New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. Fostering Employability in Adult andHigher Education: An International Perspective

Employability, the subjective perception of the individual of his/her ability to obtain, keep a job or obtain a new one, has set itself as a performance indicator for higher education at the end of the last century. In particular, (a) the relevance of the relationships and connections between education and the labor market; and (b) the need to develop job-oriented skills in order to accompany individual transformation through rational, emotional, and learning dimensions in a lifelong perspective. In addition, the changes in cultural and economic contexts and globalization have accelerated the interest in professionalism, leading to employability. From an international perspective, the issue of employability is connected with political and educational strategies that institutions enact to foster the development of professional and continuous learning, as well, along with the modification of knowledge, teaching strategies, and curricula. Contributions collected in this issue propose interpretative frameworks, case studies and teaching practices centered on the category of employability, through which to reflect on the functions of higher education, and to support the educational and professional development of adults. Employability is a category for understanding the need of linking education and the labor market. Adult education and higher education are called upon to respond to the need of developing new competences to facilitate successful transitions between university and the labor world.