The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) is a non-profit, policy-driven, international research, training, information, documentation and publishing centre of UNESCO. One of seven educational institutes of UNESCO, UIL  promotes lifelong learning policy and practice with a focus on adult learning and education, especially literacy and non-formal education and alternative learning opportunities for marginalized and disadvantaged groups.

UIL’s activities are geared towards achieving the Education for All (EFA) and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) along with the objectives of the International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA) series, the United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD), the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), and the UNESCO Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE). UIL answers to the concerns of Member States, giving priority to Africa, Least Developed Countries and E-9 countries.

Although UIL’s main focus is on Africa and the developing countries, the Institute was among the first organisations to examine functional adult literacy in Europe. Currently, UIL is addressing the thematic area of literacy in Europe through advocacy, networking and collaborative research activities. UIL’s goal for its literacy-related activities is to further literacy as a foundation for lifelong learning.

UIL provides technical support to Member States, including consulting services and programme monitoring and evaluation. UIL enhances literacy and non-formal education, and adult and lifelong learning through advocacy and networking, research and capacity building. 

The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning works in close cooperation with UNESCO Headquarters, the regional, cluster and field offices of UNESCO as well as its sister Institutes. Its Governing Board, which meets annually to review work performed and plan future policy, consists of 12 educationists recruited worldwide and appointed by the Director-General of UNESCO, as is its Director. Among the 30 members of its workforce are education and social science researchers, librarians and publications staff along with administrative, secretarial and technical personnel.

The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg provides the Institute with a villa registered as an historic monument on premises close to the University of Hamburg, with which the Institute enjoys an increasingly strong partnership.