Organisation:	National Research and Development Centre for adult literacy and numeracy (commissioned by the EU), Europe
Source:	European Adult Learning Glossary level 1 (2011)
Description:	This glossary is one output of European Commission project EAC/11/2008, 'Study on European Terminology in Adult Learning for a common language and common understanding and monitoring of the sector'. Two glossaries have been produced in the course of this project. The glossary presented here –the Level 1 glossary –is intended to be a practical reference tool for policy-makers and administrators that will enable better communication between the Member States.[...] Work on this study was led by the National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy (NRDC) at the Institute of Education, University of London, and carried out in collaboration with colleagues from the Deutsches Institut für Erwachsenenbildung (DIE) in Bonn, the Agence Nationale de Lutte congtre L'illetrisme (ANLCI) in Lyon, the University of Sheffield, and the University of Warsaw. pp. 2-3 (About)

Education specifically targeting individuals who are regarded as adults by the society to which they belong to improve their technical or professional qualifications, further develop their abilities, enrich their knowledge with the purpose to complete a level of formal education, or to acquire knowledge, skills and competencies in a new field or to refresh or update their knowledge in a particular field. This also includes what may be referred to as ‘continuing education’, ‘recurrent education’ or ‘second chance education’.
Source: UNESCO UIS 2013, Global

General or vocational education provided for adults after initial education and training for professional and/or personal purposes, and which aims to:
– provide general education for adults in topics of particular interest to them (e. g. in open universities);
– provide compensatory learning in basic skills which individuals may not have acquired earlier in their initial education or training (such as literacy, numeracy) and thus to;
– give access to qualifications not gained, for various reasons, in the initial education and training system;
– acquire, improve or update knowledge, skills or competences in a specific field: this is continuing education and training.
Source: CEDEFOP 2008, Europe

Education programs designed for adults, often incorporating approaches to education which draw on the learner's life or work experiences, involve learners in planning the learning activities and encourage learning in groups as well as more self-directed learning.
Source: NCVER 2013, Australia

Education programmes designed for adults that incorporate approaches drawing on the learners’ life and work experience.
Source: ILO 2006, Global

This denotes all forms of non-vocational adult learning, whether of a formal, non-formal or informal nature.
Source: EU Commission LLP 2007-2013, Europe

The entire body of organized educational processes, whatever the content, level and method, whether formal or otherwise, whether they prolong or replace initial education in schools, colleges and universities as well as in apprenticeship, whereby persons regarded as adults by the society to which they belong, improve their technical or professional qualifications, further develop their abilities, enrich their knowledge with the purpose:
Source: UNESCO UIS (ISCED) 1997, UN

Education provided for adults, often intended for general education rather than vocational education.
Source: Ministry of Labour 2005, Jordan

A learner participating in adult education.
Source: EU Commission LLP 2007-2013, Europe

The processes by which adults learn and build on their existing knowledge and skills.
Source: NCVER 2013, Australia

The entire range of formal, non-formal and informal learning activities which are undertaken by adults after a break since leaving initial education and training, and which results in the acquisition of new knowledge and skills
Note: This includes university-level or higher education undertaken after a break (other than for deferred entry) since leaving initial education and training (Note: This is a pragmatic definition for EU purposes; a full dictionary definition would include all higher education)
Source: EU Commission AL 2010, Europe

Adults ability to read, write and use numbers and numerical information.
Source: NCVER 2013, Australia