Isabel Carvalhais is a member of the European Parliament since September 2019 for the “Partido Socialista”, which is aligned with the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. She currently sits in the AGRI, PECH and ANIT Committees in the European Parliament. Her interest in lifelong learning stems from her previous work as a university professor. In 2003, she obtained her doctorate in sociology at the University of Warwick, before returning to Portugal. In 2010 she became director of the Research Centre for Political Science and International Relations at the University of Minho. In 2012 she was appointed head of the BA course in Political Science and since 2018 she holds a professorship in Political Science and International Relations at the same university.

Tatjana Babrauskiene is a members of the European Economic and Social Committee. The EESC brings together representatives from all areas of organised civil society, who give their independent advice on EU policies. Here she represents the International secretary of FLESTU (Federation of Lithuanian Education and Science Trade Unions) and she is part of the EESC Workers’ Group. Earlier this year, she was the rapporteur of the EESC own opinion EESC set forth its proposals in the opinion on “Sustainable funding for lifelong learning and development of skills in the context of a shortage of skilled labour”. Tatjana has long been involved in LLLP’s activities, and regularly participates in LLLP events bringing her expertise and insights of her work. 

Jonathan Michie is Professor of Innovation and Knowledge Exchange, Director of the Department for Continuing Education, and President of Kellogg, University of Oxford. He is a member of various University committees including the Education Committee, Knowledge Exchange and Impact Committee, and the Social Sciences Divisional Board. Prior to moving back to Oxford in 2008, he was Dean of the Business School at the University of Birmingham, held the Sainsbury Chair of Management at Birkbeck, University of London, and was at the Judge Business School, Cambridge. Jonathan is Chair of the Board of Governors of UWC Atlantic College and Chair of the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL). He is a Visiting Professor at the European University Institute in Florence; Honorary Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; and Senior Fellow of Rutgers University, USA. He is Managing Editor of the International Review of Applied Economics and was joint secretary of the 2019 Centenary Commission on Adult Education.

Rilli Lappalainen is the Director of Advocacy and policy in Finnish national platform of Development NGOs – Fingo. At the same time, he is also the founder and chair of the steering group of Bridge 47 – the global network to promote value-based education. Previously, Rilli has been actively involved in CONCORD’s (European confederation for development and relief) work including serving in many roles like a board member, Chair of CONCORD’s policy coherence for the development group, chair of Development education and awareness-raising forum etc. Rilli is an expert in civil society cooperation, promotion of sustainable development and specialises in systemic change, coherence, international influence and active citizenship.

Susana Oliveira is a member of the Steering Committee of the Lifelong Learning Platform. Elected in 2019, Susana represents the European Association for the Education of Adults and works at EAEA member EPATV, a VET school and adult education centre in the north of Portugal. She was responsible for the implementation of one of the first 50 centres of VNFIL in Portugal and has been working in this field for more than 15 years. She is also a Board member of APCEP – Associação Portuguesa para a Cultura e Educação Permanente, the umbrella association in Portugal, and EPALE ambassador.