Jón Torfi Jónasson is a professor emeritus at the University of Iceland. His academic journey began in September 1977 when he joined the university as a part-time teacher. Initially, he divided his time equally between teaching experimental physics and courses related to cognitive psychology and the psychology of learning. Over the years, his research has spanned various aspects of education, and he has been actively involved in teaching, particularly in the field of adult education. For many years he has been the main authority on Adult Education in Iceland. He has written many articles and reports on participation in adult education and theoretical works on the place of lifelong learning in society. He was appointed by the minister of education as the first chair of the fund on continuing education which was established by the law on continuing education (adult education) in 2010. His administrative tasks have included the deanship for the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Iceland for six years and later dean of the School of Education after the merger of the Iceland University of Education and the University of Iceland in 2008. Currently, Jón Torfi’s primary interests revolve around exploring the diverse futures of education placing focus on different parts of the system and on different notions of education. He is particularly interested in the strengths and weaknesses that can be related to the institutional characteristics of the different parts of the educational edifice. Also, how the discussions about the future and especially the future of education eschew discussing the essence of the notion of education. He is also concerned that there is a divide between the academic discourse and those leading practice and policy in the field of education, a developing gap that he argues academia must bridge. His contributions to academia and his dedication to understanding the multifaceted world of learning have been a visible part of the educational landscape in Iceland and beyond. The title of his keynote is: The intriguing, crucial, complex and fragile world of adult education, where he will examine each of these key terms in turn, in the perspective of the overarching theme of the conference.