The Latest Book by Associate Professor Kalenda and Professor Desjardins Submitted to the Publisher
7. January 2025The collaboration between Professor Richard Desjardins of the University of California, Los Angeles, and Associate Professor Jan Kalenda of Tomas Bata University in Zlín, initiated during Kalenda’s research tenure at UCLA, has yielded significant achievements. The two scholars have completed the editorial work on what stands as the most extensive publication to date on adult learning systems: Modern Guide to Adult Learning Systems. The book is scheduled for release this year by Edward Elgar as part of its acclaimed Modern Guide series.
This groundbreaking work bridges theoretical exploration and empirical research, pushing the frontiers of knowledge in adult education and national education systems. The theoretical section, authored by Desjardins and Kalenda, represents the most systematic examination to date of the theory underpinning Adult Learning Systems (ALS). Meanwhile, the empirical section provides an exhaustive analysis of the evolution of adult learning systems across 15 advanced market democracies.
The empirical chapters draw upon the expertise of contributors from Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Austria, Denmark, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Bulgaria, and Greece. Further contributions to the empirical analysis of the Czech Republic and Hungary were made by Tomáš Karger and Jitka Vaculíková, members of the Research Centre. This volume stands out not only for its comprehensive scope and innovative approach but also because it provides the first detailed analysis of many of these national adult learning systems.
The editors intend to present the book’s findings at symposia during two of Europe’s foremost conferences on education (ECER 2025 in Belgrade) and adult learning and education (ESREA 2025 in Prague).