it is no secret that lifelong learning is one of the building blocks of a happy and fulfilled life. It enables people to not only find their way in an increasingly complex world but also to actively shape it. Learning is key to social participation. Whether you are acquiring skills and knowledge for your professional life or out of pure curiosity and interest in a topic, the main thing is that you learn!
In the IU Learning Report 2024 we look to answer the how, what and why of learning. We wish to know how Germany learns, what learning trends there are and what motivates people to learn. The findings show that people are particularly interested in their personal development and education, and that they want what they have learned to be sustainable and have practical relevance. It is also very encouraging that for the vast majority of respondents, lifelong learning is very or quite important.
As a university, we see this as confirmation and as our mission: we will continue to work to provide access to education to as many people as possible, recognising that the desire and will to learn is present among the vast majority of people. We aim to offer learners the strategies and tools that are right for them – from conventional tools to personalised, AI-controlled learning companions. Generation Y, in particular, now uses digital media for learning as a matter of course, and more than half of those surveyed view the use of artificial intelligence in education as quite or very positive.
Curiosity is the start of all learning – whether using conventional or modern methods. Even Albert Einstein said of himself: “I have no special talent, I'm just passionately curious.”
With this in mind, let’s stay curious!
Yours, Holger Sommerfeldt
Prof. Dr Holger Sommerfeldt
Rector IU International University of Applied Sciences
Executive Summary
Hey Germany, what does learning mean to you?
What makes people in Germany learn – and how do they go about it: the IU Learning Report 2024, a representative study by the IU International University of Applied Sciences, answers these questions.
Why do people in Germany learn?
When many people hear the word “learning,” they first think of “school,” but learning does not end when you leave school. Quite the opposite: learning is part of life. The findings of the representative IU study reflect this too: 72.1% of people in Germany are currently learning – and primarily out of curiosity or interest in new things. And for almost 9 out of 10 respondents lifelong learning is quite or very important (motivation to learn).
The main learning objectives for people in Germany are to develop and further educate themselves personally, to strengthen their own skills and competencies and to deepen specialist knowledge in a specific area. Accordingly, for the respondents learning success is measured primarily by whether they can apply what they have learned in practice, whether they have understood the learning material and whether they can remember it in the long term.
The good news: almost two thirds of people in Germany find learning in general quite or very easy – and around 8 out of 10 report quite or very positive learning experiences.
How do people in Germany learn?
Learning strategies are helpful for people. These include techniques such as repeating what has been learned, active learning (e.g. with the help of summaries), regular self-reflection and multisensory learning (listening, writing, reading). Almost half of the people in Germany can concentrate on learning for one to two hours.
The most common factors that affect concentration are tiredness, smartphones and personal issues and obligations. For Generation Z (people up to 25 years old), smartphones and social media are the biggest concentration killers. At the same time, younger people, especially Generation Y (26 to 40 years old), use digital and interactive learning tools more often than Generation X and Baby Boomers.
Overall, people in Germany are largely open to innovative tools such as AI technology and learning apps, with more than half considering the use of AI tools in education quite or very positive.
Key Facts
The main findings from the IU Learning Report 2024
Personal development and further education are the number one learning objectives.
49.1 %
of people in Germany cite personal development and upskilling as their typical learning objectives.
What is the motivation to learn? Above all, curiosity and interest in a topic.
47.3 %
of respondents cite curiosity and interest in the topic as motivators for learning.
Lifelong learning is important to people in Germany.
89.2 %
of respondents say that lifelong learning is very or quite important to them.
Learning must have practical relevance and be sustainable.
54.3 %
say that learning success means for them that they can apply what they have learned (e.g. in school, at work, in everyday life).
Smartphones distract Generation Z in particular from learning.
63.6 %
of Generation Z (up to 25 years) mention smartphones as a disruptive factor when learning.
(In comparison to all respondents: 35.3%)
Generation Y(ouTube): younger people learn more digitally.
68.8 %
of Generation Y (26 to 40 years) always or often learn using digital media such as videos, podcasts or audio books.
(In comparison to all respondents: 60.4%)
AI in education? The majority are positive about it.
54.5 %
think the use of AI technologies in school, university, for training or upskilling is generally quite or very positive.
There could be marginal deviations in the results due to rounding off.
Study contents
2024 IU Learning Report: Discover all the facts and figures now
More IU studies
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