Continental project Europe

Three women stand in front of a blue banner with the words ‘vhs DVV International’ and together hold a large sign with the hashtag ‘#weareALE’. They are smiling and wearing name badges on blue ribbons. The setting has a modern, light-coloured brick wall and there is technical equipment in the background. — Participants of the “International Conference on the Role of Adult Learning and Education in the Development of Local Communities”, Chisinau, Moldova

DVV International’s Continental Exchange project aims to strengthen policy dialogue and advocacy efforts at regional and international levels to ensure broader recognition of adult learning and education (ALE) in policies across six countries in Eastern and South-Eastern Europe: Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine. Launched in 2022, the project seeks to enhance ALE policy frameworks through networking and structured exchange formats while fostering alignment between national ALE systems, EU best practices, and international trends.

Despite some progress in policy and funding, structural gaps in ALE persist across the project regions. Adult learning and education remains a low priority, often overshadowed by formal education and vocational training. Non-formal education lacks systematic support, and local governments are not sufficiently involved. Additionally, training for ALE trainers and managers is fragmented, and a cohesive ALE community is only beginning to take shape.

Main areas of work

Regional exchange: Facilitating the exchange of national, regional, and global experiences on “ALE as a responsibility of local authorities” to integrate ALE more prominently into municipal policies and local budgets.
Awareness raising and policy engagement: Strengthening professional discourse and influencing political decision-making at the national level through regular exchanges between governmental, civil society, and academic ALE stakeholders on key topics, EU policies, and global trends.
Capacity building and knowledge sharing: Supporting ALE experts, researchers, and representatives from think tanks and universities by fostering exchange and expertise in advocacy, data collection, and the broader benefits of ALE.
Empowering young professionals: Developing the skills of emerging professionals in ALE and raising awareness of key trends and successful practices in the field.

Partners

DVV International collaborates on the project with the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), the European Training Foundation (ETF), the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA), the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE), and German Adult Education Centres (Volkshochschulen). These partnerships reinforce regional and global ALE networks.