Lifelong learning has been identified as crucial to the achievement of sustainable development and quality education in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. By incorporating the need to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all in the sustainable development goal 4 (SDG4), which was agreed by the United Nations member states in 2015, policy makers have recognised that education should reach beyond the formal institutional arrangements of primary, secondary and tertiary (or higher education). How, though, is lifelong learning being conceptualised in the practices of nations as they report progress on achievements towards these goals? Engaging with this question has concerned a number of writers in this journal. Moreover, since several countries have now reported their progress towards the SDGs after three years of activity, it is timely to consider how they have addressed this question.