Author: PM

Partner UP consortium held a transnational partner meeting and study visit in Dublin, Ireland on Thursday, September 28th, and Friday, September 29th 2023. The meeting was hosted by AONTAS, our Irish partner, at the Digital Hub.

On the first day, the primary goal of the meeting was to complete the national and European stakeholder analyses and begin work with the development groups in the upcoming months. The partners collaborated and designed the workload during the meeting while preparing guidelines for future endeavours, especially because of the ambitious work plan that follows in the next few months. A peer review of the country reports was conducted as a concrete result, providing a foundation for the next tasks.

In the afternoon, a visit took place to the Dublin 8 Community Education Centre (D8CEC), where we met up with two educators, who were previously learners themselves, to discuss their operations. The centre provides a second chance for adult learners. As explained in their website:

“D8CEC is a QQI quality-assured centre: our courses are nationally accredited and of a consistently high standard. They are available part-time and generally run from September to May. Our courses are provided in the community for the community and as far as possible by suitably qualified members of the community.  Indeed, many of our tutors have themselves completed courses at D8CEC in the past” (D8CEC).

The courses offered at the Dublin 8 Community Education Centre focus on digital skills, and mathematics with language and literacy. However, they do not impose any time limit on the learners’ learning process. Throughout the year, the centre can accommodate approximately 200 to 300 students with a course duration of approximately 16 weeks where the learners have the freedom to ask and co-create the agenda.

After the meeting with the educators at D8CEC, Conor Thompson, Policy officer at AONTAS, presented the Irish Education System. The presentation focused on the history and the current education reality in Ireland. It provided many topics of discussion between the partners, especially the heavy involvement of the Church and the lack of vocational education and skills in the early school years.

On the second day, the focus drifted from the development groups to general events in the next half a year. The partners discussed the dissemination activities that need to be implemented, the next study visits and peer learning activities taking place online (the first one being an online collaboration between EAEA and eucen on the 23rd of January) and the next transnational partner meeting, taking place in February 2024 in Cyprus.

If you feel the project is of interest to you, you are invited to learn more about it and get involved! You can stay updated by following our project page or feel free to contact us directly for further information. We are excited to have you join us on this journey!

The online study visit in Italy held on April 12th, 2023, facilitated a comprehensive understanding of challenges in implementing effective upskilling pathways for adult learners thanks to the contribution of the different stakeholders: INAPP – National Coordinator of the Agenda for Adult Learning; ERASMUS+ Italian National Agency for Adult Education; RIDAP (National Network of Public Centers for Adult Education); RUIAP (University Network for Lifelong Learning); ANPAL (Public National Agency for Active Labour Policies); EDAFORUM (Forum of ALE Associations/Networks); Repubblica Digitale (Governmental initiative to develop and strengthen digital competences).

Key hurdles include governance complexities, resource allocation, and stakeholder collaboration:

• Italy has made strides by establishing a National Plan for adult skills development, fostering coordination among governmental agencies, educational institutions, and regional authorities. Stakeholders are urged to concentrate investments and resources towards common goals, emphasising collaboration across sectors.
• Efficient utilisation of new financial support instruments is also crucial to address citizens’ needs and prevent dispersion.
• < UNK> Integrating recommendations from the VET Recommendation and the Osnabruck Declaration into Italy’s National Implementation Plan is prioritised to enhance the quality and relevance of adult education offerings.
• Enhancing the mastery of “Skills for life,” especially among adults with low qualifications, remains challenging due to the lack of awareness and accessibility of Vocational Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL) opportunities.

Cooperation among stakeholders, including government agencies, educational institutions, non-profit organisations, employers, and individuals, is pivotal. However, gaps in interregional cooperation and recognition of prior learning persist, necessitating enhanced communication, resource sharing, and policy alignment.

Italy’s commitment to collaborative efforts underscores its dedication to advancing adult education and upskilling pathways for societal benefit. Leveraging diverse stakeholders’ expertise and resources can pave the way for a more inclusive, adaptable, and resilient adult education ecosystem.

On February 1st and 2nd, 2023, the Agency for Vocational Education and Adult Education in Croatia organized a study visit for representatives of countries on the PartnerUp project in Zagreb. The Agency for Vocational and Adult Education (AVETAE) is among the project partners with representatives. The project aims to develop better cooperation between key stakeholders in adult education that would contribute to better promotion of training programs, the commonly named Upskilling Pathways, in Europe.

During the two-day study visit, the participants learned about the adult education system in Croatia.

The study visit began with a visit to Craft College Zagreb, where representatives of the college gave a presentation during which the participants could learn about the college’s work, the programs it implements, the projects it is involved in, the challenges and shortcomings it faces in its work, and the importance of vouchers in the adult education system.

On the second day of the study visit, a round table was held where some of the key representatives from adult education in Croatia took part. Among the stakeholders were representatives from:

• the Agency for Vocational and Adult Education
• Community for the Development of Human Resources and Adult Education (The Croatian Chamber of Commerce)
• Croatian Androgogy Society
• Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy
• Experts in the field of adult education

During the round table, the participants were able to learn about the characteristics of the adult education system in Croatia, the news that occurred with the adoption of the new Law on Adult Education, the new Quality Assurance System, and the importance of the role of vouchers in adult education.

Finally, the participants gave positive feedback about the study visit. They expressed their satisfaction with the information they received, which will be helpful for their further work and development.

The day before, the first partnership meeting of all the participants of the PartnerUp project was held, which also marked the beginning of project activities.