e-n«vičke
Spring 2011
Dear readers, please find attached the first issue of this year's English edition of the online bulletin edited by the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education (SIAE). The content briefly presented here is a result of our creative energy and momentum. We wish you pleasant reading, Nevenka Kocijančič, executive editor, and Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc, editor-in-chief
SIAE Projects and Events.....................................................................................................................2-10
Summaries of analysis of participants' satisfaction with training in 2010 .......................................................2
Education on offer for adults 2010/2011 ..........................................................................................................3
Nearing completion of the project Education and training for professional staff in adult education.............4
Considerations in the education of vulnerable adult groups in Slovenia..........................................................5
LLW 2011 exceeds previous LLW indicators of success ................................................................................6
Video portraits of SIAE Award recipients for the promotion of learning and knowledge for 2010 ................7
Celebration of learning - exhibition to mark the 15 th Lifelong Learning Week ..............................................8
Jubilee Adult Education Colloquium................................................................................................................9
International Cooperation ..................................................................................................................10-19
Study visit to Ireland.......................................................................................................................................10
First international meeting of partners in the project EuroPeerGuid...............................................................11
SIAE visited by colleagues from SE Europe ..................................................................................................12
Second SLS project meeting held in Dublin...................................................................................................12
Japanese researcher Naoko Suzuki in Slovenia..............................................................................................13
Concluding conference on the Action Plan on Adult Learning......................................................................13
Study visit by a delegation from the Ludwig Windthorst Foundation............................................................14
Visit by Japanese experts................................................................................................................................15
International conference Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training...................................16
Visit by Russian delegation to SIAE ..............................................................................................................16
Study visit by delegation from Austrian Carinthia .........................................................................................17
Third SLS project meeting conducted in Slovenia.........................................................................................17
Regional consultation on fulfilment of the Belem Framework for Action in South Eastern Europe .............18
Relevant Publications ................................................................................................................19-21
Formal adult education in Slovenia................................................................................................................19
New Statistical Office publication in English ................................................................................................20
Publication Guidance Activity of the SIAE....................................................................................................20
Code of intercultural dialogue for adult educators .........................................................................................21
Slovenian Adult Education Scene.............................................................................................22-25
Civil society as Sleeping Beauty ....................................................................................................................22
and many other news..................................................................................................................22-25
Andragoški center Republike Slovenije Slovenian Institute for Adult Education
SIAE PROJECTS AND EVENTS
Summaries of analysis of participants' satisfaction with training in 2010
Analysing the satisfaction of participants with the implementation of training programmes is of key importance for any organisation, providing education. In this way we can gain opinions on how satisfied participants were with the educational opportunities, with specific contents of the programme, with the work of lecturers, the course material and also on whether they have been sufficiently informed by the provider organisation.
At the SIAE every year we perform an analysis of participants' satisfaction with training. We present the summaries of this year's analysis below.
As part of the task Training for adult educational work - Providing adult education and training programmes, in 2010 we provided 12 different adult education and training programmes. Owing to their topical content, some programmes were provided several times, while some pilot versions of newly prepared modules were not implemented - participants who were interested in those programmes told us that the course dates were unsuitable, they were too busy or they were already involved in other courses provided by us and running concurrently.
Our training courses were attended by roughly the same number of professionals as in the previous year, but slightly fewer filled in the evaluation questionnaires.
In 2010 the number of participants performing the role of education organiser in an organisation fell by as much as half compared to the previous year. This meant that the predominant role, at just over 40 percent, was that of teacher. The main reason for this probably lies in the fact that we provided the majority of the courses for groups of teachers from secondary schools and university faculties, which contributed to the increased share.
In terms of attendance, participants were predominantly fully employed female university graduates, aged between 31 and 50, with more than 10 years of working experience in adult education.
General satisfaction of participants with the content and implementation in adult education and training programmes was very highly rated (almost 99 percent). The proportion of theoretical and practical work was also appropriate, while participants rated the learning methods as interesting, effective and useful. Learning material was accessible to the majority of participants in electronic form in the learning corner of the SIAE website of educational course activity. This method of providing material was well received among participants and very highly rated (average mark of 4.48 on a five-point scale). Participants were satisfied with the work of the lecturers, giving them an average mark of 4.9. In the organisation training participants rated most highly the accommodation of their wishes and needs (average mark of 4.83). This was probably boosted by the fact that we provided the majority of workshops for closed groups, where we adapted the content to their wishes and needs.
Most frequently we cooperated with companies, including private guidance and educational companies, while the fewest participants were from chambers of commerce, regional development agencies, regional labour funds, unions and municipalities.
We provided nine Friday's meetings, short educational events, which were attended by 120 people, for the most part SIAE colleagues, while there were also some external attendees. Our invitation was also taken up by a lecturer from the USA.
Neda Đorđević ( neda.dorde v i c@acs.si), SIAE
Education on offer for adults 2010/2011
Each year the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education monitors and keeps a record of those providing adult education and the courses they offer. The assembled information is published regularly as a Review of adult education on offer, on its own website Pregled ponudbe izobraževanja odraslih (in Slovenian language). The web Review is one of the rare sources of information on the national level that sets out for the individual year the educational courses offered in both formal and non-formal adult education.
