With this issue, as our more eagle-eyed readers may have noticed, we mark three major changes to the editorship of the journal. By far the most significant is that, after 35 years at the helm of the journal he co-founded, Peter Jarvis has decided to stand down. All our readers will know how immense Peter’s contribution to the field of adult and lifelong education has been—as theorist, scholar, intellectual leader and sage. To mark his 80th birthday in July next year, we shall be devoting a double special issue of our journal to this topic. Entitled The Learning Adult: Building on the Work of Peter Jarvis, this will contain contributions from many leading scholars. Its four themes indicate not only the breadth and international influence of his work, but also its deep humanity: learning theory and theorising learning; adult education, citizenship and democracy; learning and the meaning of life and the global dimension.
Substantial though Peter’s wider contribution has been, the establishment of the International Journal of Lifelong Education is rightly among his proudest achievements. We list him, along with Teddy Thomas, as our ‘founding editors’, but Teddy has often remarked that Peter was the driving force. We who have worked with Peter in editing the journal over the years know how valuable his guidance has been: his energy in promoting the journal, his critical judgement about papers, his enthusiasm for travel around the world and his constant encouraging of contributions. One of his particular passions has been willingness to support younger researchers and scholars from countries where the academic study of adult education is less developed. Many who have contributed to our pages have been supported—often in ways of which they are unaware—by him.
We shall miss Peter’s wisdom, and we are pleased that he will remain a member of our Editorial Advisory Board. Although none can fill Peter’s shoes, we are delighted that Richard Waller, our Reviews Editor for many years, has agreed to broaden his role and join John Holford, Marcella Milana and Sue Webb as editors. And we are equally pleased that Steven Hodge has agreed to join us as Reviews Editor in Richard’s place. Based at Griffith University in Australia, Steven’s new role underlines our continuing commitment to being a leading and international journal of lifelong education.
Marcella Milana
Richard Waller
Susan Webb