Research should not be totally detached from policy and practice. Good methods and theory need to be developed in connection to the realities of adult education on the ground. At the same time, research needs to be independent. It should not be a servant to policy makers. Most importantly, research needs to be of high quality and have meaning and value. It should provide answers based on the evidence collated, not providing the answers that fit with the politicians’ expectations or agenda. The range of diversity research produces would also be reduced if it continually followed the priorities of the policy makers. Creating an open and honest dialogue between policy makers, practitioners, and researchers is therefore crucial. More...

If you work in adult learning, you might be forgiven for thinking that the EU's strategy for education and training – known as Education and Training 2020 or ‘ET 2020’– is rather remote from the day-to-day job of educating adults. Launched in 2009, and following on from the preceding ET 2010, it consists of a set of objectives and priorities designed to guide the development of education and training. More...

The launch of the 2015 Commission Work Programme on 16 December has been heralded as marking a new approach towards a stronger focus for the EU on priorities and results. As the first work programme of the new Commission headed by Jean-Claude Juncker, it has been designed to send out a signal that far from “business as usual" we are to see a focus on the “big things" like “jobs and growth". More...

There is often an assumption that adult learning can be all things to all people, that it can play a role that encompasses skills development for employment, re-skilling to face changing economic contexts, and enhancing social inclusion. More...

The challenge of effectively engaging disadvantaged individuals and groups in adult learning receives considerable attention. This reflects policy priorities around enhancing social inclusion and widening access to learning. For example, promoting equity and inclusion through supporting those facing disadvantage to access learning is an important feature of the European Commission’s new Erasmus + programme. More...

There are a number of ‘carrots and sticks’ one could use as an incentive for adults to start a learning trajectory, but before discussing some of them, first we need to understand what barriers adults face. If you understand the barriers, you can take measures to remove them and then adults will ‘automatically’ walk into the first learning institute they come across. This can sometimes be the line of reasoning applied by policy makers. More...

EPALE has been created and is being run by a team of experts in web building and communications. Our team, the Central Support Service (CSS), knows how important the user experience is to the success of a site like EPALE.
You can find out more about the results of the survey in the infographic, and by reading the executive summary or the full results report. More...

Depuis le début de la crise économique, le chômage des jeunes fait partie des préoccupations majeures des responsables politiques européens, aux niveaux de l'UE et des États membres. La situation des jeunes sans emploi et ne suivant ni études ni formation (les NEET) est particulièrement préoccupante car ils pourraient devenir une « génération perdue », faire face au chômage de longue durée ainsi qu'à des désavantages sociaux. L'UE a mis en place plusieurs mesures de lutte contre les problèmes rencontrés par les NEET, notamment :

• la « garantie pour la jeunesse » qui vise à ce que chaque État membre fasse en sorte que tous les jeunes de moins de 25 ans, dans les 4 mois suivant la fin de leur scolarité ou la perte de leur emploi, trouvent un poste de qualité ou se voient proposer  de suivre une formation et d'acquérir les compétences nécessaires pour y postuler.
• l'initiative pour l'emploi des jeunes (IEJ) qui, avec un budget dédié de 6 milliards d'euros, complète le soutien financier accordé par l'UE aux régions où le taux de chômage des jeunes est le plus élevé.
• l'« appel à l'action contre le chômage des jeunes » lancé par la Commission, qui encourage les États membres à s'attaquer au problème en utilisant les fonds structurels européens et l'ensemble des mécanismes mis à leur disposition. Voir l'article...

By Dezi Waterhouse - EvoLLLution. Academic success coaching has found its way into university and community college settings over the past decade as a supplement to the regular advising structures that that were previously in place. The main purpose of this “expansion” is to enhance a support system for the needs of today’s postsecondary student. More...