International Review of Education

Aims & Scope

The International Review of Education – Journal of Lifelong Learning (IRE) is edited by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, a global centre of excellence for lifelong learning and learning societies.

Founded in 1955, IRE is the world’s longest-running peer-reviewed journal of comparative education, serving not only academic and research communities but, equally, high-level policy and practice readerships throughout the world.

Today, IRE provides a forum for theoretically-informed and policy-relevant applied research in lifelong and life-wide learning in international and comparative contexts.

Preferred topic areas include adult education, non-formal education, adult literacy, open and distance learning, vocational education and workplace learning, new access routes to formal education, lifelong learning policies, and various applications of the lifelong learning paradigm.

Consistent with the mandate of UNESCO, the IRE fosters scholarly exchange on lifelong learning from all regions of the world, particularly developing and transition countries.

In addition to inviting submissions from authors for its general issues, the IRE also publishes regular guest-edited special issues on key and emerging topics in lifelong learning.

View Aims & Scope

---

Metrics & Ranking

Impact Factor

Year	Value
2025	1.6
2024	2.30

Journal Rank

Year	Value
2024	10164

Journal Citation Indicator

Year	Value
2024	317

SJR (SCImago Journal Rank)

Year	Value
2024	0.572

Quartile

Year	Value
2024	Q2

h-index

Year	Value
2024	51

---

---

Abstracting & Indexing

Journal is indexed in leading academic databases, ensuring global visibility and accessibility of our peer-reviewed research.

• Scopus
• Google Scholar
• Web of Science

---

Subjects & Keywords

Journal’s research areas, covering key disciplines and specialized sub-topics in Social Sciences, designed to support cutting-edge academic discovery.

---

Most Cited Articles

The Most Cited Articles section features the journal's most impactful research, based on citation counts. These articles have been referenced frequently by other researchers, indicating their significant contribution to their respective fields.

• Understanding Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 on “quality education” from micro, meso and macro perspectives

  Citation: 214

  Authors: Ellen

• The development of ESD-related competencies in supportive institutional frameworks

  Citation: 196

  Authors: Gerhard

• Self-directed learning: A fundamental competence in a rapidly changing world

  Citation: 182

  Authors: Thomas Howard

• Understanding What We Do: Emerging Models for Human Rights Education

  Citation: 167

  Authors: Felisa

• The impact of lockdown on the learning gap: family and school divisions in times of crisis

  Citation: 166

  Authors: Xavier, Sheila

• Formal, nonformal and informal education: A holistic perspective on lifelong learning

  Citation: 156

  Authors: Thomas J.

• Online communication and interaction in distance higher education: A framework study of good practice

  Citation: 127

  Authors: Dimitrios, Agoritsa

• The expansion and transformation of higher education

  Citation: 118

  Authors: Martin

• Lifelong learning in Sustainable Development Goal 4: What does it mean for UNESCO’s rights-based approach to adult learning and education?

  Citation: 117

  Authors: Maren

• Globalisation and Higher Education Development: A Critical Analysis

  Citation: 112

  Authors: Rui

---