Increasing personal’s knowledge in the academic world is only possible through an effective cooperation of all the stakeholders in higher education (Heuser 2007), but the institutions of higher education may  also be involved in meeting the increasing demand of society for knowledge and permanent learning (Kulich 1987). In our examination, wich was supported by the János Bolyai Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, we examine the characteristics of lifelong learning  among students in higher education, taking into consideration the gender of the individuals.

The experience gathered during school years and the attitude of the students’ family to learning are important elements of the person’s attitude to education (see, among others, Bourdieu 1986, De Graaf 1986 and Pusztai 2004, Engler 2011). When a student is considering the idea of further training at the end of the grammar school, their decision is usually influenced by their parents. A number of research findings suggest that highly qualified parents encourage their children to choose a classic academic career, whereas parents with lower qualifications want their children to obtain a trade, as they are reluctant to undertake the risks of long-term investment into education (Boudon 1974). Deviation from the classic academic career is more common among men, as traditional gender roles so require.

Gender differences in lifelong learning manifested primarily in issues of equal opportunities. Such an issue was the alteration of the basically masculine curricula of courses that opened up for women or launching courses in jobs in which women were formerly underrepresented (Oglesby et al. 1989). Consequently, more and more women joined higher education in a wide range of fields. The differences between men and women in terms of schooling have several reasons.  DiMaggio (1982) attributes the different performance of boys and girls to gender socialization processes. Leathwood (2006) examined the characteristics of successful and independent adult students. These students are usually men, in possession of masculine features, such as purpose- and success-bias and ambition. Female students, on the other hand, require consultation and guidance even when they are grown up. (Severiens-Ten Dam 1998)

In our examination we use all available relevant data so as to analyse the circumstances of the individual’s starting advanced studies, the mechanisms of making a decision about commencing studies. We analyse the individual’s attitude to learning, the demand and need for the acquisition of knowledge and skills. These are the factors that largely determine–reinforce or weaken–a person’s desire for lifelong learning. We focussed also on their plans regarding the appearance of the need for permanent learning at the two sexes.

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