Fourteen representatives of adult education institutions and city administrations, as well as city councils from Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, visited Germany in March 2023. The aim of the trip to Norden, Nienburg and Hanover was to give new impetus to the regional exchange between adult education centres in Eastern Europe and their cooperation with the local self-governments.
For this, the colleagues wanted to learn more about the cooperation between adult education centres and city administrations, municipalities and other authorities. They were interested in the role of adult education in stabilizing democracy, but also in models for financing adult education centres.
Rural inspiration
Flexibility and creativity in emergency situations, vocational training for young people and adults and their key role in the district make the KVHS-Norden a highly interesting model. In talks with the district and city administration, the importance of cooperation between adult education providers and politicians or local government became clear to the visitors.
Networking for synergy effects
At the Volkshochschule Nienburg, cooperation with educationally relevant actors in the district, the planning and financing of courses, as well as questions concerning the teachers and staff in adult education centres were discussed. The presentation of a project relevant to women and the economy (frau+wirtschaft) by the VNB (Association of Education Initiatives in Lower Saxony) stimulated discussions about equal rights and the gender pay gap.
At the Ada and Theodor Lessing adult education centre in Hanover, the delegation learned a lot about educational programs and projects as well as course organization and the interests of participants. Other topics of discussion were cooperation with local authorities as well as digitization and digitality. The situation of Ukrainian refugees in Hanover was also discussed.
The Lower Saxonian Adult Education Act
Colleagues from the Landesverband der Volkshochschulen (the association for adult education centers) in Lower Saxony informed the guests about the structure of publicly funded adult education in the federal state, and in particular about the Lower Saxonian Adult Education Act (NEBG). In addition, they exchanged views with the participants on financing issues and the challenges of adult education in Lower Saxony.
Intensifying international and regional cooperation
The representatives of the Agency for Adult and Continuing Education (AEWB) in Hannover explained to the visitors the functions, areas of work and focal points in the work of the institution as well as the possibility of involving funds from various sources, including EU projects. They also reported on program development based on studies conducted in the field of adult education. This is how the literacy program for adults came about, which has been part of the AEWB program since 2013.
According to the participants, the study trip fully achieved its goal. They returned to their home countries with many ideas for future collaboration. Representatives of city administrations and city councils gained a deeper insight into the role and functions of various adult education institutions and have already spoken out in favour of further increasing support for adult learning centres in their regions. The exchange between the leaders of the institutions in the various regions during the study trip led to an increased interest in regional cooperation. Visits by the management staff of the centres within a greater region are already planned.
Marionela Dabija
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