On October 20th, 2026, a Nordic conference on workplace learning will be held in Iceland, bringing together professionals engaged in adult education and lifelong learning across the Nordic region.
Place: Reykjavik, Iceland
Date: October 20, 2026 from 9 am to 4 pm
The conference is aimed at:
- staff in adult education institutions
- competence policy experts
- training and learning departments within public and private organisations and enterprises
- professionals responsible for organising learning in civil society and the third sector
Focus and theme
The primary focus of the conference is workplace learning as a central element of lifelong learning — across both the public and private sectors. The programme explores how organisations develop learning internally, how competencies are supported and renewed in everyday work, and how local and national educational institutions contribute through professional support, partnerships, and innovation.
The conference highlights workplace learning as a key arena where education, working life, and societal change meet.
Conference aims
The conference addresses core aims and priorities for adult education and lifelong learning in the Nordic countries, including:
- Supporting the strategies for lifelong learning and competence development
- Strengthening cooperation, networks, and exchange of experience among professionals in Nordic lifelong learning
- Creating synergies between lifelong learning initiatives and other relevant Nordic and international efforts for competence development
- Contributing to innovations in lifelong learning systems
- Promoting interaction among the key stakeholders from education, research, civil society, and the labour market
Preliminary programme
Keynote 1: The Benefits of Learning
Two Nordic researchers will introduce and discuss their views on the benefits of learning. They will highlight wide-ranging impact of adult learning at individual, organisational, and societal levels. The keynote speakers will explore learning environments and transformative organisational learning as key drivers for developing effective workplace learning systems. The discussions will be moderated by Professor Jón Torfi Jónasson.
Keynote 2: From Skills Gaps to Skills Ecosystems
Dr. Lukas Kleine-Rueschkamp, Head of the OECD’s Local Employment and Skills Unit
Dr. Lukas Kleine-Rueschkamp will address the shift from skills gaps to building sustainable skills ecosystems, moving beyond identifying shortages toward comprehensive, system-level solutions.
Interactive Workshops
A series of workshops will explore themes such as:
- fostering innovation and sustainability in rural businesses
- innovations in working life
- collaborative learning methods, including learning circles for competence development
- infrastructures supporting lifelong learning and workplace-based learning.
Two Nordplus projects working at the forefront of these areas will present their results. The programme will also include real-life cases from companies and institutions, offering practical examples of how lifelong learning strategies are successfully implemented in diverse contexts.
A Nordic meeting place
The conference serves as a meeting place for practice, research, and policy, encouraging shared reflection on how workplace learning can support sustainable working lives, inclusion, and continuous professional development in a rapidly changing world.
Hosted by the University of Iceland, the Nordic Network for Lifelong Learning (NLL), and The Education and Training Service Centre (ETSC), the conference provides a shared Nordic platform for dialogue, exchange, and collaboration on the advancement of lifelong learning systems.
Join us in Reykjavik, Iceland on October 20th, 2026, and take part in shaping the future of workplace learning and lifelong learning in the Nordic region.
Contact the organisers
Hildur Hrönn Oddsdóttir, NLL coordinator in Iceland, hildur@frae.is.
