Reimagining transformative and emancipatory adult education for a world to come

The Proceedings of the first Conference of the ESREA Transformative and Emancipatory Adult Education Network, which took place in July 2023 at the Hellenic Open University in Patras, showcases a wide-ranging and vibrant collection of current research. The conference examines the profound and liberating aspects of adult education, with a particular emphasis on topics such as art and ecology, transitions in employment and training, and the effects of Covid-19 on adult learners. The proceedings also examine the many aspects of adult education, including the career paths of homeless individuals, treatments to improve reading skills in adults with poor literacy levels, the use of neighbourhood businesses as informal learning environments, and the role of critical thinking in instructors’ use of gamification. The discussions emphasise the potential of adult education to bring about significant positive change, particularly through self-directed learning facilitated by the rapid expansion of the internet, the promotion of perspective transformation through adaptive teaching methods, and the use of transformational learning theory in talent development procedures. The proceedings also explore the potential of education to promote conversation, the significance of embodiment in education and liberation, and the possibilities for change in settings that encourage discourse.