Informal education in Russia and in the world has gained special importance owing to transfer to the economics and the society based on knowledge, being the integral component of “life-long education”. The systemic approach allows representing the system of informal education in its integrity and multuaspect components in the conditions of globalization of the educational space.

There are analyzed the notions and the essence of informal education. There are considered the main signs of functioning of informal education, as well as the factors of its effectiveness.