The information on adult education courses for 2010/2011 collected together in the web Review has also been analysed this year and presented in the annual report. The analysis covers 282 providers of adult education and 4,615 courses. Since participation in the Review is voluntary for course providers, the information in the report can be used only as an estimate of what is on offer for adult education in Slovenia. Nevertheless we believe that the Review covers the major portion of adult education providers that are actively involved in this field, with the exception of driving schools, whose courses are not presented in the Review.
The results of the analysis have shown that there is enormous scope for adult education in Slovenia, but the distribution of courses on offer is very imbalanced around the country. The provision of courses is dominated by private organisations and private schools, which offer the richest variety of courses for adults. A large portion of the adult courses is also provided by secondary schools with adult departments and by adult education centres (folk high schools).
The majority of the courses on offer for adults comprise non-formal education programmes, especially courses without any veryfication. These involve primarily short courses intended to train people for general needs, for performing vocational work or for active leisure pursuits. In addition to private schools, adult education centres and secondary schools with adult education departments, such courses are also provided by non-governmental organisations such as societies, federations of societies, non-profit institutions and general libraries, museums, galleries and other institutions. A much smaller portion of the courses on offer is aimed at adult education for the purpose of obtaining formal qualifications. The majority of the courses on offer comprise courses of secondary technical and professional and general education, as well as secondary vocational education.
The adult education course subjects predominantly involve learning foreign languages, cheifly English, German and Italian, basic communication skills, personal development, business and administrative skills and computer courses. The courses are aimed at various target groups - those undergoing training in order to
A C S • S I A E
KAM PO ZNANJE
http://pregled.acs.si
perform vocational work, as well as those seeking to enhance their knowledge in various fields or get involved in active leisure pursuits. A large proportion of the courses on offer is aimed at older and retired persons, entrepreneurs and unemployed persons.
Erika Brenk (erika.brenk@acs.si), SIAE
Nearing completion of the project Education and training for professional staff in adult education from 2009 to 2011
This year marks the third year since the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education implemented the project Education and training for professional staff in adult education from 2009 to 2011, which is supported financially by the European Social Fund and the Ministry of Education and Sport of Slovenia.
As is clear from the project's title, the fundamental objective is to provide quality training for adult educators
working in various fields:
•	we provided further training for those managing or performing mentor work in centres for self-directed learning in adult education organisations;
•	we devoted a sizeable portion of the project to training teachers for developing literacy in various target groups of the adult population, since the (excessively) low level of literacy is one of the problems encountered in Slovenia;
•	the third set of training courses is aimed at mentors working in a special programme entitled Project Learning for Young Adults. It is designed to remedy the consequences of dropping out and the social exclusion of that population group;
•	the next set of training courses covers staff providing guidance in adult education and working in the network of guidance centres across Slovenia;
•	we focus a significant part of our activities on those working in adult education so they can get training for properly planned, comprehensive and effective work in developing the quality of adult education;
•	equally, we targeted quite a few programmes at general adult education training.
Thus far around 600 adult educators have been included in training courses. In addition to providing programmes, an important part of the project comprises developing new programmes of adult education training and enhancement, developing new learning materials, and ICT support for education; a noteworthy part of the programmes was developed for e-learning, and these were also implemented. This year we have been gradually concluding activities, since many of the planned results have already been attained. We are currently providing literacy programmes for teachers working with older people, we are training counsellors for quality in adult education (quality managers), we are carrying out programmes of further
training for adult education guidance providers and we also provide a web programme on e-learning and a programme for teacher career development.
At the end of October 2011 we will have concluded the majority of activities and presented them at the closing conference.
Sonja Klemenčič (sonja.klemencic@acs.si), SIAE
Considerations in the education of vulnerable adult groups in Slovenia
The Slovenian Institute for Adult Education is currently pursuing a ESF project Developing literacy and determining and recognising non-formal learning from 2009 to 2011, which covers several activities: evaluation and overhauling of publicly valid programmes for vulnerable adult groups, developing a new programme for young dropouts and preparing expert foundations for developing new multimedia materials for adults.
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In the first year of the project we completed the evaluation of publicly valid programmes for developing adult literacy, a programme for young dropouts and computer literacy for adults. We also assessed the qualifications and quality of the work of professional staff teaching adults in these programmes. In this phase of the project we used quantitative and qualitative research methods to obtain high-quality data on the effects of programmes, on teachers, programme implementation and participants. The results and findings of the evaluation are encouraging and positive, since the programmes achieve their envisaged goals and effects among adults from the most vulnerable groups, something confirmed by the majority of those providing information to us. The programmes therefore contribute importantly to the development of literacy, basic capacities and competence, and encourage participants towards further learning and activities in the labour market.
