Aprendizaje a lo largo de la vida. Concepto y componentes

Lifelong learning is considered to be one of the main objectives of supranational organizations and the various national education administrations for several decades. This paradigm is not only key to facing the world problems about education but its benefits go beyond, ranging from the employability to personal development. However, despite the abundant literature generated in this respect, an integrative vision is still needed today that addresses the substantial elements of this concept. For this, this article start from the contributions generated by the European Union agencies. Next, it analyzes its development in Spain. It ends with the proposal for a definition of lifelong learning and its main characteristics. Keywords: Lifelong learning; concept; European Union; Spain.