Being an Adult Learner in Austere Times - Exploring the Contexts of Higher, Further and Community Education

This book examines the experiences of adult learners in times of austerity. The power of adult education to transform lives is well known, and it is especially powerful for those who missed out on educational opportunities earlier in life. Those who have been successful learners in the past are more likely to continue their education and training, making extra support and funding ever-more important: however, in the current economic and political climate, support for adult learning is significantly decreasing. This book sheds light on the experiences of adult learners, despite the difficulties facing the sector: interweaving empirical discussions with theoretical debates, the editors and contributors demonstrate the challenges and struggles of adult learners in higher, further and community education. This enlightening edited collection will be of interest to all those involved in adult education as well as policy makers and funders.

Ellen Boeren is Reader in the Moray House School of Education at the University of Edinburgh, UK. A prize-winning author and researcher, she is also co-editor of UNESCO's Fourth Global Report on Adult Learning and Education, and is currently involved in the Horizon 2020 project Encouraging Lifelong Learning for an Inclusive and Vibrant Europe.

Nalita James is Associate Professor in the School of Education at the University of Leicester, UK. Her research interests centre in the sociology of education, encompassing access to higher education, the changing patterns of education, and adult education and lifelong learning.