Ilya Korshunov - Candidate of Sciences in Chemistry, Associate Professor, Leading Expert, Institute of Education, National Research University Higher School of Economics. Address: 20 Myasnitskaya Str., 101000 Moscow, Russian Federation. E‑mail: ikorshunov@hse.ru

Olga Gaponova - Candidate of Sciences in Economics, Associate Professor, Department of General and Strategic Management, National Research University Higher School of Economics. Address: 136 Rodionova Str., 603155 Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation. E-mail: osgaponova@hse.ru

Statistical data is used to analyze formal and supplementary adult education attainment rates in the European Union, OECD countries and Russia depending on the basic economic development characteristics and the government effectiveness index that the World  Bank has used to assess the quality of governance for the last two decades. In countries with low GDP, formal and supplementary adult education attainment rates are linearly dependent on the size of investment in fixed capital and show weak correlation with the index of government effectiveness. In countries with high levels of GDP and active investment processes, the key role in the growth of formal and supplementary education attainment rates is played by governmental actions that prompt the population and employers to engage in learning and supplementary education programs. Region-specific Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) data shows similar correlations between engagement of the employed population in lifelong learning and economic development  indicators. The study includes analysis of official development strategies and the existing lifelong learning policies pursued by the countries as well as national cases that include the content of education programs, target groups and measures to maintain the adult population’s access to lifelong learning. Incentives to increase formal and supplementary adult education attainment rates are identified, and the relationship between their implementation and economic development of countries is determined.