A/71/358 36. In addition, the concept was further enriched by the European Commission in its communication on making a European area of lifelong learning a reality. 6 In May 2015, the European Commission announced a sharpened set of priorities for European cooperation in education and training. New priority areas for Education and Training 2020 are underpinned by the lifelong learning concept covering learning in all contexts, whether formal, non-formal or informal, and at all levels. 7 37. Lifelong learning is rooted in the integration o f learning and living, covering learning activities for people of all ages in all life -wide contexts through a variety of modalities (formal, non-formal and informal) that together meet a wide range of learning needs and demands. Adult learning and education provides a variety of learning pathways and flexible learning opportunities, including second -chance programmes to make up for lack of initial schooling, including for people who have never been to school, early school leavers and dropouts. 8 38. Universities as centres of learning are diversifying their offers with courses and content tailored to the knowledge and skills needed for the economy. They are thus becoming “the main meeting places for learning throughout life, opening their doors to adults who wish either to resume their studies or to adapt and develop their knowledge or to satisfy their taste for learning in all areas of cultural life ”. 9 The concept of “education as a continuum” is now intertwined with the “continuum of learning”. 10 39. The Special Rapporteur notes that the conceptual developments highlighted above are consolidated in some definitions of lifelong learning, such as the definition formulated by the European Union: “all learning activity undertaken throughout life, which results in improving knowledge, know-how, skills, competences and/or qualifications for personal, social and/or professional reasons”. 11 The Special Rapporteur also emphasizes the significance of the definition of lifelong learning resulting from the normative work of ILO: “the term ‘lifelong learning’ encompasses all learning activities undertaken throughout life for the development of competencies and qualifications”. 12 40. In this context, the Special Rapporteur underlines the need for further elucidation of the concept of lifelong learning, taking into consideration its three key pillars: education, training and learning. A holistic approach to quality education, giving paramount importance to the humanistic mission of education rather than its instrumental role, and the mere pursuit of material values, should be central to reflection. It is important to recall that the “full development of the human person” is a key objective of the right to education, assigned to it by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and by the international conventions in the field of human rights. Pursuit of that objective is a continuously unfolding process covering __________________ 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 16-14910 Commission of the European Communities, “Making a European are a of lifelong learning a reality” (COM(2001) 678 final), 21 November 2001, pp. 10 -11. European Commission, “European education and training cooperation: new priorities”. Available from http://ec.europa.eu/education/news/2015/0901 -et2020-new-priorities_en.htm. UNESCO Recommendation on Adult Learning and Education, 13 November 2015. UNESCO, Learning: The Treasure Within (see footnote 2), p. 25. Expression employed in the UNESCO Recommendation on Adult Learning and Education. European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, Terminology of European Education and Training Policy, 2nd ed. (Luxembourg, 2014). Available from www.cedefop. europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/publications/4117. ILO Human Resources Development Recommendation, 2004 (No. 195). 9/26