Meta-Learning (Governance)

Learning that results from observing the outcomes of other learning activities and applying those observations to developing or revising the rules and recommendations to which those activities are subject.

In a regulatory context, meta-learning distinguishes itself from:

• Individual learning: Developing competencies and literacy
• Organizational learning: Internal processes for meeting requirements
• Enforcement learning: Learning through compliance interactions with authorities

Meta-learning sits above these, it’s how standards bodies observe enforcement outcomes and revise technical specifications, how legislators observe implementation challenges and issue delegated acts, how regulators observe sandbox experiences and update guidance.

The term originates from Kooiman and Jentoft’s work on governance theory.

Related: 05-atom—regulatory-learning-definition, 05-atom—learning-arenas-governance, 05-atom—learning-activities-taxonomy