In terms of the suitability, accessibility, quality and effectiveness of programmes, we assessed a significant portion of the available non-formal educational courses for developing literacy and key competences among adults, which should encourage the continued or renewed involvement of adults in education, in the labour market or in society. We have found that the changed social circumstances have affected implementation, so certain adjustments to programmes will be needed. We have seen confirmation, however, that in certain specific features, there have been marked changes in the target groups at which the programmes are aimed. This is expected, since they were designed ten years ago, and some even earlier. With regard to the basic training programmes for teachers, despite criticism it has been shown that the teachers and mentors have been well trained to carry out the programmes. Nevertheless the training programmes will have to undergo a slightly more comprehensive overhaul, since our data show that in addition to current and topical content, a new emphasis will be needed regarding the key competences of experts working in these programmes. Unfortunately in the renewal process we will not be able to rely on fresh data regarding the development level of key competences among vulnerable people, since Slovenia has not joined in the envisaged international research in this field. Renewal will therefore rely on both the results of the evaluation and on
current European guidelines, and it will build primarily on the ten-year experiences of implementing programmes.
perform a consensual validation of the results obtained and will talk about the appropriateness of proposals for overhauling programmes and possible alternatives.
We devoted considerable attention in the project to the preparation of an expert basis and scenarios for a series of new multimedia materials, which will serve to raise the general educational level of educationally deprived adults. These didactic materials will be the first such materials for adults to place special emphasis on the role of key competences. Through the new programme for young people who drop out of education, we will enhance the educational possibilities on offer to this group of adults. As part of the project we will also run a pilot programme to test it.
We are planning to use the collected comprehensive empirical and theoretical material to prepare a monograph publication that could serve as an expert resource for new plans in the area of raising the literacy level. We will present the results of the entire project to a wider professional audience at the closing conference on 7 December 2011 in the Hotel Union in Ljubljana. The presented results of the evaluation and overhaul of programmes will include an expert monograph on the topic of vulnerable groups, based on analysis of theoretical sources, empirical data and practical experiences.
As the project concludes, work on this area will not end. On the initiative of the Ministry of Education and Sports, the project will continue in the period 2012-2014. As part of this project the SIAE will train up a network of teachers and mentors in accordance with the overhauled programmes. Through training courses to be run continuously in a period of two years in 2012 and 2013 according to the action research method, we wish to establish a new model of continuous professional enhancement of teachers and mentors in the public network and to introduce new features that will raise the public network of publicly valid programme providers in Slovenia to a higher level of quality. Furthermore we have an opportunity for the production and distribution of multimedia materials in line with the set concept.
Dr Petra Javrh (petra.javrh@acs.si) and Manuel Kuran (manuel.kuran@acs.si), SIAE LLW 2011 exceeds previous LLW indicators of success
The 16th Slovenian Lifelong Learning Week (official dates: 16 to 22 May, extended dates from 1 May to 30 June) involved the joint efforts of around 1,100 event organisers. Throughout the country they provided around 6,400 educational, presentational, informational, guiding, cultural, social and many other types of events; a full 62% of them were carried out in the extended festival period. The overriding theme of LLW 2011 was tied to the European Year of Volunteering, aimed at raising awareness and providing information on the importance of volunteering as one of the key dimensions of active citizenship and democracy. The other linking theme of LLW 2011 events was related to the International Year of Forests, while further
We presented the results of the evaluation and expert guidelines for overhaul of the programmes in three evaluation studies. We acquainted the Expert Council for Adult Education with the results of the evaluation and expert guidelines for the overhaul of programmes in April 2011, and with certain amendments the council adopted them. We will assess the guidelines for programme overhaul in cooperation with teachers and mentors in these programmes in focus groups. In this way we will
themes were defined in agreement with the network of LLW 2011 coordinators and event organisers: Reading for Life, Tradition of the Local Environment, Coexistence of Generations, Media in Support of Learning and Let's Protect the Environment.
An especially noteworthy feature was the national opening of LLW, which we carried out for the sixth year running on the local level, this time in cooperation with UPI - Žalec Adult Education Centre, the Municipality of Žalec and its local Institute for Culture, Sports and Tourism. This year we were again inspired by the recipients of SIAE Awards for the promotion of learning and knowledge for 2010 and by their video portraits. They also had outstanding backing in the form of the musical programme and its original and dynamic performance. A special mark on the event was left by the presence of representatives from six countries, which we write about below.
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This year's number of LLW 2011 event organisers and events are record indicators that exceeded the previous year's achievements, in the former by around 30% and in the latter by around 17%. For comparison we can call up the two indicators for 1996, when the festival started: at that time around 74 event organisers participated with around 500 events.
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Among the reasons for the success of the festival of learning, we should mention the network of partners, among whom the regional and thematic LLW coordinators have earned distinction. In their own circles they have worked to ensure the cooperation of educational and numerous other institutions and interest groups, such that the range of festival events is indeed diverse. Another key element is the stable political cofinancing of LLW, which is provided via the Annual Programme of Adult Education by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Sports. The record indicators of success for LLW are indeed inspiring, and raise the question where, if at all, is the limit, and also bind us to continue the developmental orientation of the festival of learning. An extremely important factor here is the dedication of individuals who each contribute as much as they can in the role of organiser, provider, participant or promoter of LLW events to the expansion of the festival. The synergy of all participants is therefore decisive for success, so we will also strengthen this in the future.
The LLW is in fact a project pursued throughout the year, with the first half of the year devoted to preparation and holding of the festival, and the second half to its evaluation and formulation of the next LLW. The end of the year will see the conclusion of this year's selection process for SIAE 2011 Award recipients, whose stories we will learn in May 2012.
Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), SIAE
Video portraits of SIAE Award recipients for the promotion of learning and knowledge for 2011
At the opening ceremony of Lifelong Learning Week we now traditionally present awards from the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education to individuals, groups, institutions, companies and local communities for especially noble fruits of learning. Award recipients from previous years have this year been joined by ten new examples of good lifelong learning practice:
•	Ciril Horjak from Ljubljana, a comic-book artist and illustrator who consciously combines artistic comics with education;
•	Janez Košir from Begunje pri Cerknici, who took the personal trauma of unemployment as a launchpad for life where he gives and takes with a 'big spoon';
•	Ana Kruder from Slovenska Bistrica, who in her late sixties remains active as a teacher, participant or volunteer involved in various forms of education and training;
•	Štefka Kustec from Črenšovci, top of her class at the Secondary school concentrating on the preschool education in Ljutomer, who on the loss of her job at the textile company Mura decided to fulfil her childhood wish and continue her education;
•	Alojz Lipnik, mayor of the Municipality of Solčava, forestry engineer, who uses his training as a study circle mentor and the other informal knowledge with which he continually builds on his formal education to bring together people in the municipality;
•	David Pavlič from Novo mesto, who through the assistance of the Project Learning for Young Adults programme (PLYA) has overcome a personal crisis and steered himself onto a new path;
•	Jože Perme, retired clerk from Grosuplje with his life's learning path;
•	The Project Learning for Young Adults programme, Radovljica Adult Education Centre, which is not just strengthening the individuals involved, who have found themselves on the margins of society owing to personal and family difficulties, but is also changing the attitude of the surrounding area to those involved in the programme;
•	The Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia, whose excellent courses are contributing to the education of adults in the field of crafts and entrepreneurship, and
•	AHA EMI aluminium processing d.o.o., a learning company, where they are convinced that the knowledge and skills of the employees create added value.
Award recipients are ambassadors of the learning culture. The stories of their success achieved through learning can - after the first showing at Žalec on 12 May 2011 - be viewed on the website http ://llw.acs.si/awards/.
Slavica Borka Kucler (borka.kucler@acs.si), SIAE
Celebration of learning - exhibition to mark the 15th Lifelong Learning Week
The exhibition we organised to mark the 15th anniversary of Lifelong Learning Week (LLW 2010) was hosted throughout Slovenia in the past year, with the help of LLW coordinators and providers.
The aim of the exhibition is to present the general, professional and policy-making public with details of the success of the LLW project which, over the last 15 years, has become the most visible promotional event in the area of education and learning in Slovenia. LLW has become established as an event for the entire country and one that brings together different types of education and learning provider and participants of all generations - from nursery- and school-age children to students, the working population and those in the 'third age of life'.
In addition to the main title panel, the exhibition features eight panels presenting: basic information on the LLW project, indicators of success, broken down by year, the network of LLW organisers promoting learning and education across the whole of the country, SIAE awards for the promotion of learning and knowledge, adult education conferences that make an important construction to the adult education profession, learning festivals around the world and LLW's international links, LLW promotional and information material, and the cultural dimensions of lifelong learning.
The travelling exhibition 15 Years of Lifelong Learning Week has also been hosted at various locations in Slovenia in 2011. At the beginning of the year the LLW exhibition could be viewed by visitors to the Slovenian School Museum in Ljubljana. In the month of May, during the festival of learning, the exhibition was on view in the Main Atrium of City Hall in Ljubljana (in photograph), in the town of Žalec, where there was a special celebration event on the opening of LLW 2011 and the presentation of SIAE awards for the promotion of learning and knowledge, at the Murska Sobota Adult Education Centre and in the premises of the Slovenian Chamber of
Commerce in Ljubljana, which hosted the 15
Recession and Adult Education.
Adult Education Colloquium on the topic Economy in
Erika Brenk (erika.brenk@acs.si), SIAE
Jubilee Adult Education Colloquium
On 26 May 2011 we successfully concluded the 15th Adult Education Colloquium entitled Economy in Recession and Adult Education. The event was conducted in cooperation with the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce, in the Chamber's premises, since adult education and the economy are areas that are strongly linked and complementary. This year's colloquium was attended by more than 70 participants.
The participants were welcomed by the director of the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education, Andrej Sotošek, MSc, and the president of the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce, Samo Hribar Milič, MSc (in photograph). In the fascinating plenary part, talks were given on the issue of education in a period of economically less favourable conditions by Dr Bogomir Kovač (Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana), with a paper on The economic aspects of the economic crisis in Slovenia and the role of intellectual capital; by Dr Alenka Kajzer (Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development of the Republic of Slovenia), who presented The effect of the economic crisis on the labour market and the importance of education and training; and by Dr Ana Krajnc (Slovenian Third Age University), who shed light on the issue of The economic crisis, knowledge and education. This was followed by papers from Jasmina Mirčeva, MSc (SIAE), on Employee education during an economic crisis: right, privilege or essential and from Matjaž Hanžek on What after the crisis: work or imagination?
