The Swedish experience of non-formal adult education

Adult education aims to broaden existing knowledge, bridge the gap in education between generations, provide additional opportunities to improve professional qualifications and competitiveness on the labour market, and improve their quality of life. The Swedish experience of adult education is seen as an example of a successful solution to a set of contemporary problems based on a free approach to educating the wider society. Educational circles and folk high schools have become an important element of Swedish democracy and a factor in the country's stable development. The Swedish Folk High School is the main institution of the non-formal adult education system (folkbilding) that plays a compensatory, rehabilitative, social-adaptive and developmental role in society. General accessibility, democracy, voluntariness, freedom in the choice of educational programs, openness to innovation are the basic principles of operation of folkbilding. The constant updating of knowledge through the system of non-formal adult education is today an important resource for the sustainable development of society. The book is intended for a wide range of people interested in the problems of adult education.