On July 22–24, a study tour was held in Poltava, organised by the Representative Office of DVV International in Ukraine in cooperation with the Adult Education Centre of Poltava Region. The event brought together representatives of the adult education centres from Nikopol, Zaporizhzhia, Melitopol, Sumy, Vinnytsia, Kyiv, and Poltava, as well as delegates from the Ukrainian Adult Education Association. Over the course of three days, participants explored successful practices, exchanged experiences, and identified effective approaches to advance adult education in the local communities of Ukraine.
The first destination of the study tour was Poltava University of Economics and Trade (PUET), which hosts the Adult Education Centre of Poltava Region. Participants were welcomed by Oleksii Nestulia, former Rector of PUET, who expressed his gratitude to the partners for their lasting cooperation and significant contribution to the development of non-formal education. The current Rector of PUET, Serhii Harkusha, reaffirmed the University's commitment to supporting adult education and remaining a reliable partner in implementing related initiatives. Svitlana Nestulia, Executive Director of the NGO Poltava Adult Education Centre, also addressed the participants with welcoming remarks.
During the visit, participants learned about the activities of the Poltava Adult Education Centre and the implementation of the project "Adult Education Centre – A Space for Personal and Professional Development", presented by the Project Manager, Olha Stefaniuk.
On behalf of DVV International, participants were welcomed by Levan Kvatchadze, Regional Director for Ukraine and Moldova, and Oleg Smirnov, Director of the Representative Office in Ukraine. In their speeches, they emphasized the importance of advancing adult education, supporting local initiatives, strengthening partnerships, and disseminating successful practices among community representatives.
The study tour programme introduced participants to a range of institutions and community spaces that contribute to local development and non-formal education. These included the Institute for Urban Development, the Veterans' Centre of the Poltava City Council, the Poltava Regional Youth Centre, the MistoHub community space, the Ivan Kotliarevskyi Museum-Estate, the National Museum of Ukrainian Pottery in Opishne, the Lialyna Svitlytsia Ethno-Homestead, and the Krychevskyi Family Museum.
Each location provided participants with new ideas, practical approaches, and tools that can be adapted and applied to support the development of adult education in different communities. The final day of the study tour focused on teamwork and strengthening the participants' professional and personal capacities.
We sincerely thank all our partners for their openness, hospitality, and willingness to share their experience and successful practices. We are convinced that professional exchange and mutual learning are essential components of the development of adult education in Ukraine. Such meetings create opportunities for new ideas, strengthen interregional cooperation, and contribute to the development of communities where lifelong learning becomes a driver for the positive change.
The event was held within the framework of the project "The Professionalisation of Adult Learning and Education Centres in Europe", aimed at strengthening the institutional capacities of Adult Learning and Education Centres (ALECs), with the support of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).