EfVET attended EAEA’s Annual Conference 2025, “Flexible Learning Pathways”, explored how diverse and adaptable learning opportunities can support adult learners in navigating rapid societal challenges. This year’s theme matches with EAEA’s 2025 Grundtvig Award, an award that highlights project results that produce new ideas, new partnerships, new methodologies and a new understanding of how we can work in adult learning.
EAEA has awarded adult education projects in its 22nd annual Grundtvig Awards. The winners of the award were selected in two categories local/regional/national initiatives and transnational initiatives. The EAEA Grundtvig Award was launched in 2003 in Larnaca (Cyprus) by EAEA in order to recognize and celebrate excellence in adult education. It highlights project results that produce new ideas, new partnerships, new methodologies, and a new understanding of how we can work in adult learning.
The Annual Conference was opened by Ms. Raffaela Kihrer, EAEA’s Secretary General, who highlighted that EAEA is exploring different dimensions of flexibility in Adult Education, exploring alternatives to learning across borders and sectors. “We wanted to look at learning systems that are permeable so that people can easily move from non-formal adult learning into vocational education and training and higher education”, declared Ms. Kihrer, who also explained that it can happen the other way around, because people need to be free to move from one area to another, especially for personal and professional fulfillment.
The event followed with insights from Ms. Elif Bahar, Labour Market Economist in the OECD, who shared the organization’s latest Adult Skills Survey, covering over 160.000 adults around the world. The survey was designed to measure adult proficiency in key skills like information processing, literacy, numeracy, and adaptive problem solving. The OECD, alongside EAEA, advocates for more flexible pathways, modular learning structures, the recognition of prior learning, the reduction of entry requirements, greater transparency and certification mechanisms for quality assurance of learning institutions. Additionally, Ms. Bahar announced that the OECD will launch a report on “Trends in Adult Learning” at the end of June.
Two rounds of discussions on flexible learning pathways were held. The first round focused on promoting inclusion through Erasmus+, strategic leadership, transitions, gender and policies for accessible and flexible learning pathways. Sylvia Liuti, Director of Internationalization of FORMA.Azione and Board Member of EfVET, facilitated the workshop “Flexible learning pathways and gender”, which explored the role of gender shapes and how it affects educational pathways and flexibility. The second round was focused on pathways to sustainability, digital inclusion, collaborative learning, and community building.
The event concluded with remarks from Mr. Lauri Tuomi, President of EAEA, who highlighted the participation of the attendees and their commitment to share ideas and research on flexible learning pathways, which he declared as essential to ensure all adult can participate fully in society.
