Andragoško Društvo Slovenije (ADS) - Slovenian Adult Education Association (SAEA)

Who we are?

SAEA’s mission is to foster AE and andragogy in Slovenia, represent andragogy and AE in contemporary societal circumstances, ensure the equality of AE systemic regulation in the overall system of education in all fields of the systemic regulation (administration, legislation, financing, network of providers and programmes, and infrastructure), foster the role and status of AE staff in society and their representation in the name of the andragogic discipline, take care of modernising and updating the professional development of adult educators, and at the same time endeavour to constantly improve their workplace readiness in the field of AE, also with the exchange of good practice and information in the professional sphere, spread scientific knowledge and experiences in AE either at home or worldwide through conference papers or public releases, cooperate with professional and scientific organisations and societies, associations or other organisations.

What we do?

The Slovenian Adult Education Association (SAEA) was established in 1968 as one of the associations in the field of adult education (AE) in former Yugoslavia. Following the declaration of Slovenia’s independence in 1991, SAEA considerably influenced the establishment of the AE system, i.e. the setting up of the AE unit at the Ministry of education and sport, the earmarking of certain state budget funds for AE, the passing of the Act on AE, and the foundation of the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education (SIAE).

Presently, SAEA contributes to the development and promotion of adult education and lifelong learning through activities of its five committees (on systemic issues, professional debates and discourses, information and publication services, international affairs, and social events) and four sections (on equity in AE, adults with disabilities, quality in AE, and AE in voluntary organisations).

SAEA has been actively cooperating with the Association of the Slovenian Adult Education Centres (Folk Highschools), Slovenian Institute for Adult Education, Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana, Faculty of Organisational Sciences in Kranj, Slovenian Chamber of Commerce, Society for the Education of Adults in Upper Secondary Schools, Associations of Educational Institutions and other educational organisations in Slovenia. SAEA was instrumental in providing grounds for the establishment of the University for the Third age, which now consists of over 40 branches all over Slovenia.

Our best practices

• Srečanje spominov – predstavitev razvoja Andragoškega društva Slovenije v različnih obdobjih njegovega razvoja s pričevanji članov (Meeting of remembrances – presentation of various developmental periods of SAEA through its members’ testimonies)
• Vseživljenjsko učenje in oblikovanje javne politike – vpliv koncepta in strategije vseživljenjskosti učenja na strokovno izrazje v vzgoji in izobraževanju (Lifelong learning and the formulation of public policy – the influence of the concept and strategy on lifelong learning on professional terminology in education)
• Terminologija na področju specialne andragogike (Terminology in the field of special andragogy)
• Izobraževanje odraslih v lokalni skupnosti (Adult education in local communities – evaluation study)