Lifelong learning as the basis for sustainable development of the country

Competitiveness of a country is connected with the necessity to take into account the global trends and challenges, to be responsive to the requests of society an economy, to new technologies, scientific knowledge, educational expertise. This article focuses on one of the main components of human development - education. Sociological surveys conducted by the Institute of Socio-Economic Studies of Population RAS show that people are motivated to continue their education throughout life. 74% of the respondents believe that education should be “lifelong”. About two thirds of the respondents hold that the level of education (training) of the older generation is higher than that of young people. The causes of this situation are associated with lack of student internship and practice in innovative companies, imperfect system of selecting students, lack of practical experience of teachers. Under these conditions, only 30% are actively engaged in self-education, and in the past two years only 46% participated in any activities related to professional development. The authors conclude that the socio-economic changes aimed at formation of an innovative economy are inextricably linked with transition to the system of lifelong learning for the purpose of developing human potential that is the basis of advanced development.