Enhancing the Understanding and Measurement of Informal Learning

Informal learning makes up most of the time people spend learning, yet it remains under-recognised in policy frameworks. It supports higher wages, better job performance, and complements formal education, while offering accessible opportunities, especially for disengaged learners or SME employees. Technological change, new work practices, and skills-based hiring increase its importance, creating flexible learning pathways and blurring the lines with formal learning. However, limited recognition, inconsistent definitions, and gaps in data collection constrain policy development.

The OECD supports efforts to rethink and reposition its role in lifelong learning, including how it is defined, measured, and promoted. The project titled Enhancing the Understanding and Measurement of Informal Learning: Towards a Comprehensive, Shared Definition aims to deepen the understanding of informal learning, both within and outside the workplace. It is supported by the governments of Flanders (Belgium), Luxembourg and the Netherlands, and an objective is to establish a comprehensive, shared definition of informal learning – building on existing definitions while capturing its various forms.

The project will integrate desk-based research (both qualitative and quantitative) with extensive consultations:

• Qualitative analysis: A review of recent literature on informal learning, including definitions, emerging forms (e.g. social media, AI), measurement approaches, benefits, and participation drivers.
• Quantitative analysis: An assessment of available data to identify trends across demographics, life stages, and learning types.
• Expert consultations: Workshops and meetings with international experts and stakeholders to test findings and refine recommendations.

• Rethinking Informal Learning: Assessment of the Latest Literature and Data (October 2025): This report offers a comprehensive international overview of the latest literature and data on informal learning. It explores how informal learning is defined, measured, and evolving, highlighting its benefits and drivers for both youth and adults, at work and beyond. The report also provides practical insights for policymakers on how to foster and stimulate informal learning, making it a key component of lifelong learning.

• Rethinking Informal Learning: Recommendations for Advancing Measurement and Shared Understanding (March 2026). This report offers recommendations to strengthen the definitions and measurement of informal learning. By guiding improvements in how informal learning is defined and assessed, it aims to elevate its visibility on the policy agenda and better integrate it into lifelong learning systems.