• Cooperation and stakeholder engagement for ALE

European Policy strategies in the area of adult learning and education have increasingly stressed the need for more co-operations in order to implement them (e.g. Upskilling Pathways, the EU’s main basic skills strategy). Stakeholders that are often mentioned are social partners, companies and NGOs.

In the practice of adult learning, more cooperation has also happened, partly driven by EU programmes like the Lifelong Learning Programme, now called Erasmus+.

Many practitioners, researchers and policy-makers see the advantages of co-operations. Practice is influenced by research and strategies, research can become more aware of the practical aspects of ALE, and policy makers can rely on research for a better foundation of their strategies as well as a greater ownership and better implementation.

Nevertheless, stakeholder engagement and cooperations are not easy to set up. All kinds of barriers can stand in the way, such as competition, different organisational cultures, traditions etc. It therefore takes time and effort to build new cooperation structures and to engage different stakeholders.

In this group session we will investigate different forms of engagements. We will hear from a European project that has been working on Upskilling Pathways, i.e. the European Commission’s strategy for basic skills. Stakeholder mapping, cooperation development groups and road maps have been developed. We will also learn about Lifelong Learning Week in Slovenia, where cooperation is a key component.

The workshop is also meant to foster peer learning. We invite everyone from all continents to contribute their experiences in these areas, their successes or failures.

 How have co-operations been achieved?

 What are the participants’ recommendations for building successful cooperation mechanisms and structures?

 Which conditions foster and which conditions hamper co-operations?

 What makes stakeholders want to engage?

The Florence meeting is intended as an opportunity to reflect on what concrete actions could help to reach out to and effectively engage stakeholders in ALE. Moreover, it provides a platform and opportunity for professionals from various organisations and continents to collaborate on new and joint initiatives and identify potential partners for transcontinental and transatlantic cooperations.

Promoter:

European Association for the Education of Adults, Belgium

Gina Ebner, Secretary General, EAEA, Member of the IACE Hall of Fame

Discussant:

Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, Slovenian Institute for Adult Education, Slovenia

Contributors:

Judith Alamprese, Abt Global, United States

Mejai Avoseh, University of South Dakota, United States, Member of the IACE Hall of Fame

Sharon Bonney, COABE, United States

Irene Compte, University of Girona, Spain

Damian Faeh, Flying Teachers GmbH; EBSN, Switzerland

Éva Farkas, IACE Hall of Fame

Laura Formenti, University of Milano Bicocca, Italy

Daniela Frison, University of Florence, Italy

Shibao Guo, University of Calgary

Heribert Hinzen, PIMA, Member of the IACE Hall of Fame

Nalita James, University of Warwick, United Kingdom

Waynne James, Member of the IACE Hall of Fame Board of Directors, United States

Nicolas Jonas, UNESCO-UIL

Katrin Kaufmann-Kuchta, German Institute for Adult Education- DIE, Germany

Nicoleta Olcott, Liceul Tehnologic Matei Basarab Caracal, Romania

Viola Pinzi, European Association for the Education of Adults, Belgium

Nataša Potočnik, Slovenian Institute for Adult Education, Slovenia

Jost Reischmann, International Society for Comparative Adult Education (ISCAE), Member of the IACE Hall of Fame

Andreas Schleicher, OECD

Alfredo Soeiro, University of Porto, Portugal, Member of the IACE Hall of Fame

Thomas J. Sork, University of British Columbia, Member of the IACE Hall of Fame Board of Directors, Canada

Lorenza Venturi, INDIRE-Erasmus+ National Agency, Italy

Enrico Vignando, University of Udine & Modena-Reggio Emilia, Italy

Yan Guo, University of Calgary, Canada

Hall of Fame Mentor:
(TBC)

Preparatory Webinars scheduled on 

 October 2024, 24th at 3:00 pm CEST / 8.00 am CST.

Gina Ebner