Adult education centres in USA and Japain: typology and functioning peculiarities

In the article, based on the study of authentic sources, comparative pedagogical papers and normative documents, an analysis of peculiarities of adult education centres development in the developed countries, in particular the USA and Japan at the end of the XX – beginning of the XXI century was carried out. The specifics of their functioning, in accordance with the directions of activity and levels of management and financing are revealed. As a result of adult education systems investigation, we conclude that a significant increase of adult population participating in various forms of education within the formal education system and beyond, confirms the importance of efforts to develop this educational sphere by international and national organizations. In the context of population aging in developed countries, great attention is focused on the needs and opportunities of education for the elderly, which has led to the development of new trends in education – third-university education, which teaches retirees and provides them with the opportunity to further cognitive activity and transfer of knowledge and experience to others. All this testifies to the expansion of the working-age population covered by educational activities. The cooperation of industrial companies and universities in the implementation of additional educational programs has become a stable trend in the educational policy development of modern society. The developed countries have gained significant positive experience in the theory and practice of adult education as a subsystem of lifelong learning. Different forms of adult education allow people not only to meet their social needs, but also to realize themselves in different life perspectives. Despite the fact that there are significant differences between countries and regions regarding accessibility, content and policies in adult education, there is a growing consensus on the essence of adult education, the need and importance of lifelong learning and education for society‘s sustainable development.