In the working groups Economic crisis and employee education and training in the private sector and Economic crisis and education and training in the public sector, examples of good practices were highlighted, as well as certain aspects of adult education in specific segments of the economy and society. In
the first working group Damjana Košir (Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs) gave a presentation on Implementing the 'Training and Education' measure as part of the active employment policy in 2010, and this was followed by two examples of good practices, one from Iskra Avtoelektrika, presented by Marjeta Stepančič Slavec, and one from Revoz, presented by Barbara Krajnc. In the second working group, the issue of education and training was discussed by Tanja Celebič, MA (Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development of the Republic of Slovenia), who provided an analysis of The educational structure of the working population, by Maja Radinovič Hajdič, MA (Jesenice Adult Education Centre), who explained the example of The acquisition of basic skills by less educated employees in a period of crisis and by Vinko Logaj, MA (Ministry of Education and Sports), who spoke about Education and social partnership.
It was determined that the period of economic crisis has been an ongoing, turbulent, less anticipated and less friendly period of development. It has been marked by a financial crisis, deterioration of conditions in the labour market and increased poverty; this is a period that profoundly affects human morals and social values, while it is also a time when the components of a more humane and inclusive society may be formed. It is of course no coincidence that right in this period we have seen the creation of a range of international and national documents, materials and also alternatives offering specific orientations and visions of development. One of the fundamental messages of these documents is that the crisis should not increase injustice and inequality.
The proceedings of the colloquium will be published in a publication expected to come out in July 2011. Jasmina Mirčeva, MSc (jasmina.mirceva@acs.si), SIAE
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Study visit to Ireland
From 8 to 12 November 2010 I took part in a study visit on the topic of Improving access to professional education and training for vulnerable groups. The visit was hosted by the Dublin-based National Agency in Ireland for the management of lifelong learning programmes, Léargas. The meeting was attended by 13 participants from Belgium, Italy, Germany, Poland, Romania, the UK, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.
Discussion focused on how to ensure equality and effectiveness in designing programmes and providing knowledge and skills in the field of vocational and general education and training, especially from the aspect of the needs of educationally deprived groups. This starting point requires an analysis of the situation and barriers to the involvement of these groups in education, and the designing of an approach that takes into account pluralism and ensuring greater social inclusion. Taking account of differences and ensuring better access to educational opportunities are especially topical in this time of economic crisis and recession, since according to the findings of study visit participants, the share of vulnerable groups (especially the unemployed and poor) has increased in almost all European countries. In this context there were presentations of various approaches, initiatives and strategies for countries to find a way out of the crisis situation and to achieve greater involvement both in the labour market and in society in general.
Over the four days our hosts presented us in detail with the national policies to increase equality and social inclusion, various learning paths intended to gain knowledge and skills, frequent barriers and mechanisms to get over them, specific initiatives and the characteristics of vocational management in Ireland.
As part of the meeting we had the chance to familiarise ourselves with some examples of good practices: we visited Sunbeam House of Bray, an institution that offers education and vocational guidance to young people and adults with special needs, and the Senior travellers training centre, an educational centre for travellers that offers primarily programmes for raising basic competences and skills for the traveller community. We also attended a one-day consultation on Promoting Equality and Accommodating Diversity in Further Education, Training and Labour Market Programmes, and as part of this we heard an interesting lecture on the promotion of equality through the shaping of a culture of excellence from Dr Mary Tupan-Wenno.
The content of the study visit and the various methods of work allowed us to shed light on the issues at hand from various points of view. Participants had the chance to learn about theoretical solutions, systemic guidelines and cases of good practices. For more on the consultation on diversity in education and training for the needs of the labour market, see the website http://www.equality.ie/index.asp?locID=317&docID=937.
Jasmina Mirčeva, MSc (jasmina.mirceva@acs.si), SIAE
First international meeting of partners in the project EuroPeerGuid
On 10 and 11 February 2011 the SIAE hosted the first meeting of partners as part of the Leonardo da Vinci - innovation transfer project entitled European Peer Review in Guidance and Counselling in Adult Vocational Education - EuroPeerGuid. The representatives of partner organisations from four countries (Finland, France, Portugal and Slovenia) agreed at the meeting on the course of introducing the methods of peer review in guidance activities in adult education. In Slovenia three guidance centres will participate in the project alongside representatives of the SIAE, and these will try out the peer review method in practice.
Peer review is a form of external evaluation where a group of external experts - peer reviewers - assesses various aspects of the quality of an institution. During the review they visit the institution that is in the process of being reviewed. The peer reviewers are external reviewers, but they themselves work in a similar environment, in a similar position, they are professionally trained in the field they are reviewing and they are independent. For counsellors, a view from the outside or the possibility of professional debate on the quality of their work is important, since in the majority of cases they work in institutions alone or at most in pairs, so using the method of peer review ensures for counsellors the chance of talking about the quality of their professional work and the possibility of professional growth.
Within the EuroPeerGuid project, organisations involved in guidance activities in adult education will participate in implementing the peer review method. For this reason the peer reviewers will also be the heads of guidance centres, adult education counsellors and possibly also advisers from other educational levels. This depends on the individual systems of guidance developed in the participating countries. In any event the counsellors in the role of peer reviewers will undergo training, which is expected to take place in autumn 2011 in Portugal, prior to carrying out peer review visits.
