Language skills are central to refugee integration and the availability of language courses could thus be a limiting factor. We explore how the most important provider of language courses in Germany, adult education centers (VHS), adapted their course supply to the refugee wave of 2015/2016. Our results highlight two channels through which the…

This study explores gender-related inequality in participation in Adult Education and Training (AET) in four countries with vastly different adult learning systems and support measures for women's AET. Our examination of the data from an original international survey conducted in 2022 has found that the participation of men and women clearly…

The process of migration to a new country brings with it a host of challenges, and therefore also learning needs. Some countries have systems in place to facilitate the transition of migrants into society, often including adult education programs. Those programs, however, cannot be effective if blithely designed in ignorance of the…

The final documents adopted at CONFINTEA V in 1997 set out a variety of issues and challenges for the future development of adult education worldwide. The forthcoming CONFINTEA VI conference, due in 2009, will mark another milestone and provide an opportunity for the stocktaking of success stories and unresolved challenges, and for the development…

This report, based on a 6-month field study, discusses developments now under way in West Germany's Adult Education Centers. The article employs a comparative approach that takes account of trends in Europe and North America, putting these developments into a philosophical framework. (Editor/WL)

Asks whether increasing differentiation of social tasks can be considered functional in adult education or has led to a loss of integration. Approaches the question by looking at the development of educational institutions and at the needs and interests of adults pursuing further education. Shows differences based on social milieus. (DSK)

Robert von Erdberg advocated an intensive, individualized education for the working classes to wield them together with other groups in Germany after unification in 1871. This attempt to help the workers socially and economically revolutionized the concept of adult education. (DS)

Special issue devoted to foreign language instruction in adult education. (WB)

Special issue devoted to foreign language instruction in adult education. (WB)

The rapid and still-accelerating increase in the world's population, especially in developing nations, will have a number of serious economic, social, and ecological consequences for the whole world. Germany is attempting to help solve these problems by providing family planning and poverty alleviation assistance to developing nations. German…

This booklet addresses the growing importance of health in adult learning and the interest in joint action. Section 1 describes the context, one in which substantial, but unevenly spread, progress has been made in improving global health. Section 2 examines the social aspects of health and explains how what is defined as health or sickness depends…

Special issue devoted to foreign language instruction in adult education. (WB)

Special issue devoted to foreign language instruction in adult education. (WB)

This document is the second in a series of four volumes presented under the title of "Learning Opportunities for Adults." Included in this volume are eight special studies which were commissioned to investigate the needs related to the national development of adult education. These needs are summarized as follows: the introduction of new…