Dear Colleagues,

As the pace of technological change and workplace transformation continues to accelerate, the need for forward-looking policies and inclusive practices to support lifelong learning has become increasingly urgent. Lifelong learning and automation stand at the heart of this evolving landscape, offering new pathways for reskilling, upskilling, and sustaining human agency across changing career trajectories. Meanwhile, the spread of automation across industries presents both unprecedented opportunities for accessible, continuous education and significant challenges in ensuring equitable access, redefining institutional responsibilities, and maintaining the social value of learning beyond employability.

This special issue aims to explore the intersection of lifelong learning, automation, policy frameworks, and practical implementation. It seeks to highlight cutting-edge research, institutional innovations, and strategic models that strengthen the design, delivery, and governance of lifelong learning systems in an automated era. Topics of interest include:

• Policy strategies for lifelong learning in response to automation-driven labor shifts

• Pedagogical and delivery models for adult and continuous education in digital environments

• Equity, access, and social inclusion in lifelong learning across diverse populations

• The evolving roles of employers, educators, and governments in supporting lifelong learning

• Ethical considerations and algorithmic fairness in automated learning

• Data sovereignty, learner tracking, and individual rights in continuous education pathways

• Comparative studies on lifelong learning effectiveness across sectors and national contexts

• Institutional frameworks for automation-resilient learning ecosystems

We welcome original research articles, case studies, and reviews that contribute to advancing the dialogue and practice in this dynamic and evolving field.