Adult Education Mobility: Focus on quality and effects on employability

The European Grundtvig programme supports international mobility activities for in-service training for adult educators and the development of international training courses. These actions are set up in support of improved access to a rich and varied range of adult education training opportunities with a European scope. Creating synergies between policy and the Grundtvig programme has been an on-going challenge since Grundtvig was launched in 2000.

Conference on the "Professional Development and Mobility of Adult Education Staff

At the  European Commission’s 4th conference on the “Professional Development and Mobility of Adult Education Staff” in Florence on 6 – 8 June 2012, Donatella Amatucci, Director for EU Cooperation Programmes, Ministry for Education, University and Research in Italy stressed the need for both coherence and responsibility in European cooperation.

Mobility creates opportunities
Tapio Säävälä, Acting Head of Unit, European Commission, DG EAC raised the question of how Professional Development and Mobility of Staff can pave the way for improved quality and efficiency in adult learning. The following milestones were formulated:

• Supporting innovation and creativity;
• Bridging the generational gap;
• Developing ICT skills and making use of computers of learning with youth and children.

Radu Szekely, Expert Consultant, West of Scotland Colleges' Partnership, emphasised the benefits of Grundvig mobility as most people become more motivated to continue learning, have improved their intercultural awareness, and use new knowledge and skills in their work by being part of the GRUNDTVIG mobility programme. The survey can be downloaded here.

Nevertheless, satisfaction with Grundtvig Mobility is only one factor that has to be analysed.  Its long-term effect on employability is another important issue concerning the quality of Mobility in Adult Learning, according to Catherine Tsavdaridou, former official of the European Commission, DG EAC, responsible for staff mobility action.

GINCO (Grundtvig International Network of Course Organisers)
Professional development of all staff in adult education is seen to be a decisive factor in the quality of adult education. The Grundtvig funded international consortium GINCO is aiming to create a European wide network of adult education organisations actually running Grundtvig courses or willing to do so in the future. die Berater® and other Partners of the GINCO network took part in the “European Commission’s 4th conference on the Professional Development and Mobility of Adult Education Staff” to further foster the Europe-wide cooperation and the exchange of expertise.

GINCO can help course organisers and stakeholders:

• To improve the quality of Grundtvig European training provision and its accreditation systems;
• To share expertise with other (potential) Grundtvig course organisers;
• To strengthen the cooperation between the relevant stakeholders: adult education providers, LLP National Agencies, the European Commission and other;
• To contribute to their professionalisation concerning Grundtvig course provision and delivery
• To help expand the Grundtvig course offer in LLP countries;
• To support the dissemination and sustainability of the Grundtvig courses.

www.ginconet.eu

The need for a network - The geographical and cultural span, the variety in the sector and the size of the programme make it difficult to administer and match offer and demand. The courses could be improved e.g. in terms of their quality, the link with Lifelong Learning and national policies, the appropriate use of ICT and recognition and validation of learning outcomes. Thematic gaps in course provision could be filled. Grant allocation procedures and communication between all stakeholders is also an area with room for improvement.