ESREA: European Society for Research on the Education of Adults

Thessaloniki, Greece

University of Macedonia

Call for Papers 

What does quality mean, and how can it be assessed in the context of educating the adult educator and trainer in Europe today?  This is the main theme of the inaugural network meeting.  Quality is considered as a prerequisite for sustainable development in our societies, because it upholds and conveys the ideals of a sustainable world, by taking into consideraton the social, economic and environmental context.  In the European context quality in adult and continuing education and training may be defined as locally relevant but also culturally appropriate.  It would be impossible however to discuss quality in adult and continuing education and training in Europe without considering the quality of the teaching and training staff involved, considering that the scope of adult and continuing education as it is prescribed in Europe today is to provide education to people to be better individuals, family members, community members, employees and citizens.  Quality in this respect should include outcomes - occasionally measurable - that encompass knowledge, skills and attitudes that are linked to the adult educator's profile, tasks, roles and practices.  Definitions of quality nonetheless must be open to change and evolution, based on information, changing contexts and new understandings of the nature of the challenges faced by the adult educator.  Research on the quality of the education and training provided for adult educators and trainers in Europe, as well as policy research and assessment of quality of professional practices in our field - ranging from national, multinational or comparative to action research at the field level - may contribute to this redefinition.

The conference will include a keynote from the PASCAL Co-Director, Professor Michael Osborne and workshop about the PURE project.

For more information about the conference please visit: www.esrea.org