EAEA had the honour of being inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education (IACE) Hall of Fame in November 2024 in Florence, Italy. The award was accepted by EAEA's President, Uwe Gartenschlaeger, and Secretary General, Gina Ebner.
The International Adult and Continuing Education (IACE) annual conference is one of the most influential organisations in the field of adult education, representing more than 800 organisations working on the promotion of the right to learn, literacy, youth and adult education, and lifelong learning.
The three days of the IACE conference in Florence were organised in different working groups dedicated to the multifaceted aspects of adult learning and education (ALE): from the mechanisms of networking, outreaching, and partnership to the challenges of diversity, integration, and recognition. The workshops were an opportunity to share practices, methodologies of cooperation, and engagement of stakeholders as well as new ideas on how to move further.
EAEA organised two working groups for the event. Structured by a roundtable discussion with experts on different topics related to ALE, they offered a space for confrontation on diverse practices to respond to similar and different needs, challenges, opportunities, and gaps for both the providers and the learners.
The first working group was held by Viola Pinzi, EAEA’s Head of Projects, on Micro-credential and Individual Learning Accounts with the presentations of Paolo Federighi from the University of Florence, Antra Carlsen from the Nordic Network for Adult Learning and Kent Gudmundsen from the Norwegian Competence Association. The group discussed some core aspects of how micro-credentials can be modelled and implemented at the national and organisational level, and how to develop quality assurance systems that are appropriate also for the non-formal sector. Three proposals for potential collaborations were also discussed and brought forward:
- a capacity-building program for ALE organisations on quality assurance to support micro-credentials,
- a revue issue dedicated to a specific topic in this area, and
- an exchange program about micro-credentials models and their application at the European, and potentially intercontinental, level.
The second working group was held by Gina Ebner, EAEA’s Secretary General, on Cooperation and Stakeholder Engagement for ALE with the presentations of Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik from the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education, Greta Pelucco from EAEA and Judith Alamprese from Abt Global. The group discussed what can be done to implement outreach and cooperation between different stakeholders on a multilevel approach as well as how to maintain the cooperation sustainable through stable partnerships and funding. Following this, experts shared some suggestions:
- increase the number of events and moments of confrontation between experts online and offline to exchange results, practices, and difficulties;
- increase the use of digital tools in outreach activities;
- creation of toolkits to use as dissemination tools.
‘’It’s a huge challenge, the cultural and educational one we are facing, but now more than ever, it’s also a necessary challenge if we want to reach a concrete change’’. – Don Ciotti
During the conference, the 28th induction ceremony to Adult Education Hall of Fame took place. Eighteen brilliant professionals active in America, Africa, and Europe in the field of adult and continuing education were awarded for the efforts and results they have obtained throughout their careers, dedication, and inspirational initiatives. EAEA had the honour of being inducted with the Organisation Award for its contribution and impact on adult and continuing education.
In Don Ciotti’s words, ‘’It’s a huge challenge, the cultural and educational one we are facing, but now more than ever, it’s also a necessary challenge if we want to reach a concrete change’’, we need to work on an educational and cultural level if we want to see a concrete change in the world. Don Ciotti is an acclaimed Italian priest whose effort to help young people to get out of the mafia’s settings by providing them an educational path was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
‘’EAEA is about the members across Europe, the advocates that we have, the people that are trying to make adult education a reality. It is not about our small office in Brussels, it is about our network of people that continue to exchange and to learn from each other and try and achieve something worth it in an ethical, positive, and democratic way.’’ – Gina Ebner
This prestigious international meeting created the perfect opportunity to reflect on what concrete actions could help ALE to move further and overcome the barriers that the field is facing on each continent. It provided a platform for professionals from various organisations, contexts, and realities to collaborate on new and joint initiatives and identify potential partners for transcontinental and transatlantic cooperations. And as many of the inductees claimed during their speeches, we as EAEA agree that it’s not an individual award, but it’s a community award.
‘’EAEA is about the members across Europe, the advocates that we have, the people that are trying to make adult education a reality. It is not about our small office in Brussels, it is about our network of people that continue to exchange and to learn from each other and try and achieve something worth it in an ethical, positive, and democratic way,” said EAEA Secretary General Gina Ebner in her speech accepting the award.
This article has first been published at EAEA's website at https://eaea.org/2024/11/14/eaeas-induction-at-the-iace-hall-of-fame/
The European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA) is the voice of non-formal adult education in Europe. EAEA is a European NGO with 120 member organisations in 43 countries and represents more than 60 million learners Europe-wide. DVV International's Director Uwe Gartenschlaeger is currently President of EAEA.
