Abstract:

We are witnessing another civilization revolution, most often characterized by the term digital. The resulting changes will affect the society, economy, culture and politics - practically all areas of the surrounding reality. The world that is being created will be subject to constant change. Digital destruction will affect each of us. Employers’ expectations towards employees and, more generally, the expectations of the environment towards our skills, habits and ways of doing things will change quickly and profoundly. This will require constant adaptation to the changing world. The previously acquired skills and knowledge will quickly become obsolete. The importance of lifelong learning (LLL) will increase considerably. The aim of the article is to analyze the relationship between digitalization processes and LLL in EU countries, with particular emphasis on Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). This analysis shows a low level of LLL in the countries of this region. Already today, it is a barrier to the digitalization of CEE countries and in the future it may prevent them from fully participating in the civilization transformations and escaping the middle-income trap.