EAEA’s new Vice Presidents are Marta Jendeková (Slovakia), Oleg Smirnov (Ukraine), and Dearbháil Lawless (Ireland). Each brings unique expertise to supporting EAEA’s strategic development and its role as a leading voice of adult learning in Europe.
The proposal for the new Vice Presidents was made by the EAEA President Lauri Tuomi.
“Each of our Vice Presidents is an outstanding expert in non-formal adult education. Their expertise, knowledge of European adult education policy, and understanding of their regions’ specific contexts provide an excellent foundation for our joint work. I also consider it highly important that our representative from Ukraine is now starting as a Vice President, as this will allow us to further strengthen our support for Ukraine”, says Tuomi.
Introduction of the new Vice Presidents:
Marta Jendeková is a member of the Executive Committee of AIVD, the umbrella organisation of adult education providers in Slovakia, and currently works for AINova. She is dedicated to promoting EAEA’s themes in Slovakia and Central and Eastern Europe. Jendeková is interested in developing learning communities, citizenship skills, and building a culture of quality in adult learning. She is also a member of the Working Group on Global Education in Slovakia and would like to create more links between non-formal adult education and global education.
Oleg Smirnov has been involved with Ukrainian NGOs since 1997 and is a founder of the Integration and Development Center for Information and Research in Crimea. He is the Director of DVV International in Ukraine and contributes to the Ukrainian Adult Education Association (UAEA). Since 2022, Smirnov’s focus has been on psychosocial resilience and strengthening adult education institutions during wartime. He is committed to supporting EAEA’s work on policy, social inclusion, and capacity-building, especially in crisis-affected regions.
Dearbháil Lawless is CEO of AONTAS, Ireland’s National Adult Learning Organisation. Advocating for equality in education, she represents the needs of the sector, both at national and European level. Lawless is the designated National Coordinator for the European Agenda for Adult Learning in Ireland. Her mission is to advocate for an equitable adult and community education system. Serving as Vice-President of EAEA already on the previous term, she has championed learner voice initiatives and supported EAEA’s governance and infrastructure.
The current EAEA Executive Board was elected in June 2025 at the General Assembly in Leipzig, Germany. Read more on the EAEA Executive Board.
Text: EAEA