Shalini Singh 1 Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg, Germany Mario Molina-Naar 2 University of Los Andes, Colombia Søren Ehlers 3 Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg, Germany Policies for Professionalisation in Adult Learning and Education: A Comparative Study from India, Colombia and Denmark 4 Abstract: This paper discusses the role of policies in promoting or hindering profes- sionalisation in adult education in different contexts. The paper draws generalisations based on three case studies: India, Colombia and Denmark, where professionalisation of adult education is negligible. The methodology includes case studies, policy analysis and a comparative perspective. The paper concludes that the professionalisation of adult education has diminished with the emergence of lifelong learning because the focus of policies has shifted to learning outcomes rather than educators. Stakeholders who favour the professionalisation of adult education and learning, therefore need to ensure the de- velopment of distinctive offers, create a market for them and get them acknowledged to convince policy makers for investment. Key words: professionalisation, standardisation in adult education, andragogy, policy, lifelong learning. 1 Shalini Singh, PhD is Senior Research Fellow at the International Institute for Adult & Lifelong Education, India and a visiting researcher and lecturer at the Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg, Germany (con- tactingshalinisingh@gmail.com). 2 Mario Molina-Naar, is Full-Time Professor at the University of Los Andes, Colombia and a PhD candidate at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain (molinaar712@gmail.com). 3 Søren Ehlers, PhD is visiting researcher and lecturer at Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg, Germany and distinguished professor at International Institute for Adult & Lifelong Education, India (soerenauguste- hlers@gmail.com). 4 The authors are thankful to our colleagues: Trudy Corrigan and Jane O’ Kelly for their contributions in re- viewing the literature. Andragoške studije, issn 0354–5415, broj 11, decembar 2020, str. 33–61 © Institut za pedagogiju i andragogiju; Originalni naučni rad UDK 374.7:[37.014.5:331.102.24(540)(862)(489) doi: 10.5937/AndStud2002033S