Deutsche Institut für Erwachsenenbildung – Leibniz-Zentrum für Lebenslanges Lernen (DIE) - The German Institute for Adult Education - Leibniz Centre for Lifelong Learning

Who we are?

DIE is an extra-mural research and infrastructure institute partly financed by the Federal Government and the Federal States and member of the Leibniz Association. The institute is a registered non-profit association whose members represent the research as well as the practice of the adult education sector and enjoys full autonomy from government at local and federal level. A peer committee evaluates its performance every seven years; based on the outcome it advises government bodies on future funding. Since its foundation 1957 as PAS (“Pedagogical Department of the German Adult Education Association”), DIE has emerged as the key institution for research, politics and practice in the field of German adult and continuing education. As a Leibniz Institute, DIE pursues its mission according to the maxim “Science for the benefit of people”. For us at DIE this translates into a mission to enhance personal development, social participation and adult’s skills through adult education and lifelong learning.

https://www.die-bonn.de/docs/16_DIE_003_DIE_Broschuere_Web-Version_EN_170530-m.pdf

What we do?

To pursue its mandate, DIE carries out research, provides services and research infrastructure, and generally acts as a hub for the diffusion of research to practice and policy in the field of adult education. DIE research activities address all levels and aspects that are relevant for the teaching and learning of adults: adult learning, teaching and counselling, professionalization of adult educators, planning of programmes and management of adult education providers, financial, political, institutional and legal aspects of adult learning systems in Germany and beyond. Moreover, DIE enables research with data collections and archives, disseminates research findings into the public sphere with publications and portals and supports the professional activities of various stakeholders in the field of adult and continuing education (researchers, adult educators, associations, policy makers). DIE hosts a scientific special library for adult education that is accessible by the general public.

Our best practices

Project NEWs

Non-monetary returns to Continuing Education: participation in civil society

Project GRETA

Validation and recognition of professional competences of adult educators

Project Manage2Integrate

Developing an online module for managing staff of continuing education providers on the management of educational services for migrants in Germany

DIE promotes the professional development of adult educators and trainers through internet portals and web-based learning environments.

ProfilPASS team supports the systematic identification and documentation of skills and competences – irrespective of how and where these skills were acquired.

DIE is a major publication hub.