Abstract:

The National Development Plan of Latvia 2021-2027 states that "Latvian residents have access to lifelong learning process, creating a sustainable democratic society, internationally excellent science, innovative companies and a competent workforce both in private and public sector. The Latvian education system at all levels meets not only modern requirements, but is also open to future challenges, preparing critically thinking, emotionally intelligent and digitally skilled professionals". In its turn, the sustainable development strategy of Latvia until 2030 intends that "lifelong learning is an educational process throughout a person's life based on changing needs to acquire knowledge, skills, experience in order to increase or change their qualification according to the requirements of the labor market, their interests and needs. Lifelong learning combines non-formal learning with formal education, develops innate abilities alongside new competences". Therefore, it is important to identify the possibilities for long-term implementation of the ideas expressed in the National Development Plan of Latvia. In the context of future challenges, micro-qualifications are being discussed in the society. Nowadays, this concept is generally used to describe all kinds of shorter learning forms, using a wide range of names and brands in any kind, shape and size (Olivera, 2019) with the aim of creating an effective lifelong learning system that helps people quickly acquire knowledge, skills or competences that can be immediately used in the labor market. In order to judge usability, it is necessary to identify opportunities for acquiring education, the results of which have already been described in the form of competences. One of such opportunities offered by higher education institutions at the education market is the separate study courses/modules of higher education programs, which are an underused resource in the context of lifelong learning. Higher education institutions, in accordance with all necessary regulations and documentation base, offer such courses to the interested persons to acquire them as listeners. An alternative option being implemented in Latvia in recent years is to acquire such courses within the projects developed by higher education institutions.

The aim of the research is to identify the choices of respondents, their usability for the quality improvement of the society life and education.

In order to achieve the aim of the research, the following methods of data collection have been used: analysis of literature, legislation and resolutions, and survey of higher education institutions.

Keywords:

Lifelong learning, study course, quality of life, quality of education.