Project design in adult learning 2025
How can we design projects and activities that support our organisations’ challenges in a forward-looking and sustainable perspective? How can we ensure that the innovative methods that we pilot in projects are, on one hand, responding to the main priorities identified at the European and national levels, while also resulting in long-term improvements in our services and communities?
In this training, we will tackle the core processes that support designing successful, sustainable and impactful initiatives in the field of adult education, to tackle our long-term goals while also aligning with the main requirements of broader priorities and funding programmes. We will explore together effective techniques to analyse contextual needs, on the one hand, and existing funding schema, on the other, and to define project requirements to build a bridge into meaningful actions. We also work together, in small groups, to develop challenge-based demo proposals, from concept to work plan, based on existing funding schema, also looking at good practices on more technical aspects, such as budgeting, tasks design and dissemination.
The training will target staff developing EU project applications in the area of adult learning and education. While the main focus of the training will be on Erasmus+ KA2 project applications, the exercises used can also support participants in preparing applications for projects with other funding sources.
Practical information
- Dates: 27-30 January 2025
- Venue: Brussels, Belgium
- Registration period: 01.11.2024 – 15.12.2024 Please note that registrations will be evaluated on a rolling basis so we encourage you to register early.
Training fee:
- EAEA member organisations, adult learners and university students: 350 EUR
- NGOs: 400 EUR
- for-profit organisations and public institutions: 500 EUR
Programme
There will be two online sessions before the training takes space. The online sessions will be an hour long, and the time will be decided amongst the participants of the training.
show lessPlease note that the programme might undergo minor changes.
Monday, 27 January: Setting the scene
show moreMorning: arrival of participants
13:30 – 14:00: Welcome with coffee
14:00 – 15:30: Getting to know each other and EAEA, practical information about the training
Introduction of trainers and workshop structure, ice-breaking activity between participants, general information and logistics
15:30 – 17:00: What is adult education in our countries, and why do we need project funding to support it? Guided exchange of experiences between participants.
Description: Discussion about the key roles of adult education in the countries of the participants and their personal experience with the use of European project funding
show lessTuesday, 28 January: Understanding ALE policy and funding
show more09:00 – 09:30: Welcome with coffee
09:30 – 10:00: Check-in: getting started
Recap of the first day and introduction to the second day of the training
10:00 – 11:30: Policy matters! Adult learning policy landscape in Europe and beyond. Presentation and discussion
Introduction to the main trends and policies in the field of adult education in Europe, priorities of the European funding available to support the uptake of such policies.
11:30 – 12:00: Coffee break
12:00 – 13:00: Understanding policy-making for policy impact. Interactive practice
Workshop activity on policy analysis to identify priorities relevant to our work in adult learning and education
13:00 – 14:00: Lunch break
14:00 – 14:30: Project design pills: analysing funding schema. Presentation
Short, tips-like presentation on how to analyse funding programmes and their priorities
14:30 – 16:00: Understanding funding and priorities: the Erasmus+ Programme. Interactive practice
Workshop activity on analysis of funding programmes and priorities, to understand and identify the ones relevant for our work and for potential proposals.
16:00 – 17:00: Check-out: self-reflection practice
Day wrapping and self and group reflection activity on the practices and main take aways.
show lessWednesday 29 January: From priorities to project concept
show more09:00 – 09:30: Welcome with coffee
09:30 – 10:00: Check-in: getting started
Quick recap of the main take aways from the previous day, introduction to the third day of the training
10:00 – 11:30: My project idea. Ideation and role playing session
Participants work in small groups to co-create an idea for a project.
11:30 – 12:00: Coffee break
12:00 – 12:45: Pitch the idea! Simulation session.
Participants are engaged in a simulation to find partners for their project in a networking session.
12:45 – 13:00: Project design pills: finding partners.
Short and tips-like presentation on effective ways to network and find relevant partners
13:00 – 14:00: Lunch break
14:00 – 14:45: From idea to project: workplan and budget. Challenge-based activity
Group work to encourage participants to work on a more detailed project concept based on a specific challenge.
14:45 – 15:00: Project design pills: work planning and budgeting.
Short and tips-like presentation on well designed workplan and related budgets
15:00 – 16:00: From idea to project proposal: transversal aspects. Challenge-based activity
Group work to continue working on specific aspects of project design.
