From pedagogical ideal to social necessity: this is probably the most appropriate frame for understanding both the current widespread inter-est in continuous learning and the decision of the European Union to proclaim 1996 as Year of Lifelong Learning. Learning and consciously cultivating lifelong learning abilities have become essential today for everyone's development and, in many cases, for survival in terms of social and productive integration. The on-going evolution of work systems and life patterns requires continuous up-dating of the formal knowledge possessed by individuals as well as the valorisation of their experience-related knowledge and skills which are embedded in work routines, problem-solving, and interaction with others in shared contexts. For this reason, the individual features of learning are inextricably intertwined with organisational and economic factors: people's cognitive and cultural development can only occur if work life is experi-enced within non-beaurocratic structures, oriented towards quality and improvement practices and towards the implementation of information technologies which foster cooperative endeavor. Likewise, in the context of local development projects, network structures should be set up so as to assure learning synergies among individuals, institutions and communities.

This volume brings together a selection of diverse contributions, all presented during two significant forums of the Eurotecnet Community program which were held in Italy. As a whole, the collection deals with the fundamental role of training in relation to the social dynamics mentioned above, and by proposing a more evolutionary perspective than that encountered in traditional models, the book helps come to grips with the necessity of facilitating continuous learning processes assumed in their full complexity.