Why work together on adult learning?

Nordic co-operation on adult education offers adults opportunities to acquire knowledge and learn new skills.

This includes vocational education that has a specific purpose and leads to examinations or certificates, e.g. at adult education centres (VUCs).

It also includes courses that have no specific purose but lead to examinations and certificates, e.g. residential stays at a “folk high schools” or courses run by grassroots adult education providers.

It also includes the new knowledge and insights gained as a result of e.g. visiting libraries and museums, volunteering in associations or being assigned new duties in the workplace.

The Nordic countries must work together to provide good development opportunities for all. The Region’s population is getting older and older, and this constitutes a challenge for the Nordic countries. The question is how to attract and retain manpower while at the same time guarantee welfare and care provision for an ageing population.

The Nordic Network for Adult Learning

In 2004, the Nordic education and research ministers decided to set up a Nordic focal point for all those who work with adult learning in the Region. It was given the name the Nordic Network for Adult Learning (NVL).

NVL organises courses and conferences for teachers, managers, researchers, educational consultants, government officials and politicians, providing them with the opportunity to meet and discuss topical issues, e.g. the role of electronic tools in the work of validating and recognising prior learning.

NVL consists of a series of networks in different areas of adult learning. For example, there is a quality network, a guidance network and a network that works with research into adult education. The networks enable researchers, consultants and managers to derive inspiration and carry out studies, analyses and surveys in their area of expertise.

An NVL co-ordinator in each Nordic country helps staff in institutions and companies to plan meetings, conferences and courses when the event needs a specific Nordic angle.

The NVL website tells you more about NVL and features a list of contacts in the various countries. It also presents new initiatives, projects and research in adult learning, and provides the opportunity to learn about courses and conferences and to keep up to date with Nordic, European and international issues related to adult learning.

NVL publishes an online newsletter NVL Nytt 11 times a year.

The web publication DialogWeb, which contains articles and interviews from the Nordic Region and the Adjacent Areas, appears eight times a year.

NVL also prints an annual compendium, Dialog, which features the year’s best articles.

The Advisory Group for Nordic Co-operation on Adult Education (SVL) is responsible for NVL.

Nordic Co-operation on Adult Education

The Advisory Group for Nordic Co-operation on Adult Education (SVL) uses studies, analyses and reports to improve our knowledge of how adults acquire knowledge and insight.

SVL has launched a study on effective strategies for lifelong learning. The purpose is to create an overview of the Nordic countries efforts to promote lifelong learning, amongst other things, through co-operation between the authorities and the labour market parties, and the interaction between educational institutions and businesses.

SVL has also decided to draw up a debate paper on how creative and innovative competencies can be promoted in adult educations, and an overview of the educational opportunities available for adult educators in the Nordic countries.

What does co-operation mean for you?

Nordic co-operation on education and adult learning offers citizens in the Region a number of opportunities.

Those enrolled on courses, employees of institutions involved in adult learning, association members, companies and volunteers in the Nordic countries have the opportunity to participate in the activities of the programme Nordplus Adult Education.

Nordplus Adult provides grants for visits, exchange programmes, network-building and other projects in the Nordic and Baltic countries.  Its purpose is to enable the various people and institutions involved in adult learning, education and training to work together, build networks and form partnerships, so that they inspire each other to enhance quality and adopt new ways of thinking in the field of adult learning.

For further information, or if you have an idea for a project or a network and need a partner, please refer to the Nordplus' website.