16:00 – 17:00: Check-out: self-reflection practice
Day wrapping and self and group reflection activity on the practices and main take aways.
19:00 – 21:00: Social dinner
show lessThursday 30 January: Risk analysis and evaluation
show more09:00 – 09:30: Welcome with coffee
09:30 – 09:45: Check-in: getting started
Quick recap of the previous day and introduction to the fourth day of the training
09:45 – 10:15: Self-evaluating your project – Part 1. Risk analysis
As the last session of proposal design, each group will run a quick analysis of their concept and prepare a list of main risks and potential corrective measures, based on template
10:15 – 10:30: Project design pills: evaluation criteria. Presentation
Short and tips-like presentation on how to use the evaluation criteria to prepare a sound proposal
10:30 – 11:30: Self-evaluating your project – Part 2. Matching the criteria. Simulation
Each group evaluates their own project based on the call criteria. A simplified self-evaluation template based on the official criteria will be provided.
11:30 – 12:00: Coffee break
12:00 – 13:00: Pitches and group discussion
Participants present their pitches in the plenary.
13:00 – 14:00: Lunch break
14:00 – 15:00: Making your project evaluation proof. Simulation
The expert evaluator gives live feedback to the draft proposals based on the self-evaluation sheet and the pitches.
15:00 – 15:30: Conclusions and group discussions
Recap of the workshops take-aways on evaluation between participants and moderators
15:30 – 16:00: Closing of the training: reflection practice
Final self-reflection practice about the workshop experience
show lessMeet your trainers
Raffaela Kihrer is Deputy Secretary General and Head of Policy at EAEA and has extensive experience in advocacy and policy on adult learning and education at the European and international level, with a particular focus on citizenship and development. Since June 2022, she is also an elected Vice-President of the Lifelong Learning Platform which brings together all sectors of education. Her background is in International Development Studies, and she is a trained teacher in secondary school education and adult learning.
Christin Cieslak is Head of Programmes and Stakeholder Engagement at EAEA. Gerontology and Adult Education/Lifelong learning graduate from Germany, with deep knowledge and working experience in transnational cooperation on a European level. She has worked for four national Agencies, assessed LLLP and E+ applications for over ten years, and was the EPALE CSS project manager.
Angeliki Giannakopoulou is an EAEA Project Coordinator. She holds an Integrated Master’s degree in Computer Engineering and Informatics from the University of Patras and has followed certified training and certification processes on Adult Education, Counseling and Gender studies. Before her work in the EAEA she was a project manager and adult educator at DAFNI KEK in Greece and her key areas of interest on ALE are digitalisation and media, safe public spaces (both physical and digital) gender, and intersectionality.
Frequently asked questions
What are the eligibility criteria to participate in the training?
show moreWe welcome adult education staff who work primarily on European projects. Maximum three staff members from one sending organisation can join the training.
There is also a limitation on the total number of participants who can take part in the face-to-face training: minimum eight and maximum twenty. EAEA reserves the right to cancel the training if the minimum number of participants is not reached. In case the interest exceeds our capacity, priority will be given to participants representing EAEA member organisations.
We encourage you to apply early as we will be evaluating the registrations on a rolling basis.
show lessI have just registered for the training – is my participation confirmed?
show moreYour participation in the training will be confirmed as soon as possible by email by one of the EAEA staff members.
show lessWill EAEA make recommendations for accommodation and logistics?
show moreEach participant will receive a practical information package which will include recommendations for affordable hotels, tips on getting around Brussels, and more.
show lessAre there any informal get-togethers planned for participants?
show moreEAEA will organise dinner for all participants, and possibly other activities – we will keep you posted!
show lessThe fee of 500 EUR, 400 EUR or 350 EUR (the amounts depend on the type of organisation you represent) covers your participation in the training in Brussels, course materials and coffee breaks.
show lessEAEA will invoice you for the participation in your training after your registration. Please note that all participants are asked to pay the fee before the training takes place; the deadline for payment will be indicated on the invoice.
show lessI still have questions! Whom do I contact?
show moreFor questions about the training, please contact EAEA Head of Capacity-Building Tina at tina.mavrich@eaea.org.
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