This report on a national seminar attended by over 100 French adult educators from universities, industry, government agencies, and voluntary agencies is divided into three parts. Part I summarizes conclusions and recommendations made by nine commissions on conditions (including needs and objectives, obstacles to continuing education, educational strategies, organization and administration, and research) bearing on the future development of adult education in France. The next section deals with an experiment in manpower development and related areas by the Quebec Ministry of Continuing Education, "people's universities" (residential and evening folk schools) in the Federal Republic of Germany, and the views of the social anthropologist Chombart de Lauwe on the notions of need and aspiration. In addition to distinguishing between a need and its object and between obligation and aspiration, he examines the problem of reconciling personal and social needs. Finally, two French experiments, one on sex and birth control education for adults, the other on youth leader training, are described, followed by a statement by the Director of the Institut National pour la Formation des Adultes. (ly)