We live in unprecedented times. COVID-19 has shut down large sectors of the economy, as well as entire education systems. Estimates from UNESCO show that around 90% of the world’s students are currently out of school. Like many of you, we are working from home, drafting this editorial from our home offices under shelter-in-place orders.

The Corona crisis must be dealt with now, its economic fall-out must be forecast now, and the recovery must be planned for and supported now. Because of its pivotal role in the fields of labour market, vocational training and skills intelligence, Cedefop will have to deliver critical contributions to the post-coronavirus recovery efforts of the European Union – starting now.

The Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education (CJSAE) is pleased to announce the publication of it latest issue: New Directions, New Provocations. Each article in this issue shares a fresh perspective about adult and continuing education, and challenges us to learn.

Over recent months (September 2019 to January 2020) I have been visiting Taiwan on three occasions, accompanied by my wife, Caterina. On two previous occasions (2013; 2018) I had presented at Later Life Learning conferences (Chiayi; Taipei), as a guest of the Department of Adult & Continuing Education (DACE) at the National Chung Cheng University (CCU). In September/October, October/November and January of this year, I was a visiting scholar at CCU helping with teaching, research and staff development.