What role will liberal adult education play in the working life of the future?

On 6 November 2026, the T-opistot organised a seminar to discuss the role of liberal adult education in the working life of the future. The T-opistot are liberal adult education institutions that provide training for working life and work together with employee organisations.

Around 50 experts in liberal adult education attended the event, which was held at the Helsingin aikuisopisto building. The seminar was opened by Riitta Kaarisalo, Member of Parliament and Chair of the Workers’ Educational Association (Työväen Sivistysliitto, TSL).

“Working life is changing at an accelerating pace. People’s skills must be maintained and developed. It is valuable to consider how liberal adult education could support the workers of the future and those who have not yet had access to education,” Kaarisalo said.

Milma Arola, Leading Specialist at the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, spoke about the demands of future learning, which she said are dominated by technology. The discussion on developing skills for working life is narrow if it only considers how artificial intelligence will affect which professions survive.

“With AI, we should have a more global discussion about what using it means for different sectors and, for example, for taxation. We also need to discuss what AI requires of communities and individuals in terms of skills, and how much power we give it. The driving force in future learning is a strong learner identity. Does AI make us more capable or less capable as individuals?” Arola asked the audience to consider.

“Future skills needs have been widely anticipated through various stakeholder surveys, but research is rarely free of vested interests. What is missing is a shared direction and vision of how to build a foundation for education and a renewing society, and this is where liberal adult education could take on a role.”

Heikki Kinnari, University Lecturer at the University of Helsinki, spoke about the importance of lifelong learning in the future. His presentation was based in part on his doctoral dissertation, Elinikäinen oppiminen ihmistä määrittämässä (Lifelong learning defining the human being).

“Lifelong learning can be defined as an obligation, a necessity and an opportunity. Its goals and meaning have changed, however, while its problems have remained much the same,” Kinnari said. Continuous learning has become more focused on the labour market.

“Today, alongside knowledge and skills, attention seems to be turning to a broader idea of human capital, represented by emotional and motivational abilities, capacities and attitudes. Acquiring and strengthening these would thus be becoming a lifelong task for the individual.”

The event culminated in a panel discussion, which brought up different perspectives on the future role of liberal adult education.

Mikko Laakkonen, Head of Training at the Service Union United PAM, pointed out that anticipating future skills needs is difficult. We need to be able to use AI already, but it is completely open what kind of world and working life we will be living in five or ten years from now. Liberal adult education finds its place when we think not only about the basic skills of the future but also about the need for Bildung, or broad general education. It is clear that working-life skills can improve the national economy and competitiveness. In the future, those who will do well are curious people who think critically, want to learn and understand how civil society works.

Anssi Pirttijärvi, Counsellor of Education at the Ministry of Education and Culture, referred to the interim report published by the working group on the future of liberal adult education on 15 September 2026. The report outlines liberal adult education as a strong and flexible provider of lifelong and continuous learning in the future, too. According to the report, liberal adult education courses and approaches such as competence-based learning should be used in developing skills and in creating pathways to education and working life. The interim report highlights the future role of liberal adult education in strengthening democratic skills, resilience and Bildung, in addition to basic AI and digital skills. Pirttijärvi expressed his view that liberal adult education should be developed as a whole rather than as several separate actors.

Aleksi Sandroos, Expert at Sivista, the employers’ association for education, raised the question of how all citizens could be reached by digital skills education in the future. Another important question concerns the opportunities for further education for young men who have finished comprehensive school. A broad network is essential, and liberal adult education could offer a range of educational pathways. Sandroos noted that a predictable and transparent funding system would make work in the field easier. Investing in education is always an investment, but it is important to target it well. “An educated population cannot be fooled,” he summed up.

Pauliina Viitamies, Leading Senior Adviser at the Trade Union of Education in Finland OAJ, agreed that liberal adult education services need to reach young men. Research shows that the services are currently used mainly by middle-aged, well-educated women. Accessibility and making participation possible are essential, and online delivery and digital learning environments are a prerequisite for this. Viitamies also called for adult education allowances and in-service training for teachers. She regretted that liberal adult education is an unfamiliar field for decision-makers, who should first be given a clearer picture of the system before any discussion of values.

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The T-opistot organising the event are the Workers’ Educational Association (Työväen Sivistysliitto), Kansan Sivistystyön Liitto, TJS Opintokeskus, Aktiivi-Instituutti, JHL-opisto, Murikkaopisto and Kiljavan opisto. Some of them are folk high schools and some are study centres.

Text: Kristiina Hentunen