Milena Zorić (milena.zoric@acs.si), SIAE
SIAE visited by colleagues from SE Europe
From 2000 to 2004, the SIAE - then as part of the project Adult Education in South East Europe (ErwachsenenBildung In Südosteuropa - EBIS) - cooperated closely with adult educators in the region, but following Slovenia's accession to the European Union our contacts were limited to occasional participation at expert meetings, most recently last year in Sarajevo.
representative from Bonn, Britta Schweighöfer, met on 15 February 2011 at the SIAE with Ema Perme from the Adult Education Department at the Ministry of Education and Sports, Andrej Sotošek, MSc, director of the SIAE, Margareta Zagmajster, MSc, Natalija Zalec and the author of this article (all SIAE).
Following the mutual presentation of institutions and activities, the talks focused on:
•	Regional adult education academy: within the region there is a desire to assemble and review existing programmes for training adult educators, structure them, investigate needs and offer them to those in SE Europe that are interested, including Slovenians. Here Natalija Žalec presented the results of analysing the educational activities of the SIAE as well as our intention to create a "School" for organisers (leaders) of adult education. The rich discussion was concluded with a resolution that the organisers of the Regional Academy would invite Slovenian participants to the first (free) training course, and that we also desire cooperation in setting up the academy and its operation, for which a project needs to be formulated and adequate funding secured.
•	Monitoring fulfilment of the Belem Framework for Action (CONFINTEA VI): the signatories of the action plan are bound to submit an interim report in 2012. Its main topic will be literacy, and the advisory group at the Unesco Institute for Lifelong Learning in Hamburg should be drawing up guidelines for writing the reports. Within the region, thematic events are being planned to popularise CONFINTEA VI, and a regional consultation at the beginning of June on the topic of monitoring fulfilment of the adopted principles. In this case, too, there is the promise of active participation from us and assistance in organising the event, which will be in Slovenia under the aegis of the Ministry of Education and Sports.
Information on the functioning of the regional network of the aforementioned countries is available on their joint website.
Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), SIAE Second SLS project meeting held in Dublin
Partners in the project Sowing the Learning Seeds (SLS) from Estonia, France, Ireland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Turkey met from 19 to 22 February in the Irish capital Dublin. The Slovenian participants (in photograph), including six representatives of learners, prepared material in advance of the
Inslitut lür Inletnatiofiate Zusammenarbeit des Peuschen Vfolhsttochsctul-Vertandes
international
The initiative of the regional director of the Institute for International Cooperation at the German Federation of Adult Education Centres (dvv international) for SE Europe, Dr Beate Schmidt-Behlau, regarding a working visit, on which we could discuss the possibility of new cooperation, was therefore all the more pleasing. Five directors of dvv international offices in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Emir Avdagić, MA), Kosovo (Ramadan Aliu), Macedonia (Maja Avramovska-Trpevska, MA) and Serbia (Dr Katarina Popović and Mirjana Klapprodt) and a
Andragoški center Republike Slovenije
Slovenian Institute for Adult Education
workshop entitled The role of voluntary work in adult education and in organising the festival of learning, and this material has also been published on the project website. At the actual meeting, on 20 February, our own experience and views were brought face to face with participants from partner countries and with the representative of the institution Ireland Volunteering.
At the beginning of the meeting the host, Ireland's national adult education organisation AONTAS, familiarised us with its activities in adult education, and in particular with its five-year efforts to organise an Adult Learners ' Festival. On Monday, 21 February, the first day of the Irish festival of learning, we attended the official opening and presentation of Star Awards, and in the afternoon we visited the broadcasting station NEAR fm/ NEAR TV, which is run by volunteers and provides media support for festival events. Another learning opportunity was provided in the form of a visit to one of the events on the topic of sustainable development, called Green Works, on the last day of our stay in Ireland.
Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), SIAE
Japanese researcher Naoko Suzuki in Slovenia
Naoko Suzuki, a professor and researcher of lifelong learning from the University of Tokushima (in photograph), decided to make a trip to Slovenia primarily because of the programme of Project Learning for Young Adults -PLYA. Her duties at the university involve reviewing educational projects being generated in Europe and the USA, and currently her attention is focused on studying good education practices aimed at the NEET target group (Not in Education, Employment or Training), in other words young people who are not in education or employment. It is no wonder, then, that she was drawn by the internationally acclaimed PLYA programme. Her hosts, associates of the Radovljica Adult Education Centre, invited her to get more closely acquainted with this and other projects they are carrying out. She highlighted as particularly interesting the Grundtvig programme, an international project of free workshops for older adults. But it was not just her that was learning. She gave a workshop in preparing sushi and in origami (the art of paper folding), and in this way presented to participants part of the rich Japanese cultural tradition.
We also invited her to an educational meeting at the SIAE (photo on the previous page), which she conducted on Monday 7 March. The two-hour presentation of the history and development of Japanese education and lifelong learning showed how the Japanese system has been partly comparable to our own only with the arrival of the industrial age and with the challenges brought to education by globalisation.
