Adult education is widely recognised as a powerful tool for social inclusion, personal empowerment, and economic participation. However, despite its importance, many adult education programmes struggle to reach those who could benefit most from them.
One reason for this is that traditional educational approaches often assume that learners face similar circumstances and barriers. In reality, however, individuals’ experiences are shaped by a combination of interacting factors. Understanding these interactions is therefore essential for creating inclusive learning environments.
This is where the concept of intersectionality becomes particularly relevant.
Originally developed in the social sciences, it describes how different aspects of identity and social position — such as gender, migration background, socio-economic status, educational attainment, or family responsibilities — interact and influence people’s experiences and opportunities.
In adult education, this perspective highlights that learners rarely encounter barriers in isolation. Instead, several factors may combine to affect their ability to access, participate in, and benefit from educational opportunities.
For instance, migrant women may encounter language barriers while also juggling family responsibilities or navigating unfamiliar education systems. They may also experience limited recognition of prior qualifications or reduced access to information about training opportunities. These overlapping circumstances can significantly influence learning participation and outcomes.
Recognising these complexities enables educators and policymakers to move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches and design programmes that respond more effectively to learners’ realities.
Adopting an intersectional approach to adult education can lead to several important improvements. For example, learning opportunities could become more flexible, allowing participants to balance education with family and work commitments. Educational content can reflect a wider range of experiences and backgrounds. Teaching methods can be adapted to support learners with different levels of language proficiency or digital skills.
Digital learning environments may also offer new ways to support inclusive education. For example, flexible online learning modules can allow learners to engage with content at their own pace and revisit materials when needed. Short learning units, sometimes referred to as ‘microlearning’, can help to break down complex topics into manageable steps.
The role of educators is equally important. Training professionals to recognise and address intersectional challenges can help ensure that learning environments are supportive and inclusive for all participants.
Across Europe, there is a growing recognition that adult education must respond to increasingly diverse learner populations. By integrating intersectional perspectives into the design and delivery of education, providers can take important steps towards ensuring that learning opportunities are accessible and meaningful for everyone.
The LiLI project (Life and Language Skills + Intersectionality for Migrant Women Integration) builds on this perspective by exploring how intersectional approaches can inform more inclusive learning pathways that combine language, life skills and digital learning opportunities for migrant women across Europe.
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