The NIACE is an educational charity

Charitable organization

A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...

 in England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 and Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

, with headquarters in Leicester

Leicester

Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...

 and Cardiff

Cardiff

Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...

 plus a subsidiary offices in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

. The organisation is dedicated to promoting adult learning and was founded in 1921. It is the main advocacy body for adult learning in England and Wales and probably the largest body devoted to adult education in the world.Directgov Information on UK public services http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/DG_10010947

Aim

The main aim of NIACE is to promote the study and general advancement of adult continuing education by improving the quality of opportunities available, by increasing the number of adults engaged in formal and informal learning, and by widening access for those communities under-represented in current provision. This is summed up by the words "more, better and different".

Methods

NIACE undertakes this work through:

• advocacy to national and local government, funding bodies, industry and providers of education and training;
• collaboration with providers across all sectors of post-compulsory education and training; and through fostering progression routes for adults seeking to develop pathways as learners;
• a commitment to supporting evaluation and monitoring and to high quality service;
• securing informed debate - through research, enquiry, publication and through arranging seminars and conferences;
• effective networking - to ensure that lessons learned in one part of the system can be drawn on elsewhere;
• ensuring that the best of international practice is available to its members and users;
• a commitment to being itself a well-managed learning organisation.

Since 1988, Alan Tuckett OBE has been the Director of NIACE.

The predecessor of Alan Tuckett was Arthur Stock. Its President since 2006 has been David Sherlock CBE

CBE

CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...

 (former Chief Inspector of the Adult Learning Inspectorate) and before that Christine King (Vice Chancellor of Staffordshire University) and before that Richard Smethurst (Provost, Keble College, Oxford).

Centre for Research into the Older Workforce

The Centre for Research into the Older Workforce (CROW) is researching ways in which employers, government, unions and the European Union

European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

 can encourage older workers to delay retirement. It is the only research centre in Europe with a specific remit to look at older workforce issues.

Its specific research interests include:

• Age discrimination in work (which is unlawful across Europe and in the UK)
• Flexible working and flexible retirement
• Training, learning, and career development
• Employer policies and practices in relation to older workers.

CROW has carried out research for the UK Department of Trade and Industry and Department for Work and Pensions

Department for Work and Pensions

The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...

on age discrimination. It is also involved in European funded research into the effects of gender and qualifications on work in later life and knowledge management in the automotive industry.
CROW has researched older workers' attitudes towards work and retirement. It found that 80% of workers between 51 and 70 would consider delaying retirement, but most would only do if they could work more flexible hours. This research was quoted in a statement by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Professor Stephen McNair is the Director of CROW which,
since August 2006, has been located at the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE).