The European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA) is a European

NGO A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

whose purpose is to link and represent European organisations directly involved in adult learning. The main focus is to promote adult learning and access to and participation in non-formal adult education for all, particularly for groups currently under-represented. EAEA aims at influencing EU policies on non-formal adult education and

lifelong learning Lifelong learning is the "ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated" pursuit of learning for either personal or professional reasons. Lifelong learning is important for an individual's competitiveness and employability, but also enhances social in ...

and cooperates with the institutions of the European Union and with international organisations as the

Council of Europe The Council of Europe (CoE; , CdE) is an international organisation with the goal of upholding human rights, democracy and the Law in Europe, rule of law in Europe. Founded in 1949, it is Europe's oldest intergovernmental organisation, represe ...

, the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE) and

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

History

Previously known as the European Bureau for Adult Education, EAEA has its roots in the

Folk high school Folk high schools (also ''adult education center'') are institutions for adult education that generally do not grant academic degrees, though certain courses might exist leading to that goal. They are most commonly found in Nordic countries and i ...

s in Europe, and in particular in those of the Netherlands. In the first years after the Second World War, the Netherlands Folk high school movement saw it as its mission to strive for a Europe wide cooperation of Folk high schools. The "Centre Européen de la Culture" established in 1949 in Geneva developed, under the directorship of

Denis de Rougemont Denys Louis de Rougemont (September 8, 1906 – December 6, 1985), known as Denis de Rougemont (), was a Swiss writer and cultural theorist who wrote in French. One of the non-conformists of the 1930s, he addressed the perils of totalitaria ...

, the idea of having a number of "Foyers de Culture" throughout Europe in and through which European culture in its diversity and unity could be experienced and spread. Oscar Guermonprez, director of the Bergen Folk high school in the Netherlands, imagined in this context an office for documentation and information, with an advisory council representing the whole field of adult education. The European Bureau for Adult Education was founded in 1953 by representatives from a number of European countries. The Bureau was formally established in Bergen, hosted by the Agency for European Folk high school work. Oscar Guermonprez was the first President.

Main roles and activities

EAEA's main roles: * Policy advocacy for lifelong learning at a European level; * Development of practice through projects, publications and training; * Provision of information and services for members; * International co-operation. EAEA’s duties include: * acting as an advocate for adult learning and for NGOs working in the field of non-formal adult education and lifelong learning * supporting its members and their networks * cooperation with other organisations in pursuit of the aims of EAEA * representing adult education civil society in official working groups and conferences * providing up-to-date information on EU developments * giving advice and guidance on project management or dissemination plans * facilitating contacts with and between adult education stakeholders and other NGOs * encouraging co-operation in adult learning at European level * supporting the development of adult learning and raising the visibility of adult education and learning * promoting shared learning through the exchange of information, knowledge and experience among members * releasing publications, reports, handbooks as well as project information and results

Policy areas

EAEA advocates for non-formal adult learning. Amongst other topics, advocacy topics include: * Awareness Raising for Adult education (e.g. through the ARALE project) * Outreach to marginalised groups (e.g. through OED project) * Validation of non-formal and informal learning (e.g. through ROM-ACT project) * Adult education in EU programmes and EU policies (Erasmus+ programme, European Social Fund (ESF), European Agenda for Adult Learning) * Adult education and international issues (e.g. development)

Projects coordinated by EAEA

* ARALE * AVA * OED * RENEWAL

Members

EAEA, with 123 member organisations in 42 countries,Numbers date from 02.03.2015 represents more than 60 million learners Europe-wide. There are two types of members: Ordinary members: * Adult education as main occupation * Background: non-profit, non-governmental, a national organisation or provider * Benefits: information, services, invitations, right to vote and to propose candidates Associate members: * Adult education as main occupation * Background: non-profit (local, regional, international) * Benefits: information, services, invitations Countries represented: Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom

EAEA Grundtvig Award

The EAEA Grundtvig Award rewards every year projects in adult education that offer innovative or original ideas, partnerships and methodologies in adult learning. The EAEA Grundtvig Award was launched in 2003 by EAEA in order to celebrate excellence in adult education. Each year the Award has a different theme. The Award is named after Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig (1783–1872), a Danish educator mainly influential in the development of non-formal adult education in Europe and worldwide. He provided the adult education sector a foundational philosophy that underpins much of the work in lifelong learning and laid the ground work for the development of learning centres, in all kinds of contexts, from residential educational institutions to agricultural co-operatives.

Younger staff training

EAEA organises an annual training "European Adult Education and Lifelong Learning – Introduction for younger staff". The objectives are to learn about European developments in adult education and lifelong learning, to exchange information and knowledge about each other's organisations, to understand advocacy work at European level and adult education backgrounds, to learn about EAEA and other key civil society organisations.

Publications

'
Brochures and leaflets
''
Why is adult education important?
* Grundtvig Award brochures 2010-2014 EAE

within the field of adult education and lifelong learning.

EAE

'': A discontinued series publishing the results and final reports of EAEA projects.

References

* C. Stapel
The Prehistory of the Bureau
* W. Bax
From Bureau to Association, A Short History 1953–1998

DVV International

UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning

European Infonet Adult Education

External links

* {{official website, http://www.eaea.org/en Adult education organizations Educational organizations based in Europe International organizations based in Europe