HERC Hosts ESRALE Partner Meeting

The fourth partner meeting of the ESRALE project was hosted by HERC at DCU on June 24th-26th.

Supported by the European Commission, ESRALE (European Study and Research in Adult Learning and Education) is comprised of partners from nine leading research centres across Europe, with the aim of coordinating systematic research into adult learning and education. ESRALE addresses the needs of practitioners, graduates and early career researchers by developing formal qualifications in adult learning at MA and PhD levels as well as models of flexible learning and validation of prior learning (VPL) in higher education. Further information about the project is available on the official website. 

In opening the meeting, HERC director Professor Maria Slowey welcomed the partners to DCU. She highlighted the innovative and interdisciplinary nature of the ESRALE project as it seeks to strengthen both the research base and the quality of post-graduate programmes for professionals involved with lifelong learning- including those working in higher education, health, community, training, urban and rural development. The outcomes of three days of intensive work were summarised at the end by the Project Co-ordinator Professor Ekkehard Nuissl von Rhein, University of Kaiserslautern. He provided an overview of the outcomes and the agenda for the coming months, with a particular focus on the Summer Academy being hosted in Belgrade in September. 


(from left to right)  Professor Ekkehard Nuissl von Rein, Technical University of Kaiserslautern (TUKL)  Dr. Ruud Duvekot, Foundation EC-VPL  Mr. Kees Schuur, Foundation EC-VPL  Professor Vanna Boffo, University of Florence (UNIFI)  Professor Regina Egetenmeyer, University of Würzburg (JMU)  Dr. Balazs Nemeth, University of Pécs (PTE)  Dr. Yurgos Politis, Dublin City University (DCU)  Professor Maria Slowey, Dublin City University (DCU)  Professor Simona Sava, West University of Timisoara (UVT)  Dr. Petr Novotny, University of Brno (MUNI)  Professor Maria Angeles Serrano, University of Barcelona (CREA-UB)  Mrs. Susanne Lattke, German Institute for Adult Education (DIE)  Mgr. Dalia Staniuleviciene, Vytautas Magnus University (VMU)  Mgr. Ondrej Barta, University of Brno (MUNI)

 European Perspectives

A core aim of ESRALE is to foster and coordinate the European dimension in the research and practice of adult learning and education. As this entails bringing together the diverse perspectives of the European regions, it is fruitful to consider the challenges and opportunities identified by different colleagues. Dr Eileen Culloty, HERC research affiliate, discussed this topic with three of the ESRALE partners: Dr Vanna Boffo, University Firenze, Ruud Duvekot, European Centre for Validation of Prior Learning and Professor Dr Regina Egetenmeyer, University of Würzburg.

“Education research is about acting for the future”
Prof. Dr. Vanna Boffo

 
Prof. Dr. Vanna Boffo (right) & Dr Eileen Culloty

Prof. Dr. Vanna Boffo,, works at the Department of Education and Psychology, University of Florence. She is Professor Agrégée of General Pedagogy and Educational Research Methodology, coordinator of the European Master in Adult Education and delegate of orientation and work placement for the Department of Education and Psychology.

 Within theESRALE project, Professor Boffo is working on the development of a European doctorate in adult learning and education. This programme is tasked with defining appropriate theoretical models and research training methodologies to meet the changing contexts and needs of professional career development. For Professor Boffo, the employability of graduates is a major concern. In reference to Italy, she identifies the key source of this problem in the lack of alignment between programmes of study and the needs of the labour market. In a workplace and culture increasingly embedded in computer technologies, the “content of education programmes is too old for a speedy market place”. To develop higher education towards adult learning qualifications and graduate employability, Professor Boffo believes researchers need to take an active role because “education research is about acting for the future...not just speaking or thinking about education but doing it”. She describes her dual position as an administrator and a teacher as an opportunity to foster change from above and below through the political and the pedagogic. In terms of co-ordinating the European research agenda, Professor Boffo notes there are many different visions and traditions of education across the regions. In particular, she believes, there is a pronounced difference between those countries which are economically struggling and those which are economically secure. She suggests that the poorer austerity nations are incentivised to change by necessity while wealthier countries are able to remain more committed to their traditional methods.


 “We need to move from a knowledge society to a learning society”
Dr Ruud Duvekot  

Dr Ruud Duvekot (left) & Dr Eileen Culloty

Dr Ruud Duvekot is co-founder of the Dutch-based European Centre for Validation of Prior Learning (EC-VPL) which examines VPL procedures, instruments, financing, and legislation. A former associate professor in personalised lifelong learning, Dr Duvekot publishes regularly on the learning society, VPL, lifelong learning and the innovation of learning systems. One of the beneficial values of European research projects likeESRALE, he notes, is that non-academic institutions like EC-VPL can participate in the dialogue. He believes that it is through such opportunities for dialogic - between researchers, institutions and the public - that existing educational values can be transformed into learning values. Advocating a lifelong learning perspective, Mr Duvekot notes that “education is only a small part of learning”. Universities, however, focus on education and, as a result of what Paulo Friere calls the education 'banking model', the roles of teaching and learning are sidelined. Mr Duvekot argues that “we need to move from a knowledge society to a learning society” by challenging existing cultural and institutional values and practices. He envisions a learning society that is less interested in fostering people with specific knowledge as it is in fostering people with an interest in and capacity for lifelong learning. Learning values, he argues, encourages people to be resilient and to take responsibility for their evolving skills and needs in the workplace. The learning society, however, requires that universities are open to change and responsive to the needs of people. In particular, it requires the provision of flexible blended learning that suits individual needs rather than institutions. He cites a Dutch policy example whereby people with higher education degrees were able to quickly convert their area of expertise into a teaching qualification. While welcoming this move towards VPL, Mr Duvekot notes that the implementation of VPL was not personalised for individual learning needs. Ultimately, he is optimistic about the direction of higher-education noting that the increased emphasis on supporting career paths for university staff is a positive development.

“We need to develop new traditions”
Prof. Dr. Regina Egetenmeyer  

Prof. Dr. Regina Egetenmeyer (left) & Dr Eileen Culloty

Prof. Dr. Regina Egetenmeyer holds the Professorship for Adult and Continuing Education at the University of Würzburg and is Visiting Professor at the International Institute of Adult & Lifelong Education, New Delhi. Her research focuses on comparative research in adult and lifelong learning, professionalization in adult education, and mobility for learning purposes. As part of the ESRALE project, the University of Würzburg organises the winter school on comparative studies in adult and lifelong learning and runs exchange and visiting lecturer programmes. In terms of fostering adult education and learning in Germany, Prof. Egetenmeyer notes that there are significant cultural barriers to overcome. As there is little tradition of VPL in Germany, the focus tends to be on adult education in the workplace and people are reluctant to leave jobs to re-enter education. For the future, she notes “we need to develop new traditions”. In addition, Prof. Egetenmeyer would like to see greater alignment between academic training and practice of adult education. Currently, she notes, in Germany many people are studying adult education without sufficient practical experience, which, she views as a flaw in conception and design.