The partnership will look at why to invest in adult education; indicator-based funding; where to invest; and best practices in funding tools.
12.02.2016

New EAEA project to produce advocacy tools for financing adult education

EAEA and its project partners met in Hannover, Germany, to kick-off the Financing Adult Learning and Education (FinALE) project on 11–12 February 2016. The objective is to monitor, analyse and improve adult education policies and mechanisms in funding adult education.

“We have discussed the need for more discussion on adult education as a public good as there is a strong tendency to see adult education as a commercial good,” explains Gina Ebner, the EAEA Secretary General.

Meeting the needs of the adult education community

Each year, the EAEA compiles country reports from its membership. They have indicated that the topic of financing is an important issue for a large number of EAEA members.

“After a workshop organised on the topic with our members, we have decided to apply for a project that would also follow the work of the European Commission’s working group on financing adult education,” tells Ms. Ebner about the background of the project.

“We need to have good arguments why public funding of adult education is important,” says Gerhard Bisovsky, Secretary General of the Association of Austrian Adult Education Centres (VÖV), one of the project partners.

“But demanding public funding is never sexy. This is why we need hard facts. We deal with questions on return on investment.”

Advocacy tools for the national and European level

During the meeting, the nine project partners discussed the two-year timeline of the project, its outcomes and the general content of these outcomes.

“I hope the outcomes can be used in discussions with policy-makers and by our members as well,” says EAEA’s Gina Ebner.

“It was an excellent meeting,” says International Department Coordinator Susana Oliveira from the partner organisation Kerigma, Portugal.

“The project results will be important both on national and European level, as funding is a big issue on the national level. We need arguments to speak with policy-makers and this project will provide us with advocacy tools,” continues Ms. Oliveira, who is also known as the EAEA Vice-President.

FinALE project

 

Text: Tania BermanPhotos: Lending Memo, Tania Berman

24.09.2024 digital literacy

Comprehensive changes needed in the Digital Education Action Plan

In response to European Commission's Digital Education Action Plan (DEAP) for 2021-2027, EAEA calls for significant reforms to ensure that digital initiatives effectively serve all learners.

24.07.2024 advocacy

Adult Education and Learning for all must become a top European priority in the European Education Area

Adult education and learning for all to become a top European priority for the newly elected European Parliament and the new European Commission,  EAEA said in response to the European Commission's open public consultation on the mid-term review of the European Education Area.

22.07.2024 advocacy

EAEA’s take on von der Leyen’s re-election: important commitments on skills and adult learning

EAEA welcomes the re-election of Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission on July 18. Von der Leyen’s previous Commission has led crucial initiatives to put skills and adult learning at the top of the political agenda, notably the European Year of Skills 2023.