Back row: Musa Kirkar, John Evers, Marta Jendekova, Marianne Múller, Gustav Fridolin, Balazs Nemeth. Front row: Dearbhail Lawless, Anna Skozs, Lauri Tuomi, Esther Hirsch, Oleg Smirnov, Raffaela Kihrer.
13.06.2025 EAEA Executive Board

New Executive Board elected for EAEA

At the General Assembly on 3 June in Leipzig, EAEA members elected a new Executive Board and President.

Lauri Tuomi, CEO of the Finnish Lifelong Learning Foundation (Finland) was elected as the new President of EAEA, as Uwe Gartenschlaeger from DVV International (Germany) completed his third and final term as the President this year. 

Alex Stevenson from Learning & Work (UK), Dina Soeiro from Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra (Portugal), and George Koulaouzides from Hellenic Open University (Greece) also completed their terms on the Board. We are greatful to all the departing board members for their dedication and service!

The EAEA Executive Board consists of 12 members and was elected for the period 2025-2027.

In their candidacy speeches, the board candidates highlighted lifelong learning as a fundamental human right. They also stressed the importance of international cooperation in adult education, especially in these challenging times. The role of EAEA is more vital than ever. 

President of the Executive Board

Lauri Tuomi
The Finnish Lifelong Learning Foundation (Kvs)
Finland

Executive Board members

Anna Delort
ACEFIR – Catalan Association for the Education, Training and Research
Spain

John Evers
Association of Austrian Adult Education Centres
Austria

Gustav Fridolin
Folkbildningsrådet
Sweden

Esther Hirsch
Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband (DVV)
Germany

Marta Jendeková
Association of Adult Education Institutions in the Slovak Republic
Slovakia

Musa Kirkar
CEIPES ETS – International Centre for the Promotion of Education and Development
Italy

Dearbháil Lawless
AONTAS
Ireland

Marianne Müller
SVEB
Switzerland

Balázs Németh
University of Pécs
Hungary

Anna Skocz
NGO Trainers Association (sTOP)
Poland

Oleg Smirnov
Integration and Development Center for Information and Research
Ukraine

Photos: EAEA

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