Both lifelong learning and social inclusion have a huge literature and there are many divergent views as to their interpretation. The following definitions are taken from European social policy documents and are specific to their application to the aims and agenda of the EMILIA project.

Lifelong Learning
Lifelong learning policy is driven by the belief that everyone should have equal and open access to high quality learning opportunities. It acknowledges that learning is not just confined to the classroom, and to the delivery and achievement of academic awards, but can be taught through many different means, including using new technology. By life long learning is meant “all learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills, and competences within a personal, civic social and\or employment-related perspective.” 1 A comprehensive approach to life long learning needs to emphasise “learning throughout the life time from preschool to retirement encompassing the whole spectrum from formal, non-formal to informal learning.”

Social Exclusion\Inclusion
"Social exclusion affects an individual's opportunity to find a good job, decent housing, adequate health care, quality education, safe and secure living conditions as well as their treatment by the legal and criminal justice systems. It becomes a chronic scarcity of opportunities and access to basic and quality services, labour markets and credit, physical conditions and adequate infra-structure, and the judicial system. The complex problem of social exclusion is intensified for individuals belonging to multiple excluded groups (such as the mentally ill). As social exclusion so severely restricts access to the services and jobs needed for a minimal standard of living, there is a high correlation between poverty and social exclusion. Even when they are not the majority of the poor, the excluded typically constitute the poorest.”