Dr Rob Mark

Associate Tutor, Honorary Senior Research Fellow (School of Education)

email: Rob.Mark@glasgow.ac.uk
pronouns: He/him/his

Biography

Dr Rob Mark is a Senior Honorary Researcher and Professor working in the field of lifelong learning. He is currently working in partnership with universities in India and the Philippines, where he holds honorary appointments.

In 2025, he was inducted into the International Hall of Fame for Adult & Continuing Education in recognition of his ongoing work as a distinguished scholar in the field.

His research interests include learning cities, education for peace and reconciliation, disadvantaged groups and access to education, learning in later life, adult literacies, faith and learning, and environmental education.

He was previously Head of the Centre for Lifelong Learning at the University of Strathclyde and Director of Education and Research at Queen’s University Belfast. He has also held appointments at the University of Ulster and has worked in schools, further education, and the community and voluntary sectors in a voluntary capacity.

Dr Mark was previously an Honorary Researcher at the Higher Education Research Centre (HERC), Dublin City University, and Vice Chair of the UK University Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL). He was formerly Editor of the Adult Learner Journal for AONTAS, Ireland, and served on the Steering Committee of the European University Continuing Education Network (EUCEN). He is currently a member of the Hall of Fame’s Development Committee.

Research interests

Dr Mark’s research interests focus on the broad field of lifelong learning. He has contributed to research and teaching in the following areas: policy and practice in European and international contexts, access to higher education, teacher education, community learning, literacy, and social justice.

He has coordinated a range of European-funded projects, including Adult Learning and Participation in Education and Literacy & Equality in Irish Society. He has also contributed to projects on the age-friendly university, intergenerational learning, and older men’s learning.

Working in cooperation with the European Museums Academy, he is contributing to several European-funded research projects focusing on heritage and its impact on society.

His most recent publication is A History of Further Education and Training in Ireland (with L. Murtagh, 2026), published by MACE Press, Maynooth University.

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2026 | 2025 | 2023 | 2022 | 2018 | 2016 | 2014 | 2012

Number of items: 11.

2026

Tubadji, Annie, Lido, Catherine ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6255-9905, Osborne, Michael ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1609-385X, Conroy, James ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9311-8056, Baur, Peter, Zispsane, Henrik, McColl, Margaret, Mark, Rob and Nemeth, Balazs (2026) Aesthetic Education and Learning Cities: HERITAGE. PASCAL Briefing Paper 34. Documentation. Pascal Observatory, Glasgow.

Tubadji, Annie, Lido, Catherine ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6255-9905, Osborne, Michael ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1609-385X, Conroy, James ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9311-8056, Baur, Peter, Zispsane, Henrik, McColl, Margaret, Mark, Rob and Nemeth, Balazs (2026) Aesthetic Education and Learning Cities: Tourism. PASCAL Briefing Paper 35. Documentation. Pascal Observatory, Glasgow.

2025

Tubadji, Annie, Lido, Catherine ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6255-9905, Osborne, Michael ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1609-385X, Conroy, James ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9311-8056, Baur, Peter, Zipsane, Henrik, McColl, Margaret, Mark, Rob and Nemeth, Balazs (2025) Aesthetic Education: What Are Learning Cities Learning in Order to Bring Peace and Human Flourishing? PASCAL Briefing Paper 30. Documentation. PASCAL Observatory, Glasgow.

2023

Mark, Rob, Talmage, Craig and Knopf, Richard (2023) Learning in later life: Responding to the evolving educational needs of older people. In: Osborne, Mike, Tibbitt, John and Kearns, Peter (eds.) Learning and City Futures: Addressing the Policy Challenges. Selected Writings from PASCAL International Observatory. Taipei City Government: Taipei, pp. 66-70. ISBN 9786267381472

2022

Mark, Rob, Talmage, Craig and Knopf, Richard (2022) 晚年學習：響應高齡者不斷變化的教育需求 = Learning in later life: Responding to the evolving educational needsof older people. In: Osborne, Mike, Tibbitt, John and Kearns, Peter (eds.) 學習與城市未來：應對政策挑戰 PASCAL 國際觀察中心文選輯 = Learning and City Futures: Addressing the Policy Challenges. Selected Writings from PASCAL International Observatory. Taipei City Government: Taipei, pp. 63-67. ISBN 9786267144985

2018

Mark, Rob (2018) Promoting age friendly universities which are sustainable and open to all: a new challenge for the academy? Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 20(2), pp. 169-183. (doi: 10.5456/WPLL.20.2.169)

2016

Findsen, Brian and Mark, Rob (2016) Older adult education in two universities: a comparison in the New Zealand and Scottish contexts. Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 22(1), pp. 6-28. (doi: 10.1177/1477971416630130)

Mark, Rob, Bissland, Val and Hart, Lesley (2016) Unlocking potential for later-life learning: engaging adults in their own learning in a university setting. A case study from Scotland. In: Field, John, Schmidt-Hertha, Bernhard and Waxenegger, Andrea (eds.) Universities and Engagement: International Perspectives on Higher Education and Lifelong Learning. Routledge. ISBN 9781138824430

Talmage, Craig A., Mark, Rob, Slowey, Maria and Knopf, Richard C. (2016) Age friendly universities and engagement with older adults: moving from principles to practice. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 35(5), pp. 537-554. (doi: 10.1080/02601370.2016.1224040)