From 30 September to 3 October 2025, EAEA organised ABC of Adult Learning and Education (ALE) training at Elzenhof Community Centre in Brussels. Over four days, participants from across Europe and beyond explored adult learning as a lived practice grounded in inclusion, empowerment, and democratic engagement.
This was the second ABC of ALE training held in this format, aimed at entry- and mid-level professionals in the field interested in the theory and practice of non-formal adult education.
Understanding ALE: shared values, diverse realities
The training began by setting the stage for what adult learning and education mean in practice. Led by Marina Sakač Hadžić, EAEA’s Communication, Capacity Building and Membership Officer, participants were introduced to EAEA’s mission, history, and the roots of Bildung, which is based on the idea that education fosters self-awareness and personal growth. The session also encouraged reflection and set expectations for the days ahead.
Angeliki Giannakopoulou, EAEA’s Senior Policy and Project Coordinator, guided participants through the theoretical foundations and methodologies of ALE, drawing on influential thinkers such as Humboldt, Gruntvig, Dewey, hooks, and Freire. The discussion emphasised that ALE is not only about acquiring skills but also about cultivating inclusion, knowing the multiple layers of oppression that our learners experience, and cultivating empathy and solidarity as pathways to empowerment.
I came with theories, but I’m leaving with real stories, faces, and examples from other contexts.
Participants shared reflections from their own contexts, identifying common challenges such as insufficient funding, limited outreach to older learners, and a lack of public understanding of ALE’s societal role. Others shared good practices such as engaging older generations, providing learning opportunities, and building community-based networks to reach marginalised adults.
“We need to intentionally include learners who are often missing, such as older adults facing barriers like lack of transport or information, by using the networks that already exist in our communities,” one participant shared during a reflection session.
The connection between theory and lived experience became clear. As one participant expressed, “I came with theories, but I’m leaving with real stories, faces, and examples from other contexts. That’s what learning truly means.”
This statement reflected the spirit of ALE as a dynamic and human-centered process where knowledge is grounded in real lives and communities.
Theory meets practice: learning in the field
The second day explored ALE through the lenses of history and practice. Participants examined methodologies from key educational thinkers and linked them to modern initiatives such as Just4ALL, MoveUP, and ENHANCE, which demonstrate how theory translates into transformative community action.
A study visit to Maks vzw, a local center in Brussels pioneering digital literacy for social inclusion, allowed participants to learn how MAKS integrates migrant and vulnerable groups into digital learning. It showed how adult education creates pathways for social participation and empowerment. One participant reflected, “In adult education, learning is not only about acquiring knowledge, but about having a voice and gradually coming closer to oneself.” This insight highlighted the transformative and affective dimensions of ALE, where learning becomes a form of self-realisation and empowerment rather than mere skill acquisition.
Designing learner-centered pathways
On October 2nd, the focus turned to Flexible Learning Pathways, EAEA’s annual theme for 2025. Charlotte Ede, EAEA’s Learning and Projects coordinator, presented how adult education can ensure that learning can be flexible and learner-centered.
“Flexible Learning Pathways have got to be about the learners. Educators can guess what learners might need from data, but without engaging with them directly at the community level, we cannot design truly inclusive learning opportunities.” Ede said.
In a collaborative session, participants explored the question: What can ALE educators do to ensure that flexible learning pathways are truly learner-centric?
The methodology of EAEA’s project ENHANCE – Enhancing Adult Learners’ Voices – was applied to the TWIN-IN project, which launched this year. In the TWIN IN project (Promoting responsible TWIN transitions in European agrifood systems through INnovation and learning alliances), EAEA is responsible for developing a toolkit for a new model for education and training that can facilitate the development of green, sustainability-related knowledge/skills/entrepreneurial attitudes and digital skills, thus supporting the transition of agrifood systems towards sustainability.
I learned that empathy is key. Understanding learners’ realities helps us design education programmes that truly fit their lives.
Working in groups, participants analysed real-life community challenges and applied elements of design thinking to co-create flexible learning pathways. Through this process, participants identified the shared responsibilities of educators, learners, and community actors in shaping inclusive and sustainable adult education. Each group defined a central problem in the form of a guiding question, mapped the key stakeholders who could contribute to the solution, and proposed strategies to make learning opportunities more accessible, relevant, and responsive to diverse learner needs.
As one of the participants said: “I learned that empathy is key. Understanding learners’ realities helps us design education programmes that truly fit their lives.”
This statement perfectly encapsulated the spirit of the workshop, emphasising that genuine inclusion begins with understanding the lived contexts of learners.
Learning democracy by doing
The final day, titled “Democracy has to be learnt”, led by Greta Pelucco, EAEA’s Senior EU Public Affairs Coordinator, brought together the week’s themes in an interactive workshop on democratic participation. Participants explored the historical foundations of democracy and reflected on how education was used both as a tool of control and as a means for liberation.
Through a simulation exercise, they experienced how adult learning assemblies can lobby and influence decision-makers, ensuring that learners’ voices are not only heard but also actively shape the policies that affect them. One participant shared, “We may come from different countries, but when we learn together, we build the same lighthouse of values.” This reflection captured the spirit of unity and shared purpose that ALE seeks to foster across borders and contexts, reinforcing education as both a personal and collective democratic act.
We may come from different countries, but when we learn together, we build the same lighthouse of values.
As the training concluded, participants shared their “trees of knowledge,” reflecting on what they had learned, what inspired them, and how they planned to apply these insights in their own contexts. What emerged was a collective sense of energy and renewed commitment to advancing change through ALE education, carrying forward an ignited spirit of advocacy for inclusive and transformative learning.
Closing reflections
The ABC of ALE 2025 reaffirmed that adult learning is not only about developing skills but also about fostering engaged citizens, recognising the dignity and agency of adult learners in pursuing the competencies they need, and using education as a liberating force for empowerment and democratic engagement in a thriving society. By connecting theory to practice and by amplifying the learner’s voice, the training demonstrated how ALE continues to shape more inclusive, resilient, and learner-centered communities.
Text: Gimar Reyes