16.12.2022

Financing adult learning and education in Europe

EAEA is happy to present its background paper “Financing ALE in Europe”, prepared by EAEA’s Working Group on Financing ALE. Looking at the current financing levels of ALE in Europe, funding instruments as well as key trends and challenges in financing (e.g. Individual Learning Accounts and EdTech funding), the paper provides a 360-degree view on funding in European ALE and provides recommendations for its financial sustainability.

Download our background report here (pdf)

EAEA has been closely monitoring the funding situation of adult learning and education (ALE) in Europe for a number of years through its Country Reports and projects – in particular Financing Adult Learning in Europe (FinALE), which was completed in 2018. The development of public funding is at the forefront of our monitoring as this is pivotal for the financial sustainability of the sector, but also quality assurance of learning provision.

In 2022, the EAEA working group on financing took a closer look at the current financing levels of ALE in Europe (or, rather, what we know and don’t know about them), financing instruments, and key trends and challenges in financing ALE. 

Based on this, the working group developed a number of policy recommendations (for more details, please consult the background report):

Policy-making level

  • Developing and implementing benchmarks for the financing of ALE
  • Creating incentives for the creation of financial frameworks for ALE
  • Promoting data collection on the funding of ALE
  • Promoting financial tools and instruments that foster collaboration and complementarity rather than competition

Practice level

  • Collecting good practices from other sectors or countries
  • Collecting data in the organisation
  • Raising awareness of the impact of sustainable funding on learners

 

Text: EAEAPhotos: EAEA

08.07.2026 activism

Resilience means giving genuine decision-making power to local actors - EAEA's annual event's panel discussion

On June 10th, EAEA’s members reunited for the Annual Event, this time in Poland, hosted by the NGO organization sTOP. The Panel discussion titled ‘‘Resilient Communities in Times of Crises’’ saw the participation of Benedetta Perego (lawyer admitted before the Italian Supreme Court and founder of Strali), Musa Kirkar (President of CEIPES and EAEA’s Board Member), Oleg Smirnov (Director of DVV International Ukraine and EAEA’s Vice President), and Irena Lipowicz (lawyer, professor, and ex diplomat for the United Nations).

06.07.2026 advocacy

Democracy and coalition-building

At the Feminist Futures Festival in Brussels, participants explored how feminist perspectives, coalition-building and transnational solidarity can strengthen democracy and social inclusion.

30.06.2026 EAEA Annual Conference

EAEA Annual Conference 2026: Supportive communities grow the roots of resilience

The EAEA Annual Conference 2026 explored resilience as a collective process, highlighting the role of adult learning in strengthening communities in times of uncertainty.