adult learning is essential for more peaceful, inclusive and resilient societies. Read the article 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dMtisbtW