Adult education plays a vital role in the current migration and refugee situation in Europe. What is missing from the debate is a focus on public policies (including education) to maximise the benefits of migration, to support people to integrate into society and to tackle the local pressures on services and infrastructure.
The implementation of (inter-)cultural dialogue fosters an exchange between the indigenous and new citizens. It helps migrants to understand the cultures and social contracts of their new home countries and gives the host citizens the chance to appreciate different habits and develop their countries into deliberative democracies.
We need to ensure accessible and affordable learning opportunities, recognise and validate prior learning, as well as provide language training for migrants, to enable them to become active citizens in their new home countries. The role of adult education is essential in ensuring that individuals and the wider society are able to harness the capabilities of highly skilled migrants to everyone’s advantage, while also supporting individuals and communities that feel displaced by migration to get the skills they need to be part of society.
Learning is part of active ageing
We see great demographic shifts across Europe, with an ageing population which is living and working longer. Older people are a large and growing part of the population and this is changing our societies in important and fundamental ways. In order to tackle demographic changes, Europe needs citizens that stay healthy and active as long as possible.
EAEA is committed to active ageing and encourages a common vision on the active participation of older people. Learning provides many of these opportunities and active ageing will only be guaranteed if learning in later life is provided for. Research shows that learning seniors are more active, have more social contacts, volunteer more, work longer and are healthier. It is therefore necessary to provide high quality learning opportunities for all older people, which, in turn, will need the necessary framework of policies, funding, structures and access. Even at a very old age, learning has positive impacts.
Additionally, intergenerational learning enables both older, experienced people and the young to profit from each other’s knowledge; and on the other hand, the joint measures strengthen intergenerational solidarity within the European societies.