Darijan Novak (darijan.novak@acs.si), SIAE
Concluding conference on the Action Plan on Adult Learning
The concluding conference on the results of carrying out the Action Plan on Adult Learning was held from 7 to 9 March 2011 in Budapest. The event took place as part of the activities during the Hungarian Presidency
of the EU, and the sponsor and co-organiser of the conference was the Directorate-General for Education and Culture at the European Commission.
The conference was attended by more than 250 participants from Member States and EU candidate countries (pictured). They included members of expert groups in the area of monitoring implementation of the Action Plan on Adult Learning, representatives of line ministries and other state institutions and experts and providers in the field of lifelong learning and adult education.
The key aims of the event were:
•	marking three years of intensive European cooperation in adult education,
•	presenting achievements and the current state of affairs and
•	in the light of modern challenges, defining needs, priority areas and measures for the period up until 2020.
In this way the conference contributed to defining the European Commission initiatives in the area of adult education as part of the strategy Education and Training 2020 and the umbrella agenda Europe 2020: Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The end result of the conference, at which examples of good practices in key priority areas were presented, should be an action plan for the new period, since all participants agreed on the stimulative and guiding significance of the document on the level of the EU and especially of the Member States.
A report (in Slovenian language) on the progress and conclusions of the conference is published on the website http://www.acs.si/index.cgi?m=51&id=243.
Andrej Sotošek, MSc (andrej .sotosek@acs.si), SIAE
Study visit by a delegation from the Ludwig Windthorst Foundation
Between 7 and 12 March a group of young German citizens (in photograph) arrived in Ljubljana on a study visit. The visitors are interested in political issues and they are members of a discussion group under the aegis of the Ludwig Windthorst Foundation; http : //www .ludwig-windthorst-stiftung .de. The group was set up by the former education secretary for Lower Saxony, Dr Werner Remmers. The aim of the foundation is to maintain an awareness of the Christian social ideals of Ludwig Windthorst in our society. One of the important activities of the foundation is supporting young people who are interested in discourse on socio-political issues and in participation in civil society. This was also the reason for founding the discussion group Ludwig Windhorst Arbeitskreis (http : //www .luwiland.de/). The current honorary president of the foundation is Dr Hermann Kues, a member of the German parliament and state secretary at the Ministry of Family Affairs. Participants are offered seminars, workshops and study trips, the aim of which is to encourage debate, exchange and cultural meetings. Each year members of the discussion group select a main topic for debate. This year it is education. When the debate is over they issue a publication setting out all the activities pursued on this topic.
During the recent study visit to Slovenia, group members wanted to get to know this country, its cultural
characteristics and its education system. To this end they visited several state institutions working in this field.
The 17 participants, led by Andreas Gautier from Ludwig-Windthorst-Haus in Lingen (Germany), also visited the SIAE on 11 March, where they were interested chiefly in the development of adult education in Slovenia over the last 20 years and the development of adult education centres. We presented to our German guests the system of adult education in Slovenia, the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education and the Association of Adult Education Centres of Slovenia and its members (programme of visit).
Mateja Pečar (mateja.pecar@acs.si), SIAE Visit by Japanese experts
On Monday 21 March 2011 the Adult Education Society of Slovenia held an expert meeting with guests from Japan. A group of four visitors came from various Japanese universities, and was headed by university professor Yukiko Sawano from the University of the Sacred Heart in Tokyo.
In the talks we wished to learn whether the 1990 Promotion of Lifelong Learning (LL) Act was still in effect, and the current status of institutions founded together with that act as part of the movement to develop lifelong learning in Japan (for instance the LL Office, the National Council for LL, education centres in local areas and so forth). The Japanese guests, especially Ms. Sawano, who had already been in Slovenia 11 years ago, wanted to know whether various projects here were still operating, and how they were faring, including: the Knowledge Exchange, Study Circles, Project Learning for Young Adults (PLYA), active citizenship and so forth.
In the talks we learned that in the 1990s, the objectives for promoting lifelong learning were very well set out, but today in practice they are not being pursued at the level set:
•	the infrastructure of lifelong learning is weaker than it was earlier,
•	many local education centres have been closed, and the same is true of information networks for lifelong learning,
•	last year the national festival of lifelong learning, which would correspond with our LLW, had to be cancelled, and there are now just local festivals in certain wealthier prefectures.
The deterioration is linked to the onset of the global crisis. Japan has not changed much in the sense that it is a distinctly "diploma-oriented society", while lifelong learning and adult education are still in the background compared to education for youth and children.
On the other hand the Japanese guests had a positive opinion of the adult education projects in Slovenia -despite our critical description of the situation - and they stated that some of our original projects had become "well established", and we could be pleased with their spread and effectiveness.
A more detailed article is available in the latest issue of the e-information newsletter ADEES, coming out at the beginning of April.
Nataša Elvira Jelenc (natelje@gmail.com), Adult Education Society of Slovenia
International conference Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training in Adult Education
On 24 March 2011 the Hotel Park in Bled hosted the first international conference of the thematic network Quality Assurance in Lifelong Learning - QALLL, entitled Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training and in Adult Education. The conference was intended to facilitate discussion of the work, results, experiences, challenges and the latest trends in the field of quality assurance in VET and adult education, specifically among education professionals and experts, Leonardo da Vinci and Grundtvig project coordinators, policy makers, national authorities, social partner representatives and other interested stakeholders.
