EAEA's reflections on the future of adult learning in Europe were published in a background paper in December 2019.
13.01.2020

After the EU elections: what will the future of adult learning look like?

The new European Parliament and the new European Commission have started their work on the new portfolios in the second half of 2019. The European Union will have to take a clear direction on issues such as sustainability, democracy, and demographic changes. An EAEA working group explored these issues. The results were published in a background paper in December 2019.

Before the EU elections in May 2019, we launched a campaign in which EAEA and its members asked MEP candidates of all political groups how they wanted to support and promote adult learning. Their answers were published on a dedicated website. Half a year later, the new Members of the European Parliament, as well as the new European Commission, have started their work on the new portfolios.

The European Parliament and the European Commission will have to negotiate the follow-up programmes of Europe 2020, including Education and Training 2020 (short: ET2020). Great Britain will (probably) leave the European Union at the end of January, while other countries are planning to join the EU. Europe faces a number of challenges, such as sustainability, democracy, digitisation and automation, and changing demographics. New European programmes and frameworks will have to take these challenges into consideration and find answers to them.

What does this mean for adult learning? An EAEA working group explored these issues. The results were published in a background paper in December 2019.

EAEA background paper on the future of adult learning in Europe (pdf)

 

Text: EAEAPhotos: EAEA

15.01.2026 advocacy

Upskilling the agrifood sector for the right to food – a call to action

On January 7, the European Citizens’ Initiative “Food is a Human Right for All! Guaranteeing healthy, just and sustainable food systems” from Good Food 4 All started the collection of signatures. The initiative calls for the systematic guarantee of the right to food to promote healthy, just, humane, and sustainable food systems for present and future generations

11.01.2026 advocacy

"An autonomous Europe”: Cyprus’s takeover of the Council Presidency

Cyprus is the last country of the Trio Presidency to take over, following Denmark and Poland, completing an 18-month cycle. In this analysis, we look at the program presented at the beginning of the year, shaping the agenda for the next six months.

07.01.2026 adult educators

Digital competences frameworks for ALE: focus on andragogical approaches

The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning and Shanghai Open University have recently launched the DELTA Framework – Digital Empowerment for Lifelong Learning and Transformative Andragogy for adult educators, with contributions from EAEA and ICAE.