The project examines the complex relationship between participation in educational activities and the concrete benefits this brings for the well-being of the participants and the societies they live in. Its research primarily focus on social benefits of learning (i.e. better social cohesion, efficient networks, improved public health and a increased civic involvement) and individual benefits of learning (i.e. improved self-confidence and greater self-awareness) rather than economic benefits of learning in the form of improved earnings and higher revenues from taxes. Another aim of the project is to validate the construct of benefits within European comparative research and to obtain results about the nature of such benefits and their correlation with other benefits.
Outcomes
This project collected comparative quantitative and qualitative data on measurable individual benefits of participation in adult education. The empirical data provide guidance for policymakers while increasing the visibility of adult education in political discourse and encouraging investment in a frequently marginalised form of education.
Products
- Research Report: Research results, country reports and policy remommendations (pdf)
- Survey Results (pdf)
- Qualitative Data Analysis Report (pdf)
- BeLL Leaflet
- BeLL website
- Articles in scientific papers
Partners
- DIE (DE) (Coordinator);
- University of Eastern Finland (FI);
- University of London (UK);
- University of Barcelona (ES);
- SIAE (SI);
- ATHENA (CZ);
- SVEB (CH);
- IREA (RO);
- AddO (IT);
- Adult Education Society (AES));
- EAEA (BE).
Meetings and events
- Final conference, October 2013, Bonn, DE
- BeLL Workshop, September 2013, Brussels, BE
- Second partner meeting, April 2013, Bologna, IT
- First partner meeting, June 2012, Ostrava, CZ
- Kick-off meeting, November 2011, Bonn, DE