In European countries, with many variations in terms of application, educational sciences are required to be part of the initial education of primary and secondary education teachers. So, country’s context is pivotal:history of teacher education, social, political and institutional situations and strategies have an impact on the way these sciences are treated. Also, theoretical concepts and conceptualizations influence for their part or even their integration of educational sciences in the teachers’ initial education. Moreover, internal and external conflicts concerning initial teacher education seem to form an uncertain field of study and/or investigation. Its impact is perpetually contributive to the construction of curricula. Political actors, professional trade unions, field professionals and students act and have an impact on the role of educational sciences in the initial teacher education.

The aim of this issue is to step back and to present the current situation about the role and values attributed to educational sciences in different European countries. Each paper is to shed light on the historical evolutions of educational sciences contribution to the initial teachers’ education and to delve into the social, political and institutional contexts which influence their treatment. The texts could be based on curriculum construction as a whole or part of curriculum as seminars, teaching matters, internship at schools, initial researchers’ training or even preparation for national exams for initial recruitment.

Nowadays, Higher Education, as the major educational field of promoting knowledge production and creating new knowledge, plays an important role towards the enhancement and the dissemination of the idea and the concept of lifelong learning within the institutions of Higher Education. Both the supranational and national organizations and institutional structures (UNESCO, OECD, European Union, Ministries of Education etc.) during the last two decades, have promoted the contribution of Higher Education in LLL (mainly via the integration of the LLL perspective in higher education institutions, curricula, learning processes and teaching methods). Undoubtedly, LLL is related to social inclusion, personal and social fulfillment, social cohesion and employability, while it can substantially contribute in the mitigation of socio-economic and educational inequalities. Given all the abovementioned, the existing and potential interface between HE and LLL is crystal clear and eventually explains the gradual of institutional and capacity building towards the further integration of LLL in HE. 

Nevertheless, the introduction of Lifelong Learning both as a concept and learning field within the era of Higher Education, undoubtedly has risen issues and (in some cases) concerns related to the gradual transformation of the regulatory and operational framework of the Higher Education Institutions. The increasing focus on the needs and demands of the labour market and the economy, could over-determine the Area of Higher Education, mainly via the increasing emphasis in Training, through the job- related LLL.