EPALE Türkiye 2024 International Conference was held in Antalya on 4-5 March 2024 in order to raise awareness about lifelong learning and adult education and discuss the role of EPALE at this point.

EPALE Türkiye team, lifelong learning institution managers/trainers and academicians from different cities of the country, as well as EPALE representatives from Poland, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Greece, Belgium, Finland and Montenegro attended the conference. The conference was held based on digitalization, the role of public education center managers and trainers, the role of lifelong learning institutions, and future projections.

Concepts such as digital world, digital literacy, and digital citizenship are of increasing importance today. In this sense, the conference produced valuable outputs in revealing the role of EPALE. It is stated that especially the digital infrastructure should be strengthened, training programs should be updated, the digital competencies of trainers and managers should be developed, and the contents on the EPALE Platform should be used in these processes.

Public education centers constitute the largest organization where lifelong learning and adult education activities are carried out in Türkiye. However, improving the physical and technical infrastructures of these institutions and designing institutions that are suitable for regional differences and can meet the needs of the individual will increase the quality. On the other hand, the need to support educational studies on the role and importance of educators and administrators working in these institutions on adult learners and the need to increase androgogical knowledge and skills have been expressed.
One of the important topics mentioned at the conference was the necessity of a lifelong guidance system. Countries have demonstrated a similar approach regarding the need to strengthen the legislative infrastructure, develop technical and physical infrastructure, and increase individual capacity.
In addition to the topics discussed, EPALE country representatives provided information on the activities they carry out regarding adult education in their countries, good practice examples, visibility studies, and the roles of ambassadors.
The opening speeches of the conference were made by Deputy Minister of National Education Assoc. Prof. Dr. Celile Eren ÖKTEN and Lifelong Learning General Manager Cengiz METE, and a total of 100 people participated.