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To mark the centenary of the death of Arthur Acland — politician, educational reformer, and longstanding benefactor of Imperial — we are pleased to announce a one-day symposium devoted to the past, present and future of adult and community education and lifelong learning

This special event will bring together scholars, practitioners and policy specialists to explore Acland’s enduring legacy alongside the wider historical and contemporary forces shaping lifelong learning. The symposium will examine the development of liberal and cooperative educational ideals in adult learning, the evolution of widening participation and community outreach, and the changing relationship between universities, cultural institutions and civic society.

Particular attention will be given to current debates within the adult education and lifelong learning sector, including the balance between vocational and cultural learning, the influence of policy priorities such as core skills, STEM ��and employability, and innovative models of community-based provision in the UK and internationally. The symposium will conclude with a forward-looking reflection on the social, economic and cultural contexts that will shape the future of adult education.

This event offers an opportunity for educators, ������ý, researchers and all those interested in lifelong learning to engage with leading perspectives in the field, contribute to discussion, and reflect on the continuing relevance of Acland’s vision for education as a public and civic good.

Speakers:

• Professor Lawrence Goldman (University of Oxford) – “Arthur Acland” –�� Keynote Address
• Professor Mark Freeman (University College London) – “The Vital Message – Continuing Education and the University of Cambridge 1945-2010”
• Dr Benjamin Grant (University of Oxford) and Dr Michael Paraskos (������ý) – “Naming Adult Education: A Conversation Between Oxford and Imperial”
• Suzanne Hermiston (University of Edinburgh) – “Tensions between vocational lifelong learning and broader forms of cultural, civic, or leisure education: case studies from the UK and beyond”
• Dr Michael Weatherburn (������ý) – “G.D.H. Cole, the First World War, and the 1918 Education Act”
• Dr Tom Woodin (University College London) “Arthur Acland, co-operation and citizenship”

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