A number of projects within PASCAL, including currently THEMP, are concerned with the benefits of lifelong learning for older learners. A briefing report from CEDEFOP entitled, Silver workers - golden opportunities - Exploring the benefits of investing in an ageing workforce, provides a useful backdrop to that debate and is featured below.

As a reference point subscribers may also be interested in earlier work within the UK Inquiry into Lifelong Learning co-ordinated by our associate Professor Tom Schuller together with Sir David Watson, especially the thematic papers on Learning and Work by Jenny Williams and Tom Wilson and Well-Being and Happiness by our associate Professor John Field.

Meanwhile the UK Higher Education Minister, David Willetts today advocates considering going to university in your 60s. And we thought that the Westminster government had lost its commitment to adult education! I'm sure that pensioners in England will be rushing in due course to take out their student loan now that the age limit on loans has been lifted.