At the heart of quality education and learning, teachers and educators must be supported to grow, adapt and thrive throughout their own lifelong learning journeys to better contribute to building a lifelong learning society, said officials and experts at a workshop in Shanghai.

Jointly organized by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning and the Shanghai Normal University, the international workshop ends on Wednesday in Shanghai. Around 20 education policymakers, scholars and practitioners from 16 countries across the globe gathered at the workshop, holding in-depth discussion into the best practices, policy framework and future directions of cultivating teachers and educators as lifelong learners.

"Teachers are not just transmitters of knowledge. They are mentors, guides, designers of learning environments, and champions of lifelong learning. In classrooms and community centers around the world, teachers help learners cultivate curiosity, resilience, critical thinking and also transmit the joy of learning," said Isabell Kempf, director of UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, at the workshop via a video speech.

According to the UNESCO Global Report on Teachers, the world faces a global shortfall of 44 million teachers to achieve universal education by 2030. And today, 1 in seven teachers does not meet minimum qualification standards, according to Rakhat Zholdoshalieva, team leader of the Quality Learning Ecosystems program at the institute.

The institute started a joint project with the university in 2023, aiming to explore how lifelong learning is understood and implemented in teacher's education systems worldwide. Since the previous workshop in last June, they have made progress on national case studies, thematic papers, global synthesis reports, curriculum guidelines and a series of webinars.

The workshop also looks to contribute to forming the Global Report on Adult Learning and Education, which is expected to be published next year. The report is a global monitoring tool that informs policy, tracks progress, and promotes accountability in adult learning and education. It will highlight how adult learner and learning contributes to equity, sustainability, justice and well-being in a rapidly changing world.

"How teachers can be lifelong learners is a question that must be answered by Shanghai Normal University as a university that focuses on teacher training and development. In the era of lifelong learning, our teachers play a major role in cultivating our next generation. Their understanding and practice of lifelong learning deeply influence our next generation, which is a determining factor for our future," said Yuan Wen, president of the university.