Korean Educational Development Institute(KEDI)

Analysis and Study on Demand of Adult Learners for University Lifelong Education

As knowledge life cycle is shortened and lifespan of population is prolonged, social and economic demand for lifelong learning increases, and thus, university lifelong education system establishment is expected to become important. Korea also promoted various policies to establish university lifelong education system in government and university level so far. But, rather than promoting with long term strategy based on analysis on demand of adults for lifelong education, they were busy filling insufficient number of students, and many side effects also occurred. This study intended to systemically analyze demand of adult learners for university lifelong education to diagnose supply and demand mismatch status and problems and to present policy plan to establish university lifelong education system that can meet the demand of adult learners for university lifelong education system.

Before full scale demand analysis, previous study and theory, overseas university lifelong education policy cases, adult university lifelong education policy promotion history and legal grounds, influence of labor market change on demand of adults for university lifelong education, university lifelong education financial support project status and outlook, etc. were reviewed and analyzed. Based on the contents revealed by such in-advance works, online survey and FGI were carried out to analyze demand of adult learners for university lifelong education. Lastly, based on demand analysis result, policy plans for university lifelong education were presented.