AE-PRO, European Adult Education (Young) Professionals Learning Platform, was a three-year project coordinated by EAEA and supported by 8 partners from various countries.
This project built on Grundtvig in-service European training for (younger) adult education staff delivered by the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA) from 2011-2013. The training introduced staff to European developments in adult education; encouraged staff to learn about one another’s organisations; and facilitated networking and cooperation between both staff and their organisations. Following on from the success of the training, this project realised a growing need across Europe for adult education staff to learn more about European developments and adult education in other countries. This is because:
- Younger staff in adult education in junior positions tend to have fewer opportunities to participate in European events, projects, and activities and are therefore not as knowledgeable about European developments and innovations as their more senior counterparts.
- Many adult education staff do not have formal training in adult education.
- Grundtvig mobilities that provide opportunities for the professional development and training of staff in adult education are not fully utilised or coordinated.
What did we aim to achieve?
This project brought together a network of organisations from 9 countries. The network aimed to:
- Increase the knowledge of staff about adult education in Europe.
- Increase the exchange of innovation between adult education staff across Europe.
- Increase the quality of adult education staff and providers.
- Increase the professionalisation (and quality) of adult education staff within and beyond Europe.
- Support exchange between different generations of adult education staff (intergenerational learning), and the learning of experts as well as peers.
- Increase the coordinated use of Grundtvig mobilities.
How did we do it?
The network:
- Provided a comprehensive training course for adult education staff that brings together European developments; peer learning about each other’s systems and organisations; and European mobility.
- Provided online training on European developments in adult education and learning.
- Provided online training on national developments in adult education.
- Created an online peer learning platform.
- Established a network of trainers and experts.
- Built a sustainable mobility platform for adult education staff.
- Extended the EAEA younger staff network.
- Provided a portfolio for the acquired competences to complement national certification.
- Introduced a mobility charter for organisations hosting mobile (visiting) staff from other countries.
Who was this work for?
- Adult education staff (especially younger staff) across Europe.
- Adult education organisations and providers within and outside of Europe.
- Policy makers.
Project meetings
First Steering Committee meeting: Brussels (Belgium), 18-19 February 2014: The first meeting took place in Brussels, Belgium and lasted 2 days. The meeting launched the first phase of the project; outline the aims and objectives of the project; and provided presentations on: the workplan, the training development, the division of tasks, quality criteria, and the development of an online peer learning platform.
Second Steering Committee meeting: Leicester (UK), 5-6 November 2014: The second meeting took place in Leicester, UK and lasted 2 days as well. During the meeting, partners worked on the course design, could see the progress of the online platform, discuss the mobility charter and the communication and recruitment strategy.
Third Steering Committee meeting: Malmö (Sweden), 19-20 May 2015: A first evaluation of the beginning of the course as well as trainings for the upcoming sessions took place during this meeting.
Fourth Steering Committee meeting: Porto (Portugal), 26-27 November 2015: Evaluation of the 2015 course and discussions on the 2016 course and the project follow-up took place at this meeting.
Fifth Steering Committee meeting: Brussels (Belgium), 18 January 2016: During this partner meeting, partners designed in detail the 2016 course.
Sixth Steering Committee meeting: Brussels (Belgium), 13-14 October 2016: During this last meeting, some training participants were invited to give feedback on the training. The consortium evaluated the project and though about its future steps.