Integrating lifelong learning principles into technical English courses: strategies for sustainable language proficiency

Abstract

In post-war Ukraine, the urgent need to rebuild infrastructure and strengthen international partnerships has highlighted the critical importance of robust English-language competencies in technical fields. This article investigates how the principles of lifelong learning – emphasizing continual skill renewal, learner autonomy, and flexible instructional models – can be effectively integrated into technical English curricula. Drawing on both global research and emerging Ukrainian case studies, we identify practical strategies that meet the immediate demands of professionals in engineering, information technology, and manufacturing, while also fostering sustainable language development over the long term. A thorough literature analysis reveals that although project-based tasks, authentic industry collaborations, and digital learning platforms have been widely recognized as impactful in adult language education, their systematic application to technical English courses in Ukraine remains underexplored. By examining three illustrative examples – university-based solar energy projects, digitally enhanced teacher training, and industry-university partnerships in IT clusters – this study demonstrates how real-world, domain-specific tasks can solidify learners` technical vocabulary and communication skills. Moreover, incorporating these tasks into a cohesive curriculum framework ensures continuous adaptation to new technologies, market shifts, and post-war reconstruction needs. The findings underscore that effective technical English instruction goes beyond standard textbook exercises; it requires constant alignment with evolving professional contexts and national development priorities. As such, educators, policymakers, and industry stakeholders play a pivotal role in shaping programs that embrace lifelong learning as a guiding principle. The article concludes with recommendations for scaling these approaches, including more extensive empirical research to measure long-term impacts on employability, innovation capacity, and the broader socio-economic revitalization of Ukraine. By bridging linguistic skill-building with the realities of post-war reconstruction, this study positions sustainable language proficiency as a cornerstone of the nation`s forward-looking recovery strategy.