Two SIAE staff members, Dr Tanja Možina and Tanja Vilič Klenovšek, MA, actively participated in the conference. They chaired and moderated a morning and afternoon workshop entitled Quality assurance in formal education, with emphasis on adult education and guidance. Dr Tanja Možina presented two papers, the first on the project Offering Quality Education to Adults (POKI), and the second on implementation of the model for assessing and developing quality assurance in Slovenian Guidance centres for adult education. As part of the discussions moderated by Tanja Vilič Klenovšek, MA, participants of the two workshops considered their experience in the area of assessing and developing quality assurance in formal education, good practices, already established concepts and also challenges for the future. A key part of the discussions was devoted to consideration about the recommendations for further work of the profession, primarily for policy makers in this area. Dr Tanja Možina also participated in the conclusion of the conference in the plenary session as one of the panel debaters.
Jasmina Orešnik Cunja (jasmina.oresnik.cunja@acs.si), SIAE
Visit by Russian delegation to SIAE
On 24 March the SIAE was visited by a four-member delegation of educators from Russian universities. The visit to Slovenia kicked off at Gimnazija Poljane grammar school, where the visitors were received by Ines Vozelj, the teacher of Russian, who also invited to the visit the person responsible for the education of adults and the school pupils.
The afternoon was spent in lively discussion at the SIAE. Four detailed presentations shed light on our system of adult education, the work of the SIAE, the activities of UPI - the Žalec Adult Education Centre with emphasis on the network of lifelong learning centres in Slovenia, and the Lifelong Learning Week (LLW) project. The presentations were prepared by Ema Perme, head of the Adult Education Department at the Ministry of Education and Sports, Andrej Sotošek, MSc, director of the SIAE, Franja Centrih, director of UPI - Žalec Adult Education Centre, and Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (SIAE), national coordinator of the LLW project.
The foreign guests were particularly interested in the system of national qualifications and recognition of knowledge, since they are dealing with this right now. In this way they added the Slovenian model to their study of practices in this area in Scandinavia and France. The meeting was concluded by Ms. Nina Litvinova,
head of the group, with an invitation to join the projects they are working on. The Study train from Helsinki to Beijing seems especially attractive.
Darijan Novak (darijan.novak@acs.si), SIAE
Study visit by delegation from Austrian Carinthia
On 6 April as part of a one-day study trip to Slovenia, the SIAE was visited by 20 representatives of institutions, associations and organisations in the field of adult education in Austrian Carinthia. The visit was organised by Mr. Martin Pandel of the Catholic Adult Education Centre Sodalitas in Tinje/Tainach (http://www.sodalitas.at), and the delegation was led by the president of the platform for adult education in Carinthia, Mr. Rudi Planton, who is also the head of the farmers' educational institution in Hrastovica/Schloss Krastowitz near Celovec/Klagenfurt. The participants included the head of the adult education department in the Carinthian provincial government, Dr Otto Prantl.
The guests were welcomed by Andrej Sotošek, MSc, director of the SIAE, who then presented the SIAE to them. Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc, of the SIAE then continued with a presentation of Lifelong Learning Week and invited them to participate. The visitors were addressed on behalf of the Ministry of Education and Sports by Igor Prodnik of the International Cooperation Department, and the system of adult education in Slovenia was presented by Katja Dovžak, MA, from the Adult Education Department at the Ministry of Education and Sports.
The presentations were given in Slovenian, with German translation provided by Dr Teodor Domej, Slovenian cultural historian and ethnic worker in Austrian Carinthia. We were delighted to be able to welcome among the participants the recipient of a 2006 SIAE award for promoting learning and knowledge, Mr. Jože Kopeinig, rector of the Catholic Adult Education Centre Sodalitas in Tinje. We were fascinated to watch his video portrait (http://llw.acs.si/awards/winners/index.php?did=132&leto=2006). At this point we invited the guests to participate with proposals in this year's call for SIAE awards for the promotion of learning and knowledge.
The visit was concluded in a spirit of exchanging opinions, comparisons and links in the area of literacy, promoting Lifelong Learning Week, the work of study circles and sustainable development. Participants received a range of promotional material covering these fields.
Mateja Pečar (mateja.pecar@acs.si), SIAE
Third SLS project meeting conducted in Slovenia
In May 2011 a 26-member group of partners in the project Sowing the Learning Seeds was hosted in Slovenia. For the French and Turkish delegations the working visit started on 11 May, when they were guests of the Zarja Institute (Rehabilitation Day Centre and Working Day Centre) and Dolfka Boštjančič Training, Occupation and Care Centre, Draga. The two institutions are related to them in terms of working
with persons with special needs, so in addition to enthusiasm at what they experienced, the visit also prompted ideas about cooperation on new projects. In the afternoon of the same day the majority of the guests attended a meeting with Ema Perme, head of the Adult Education Department at the Education Ministry. They listened with interest to information about the adult education system in Slovenia and its financing.
On 12 May they were thrilled by the national opening of LLW in Žalec, and as expected, they were most admiring of the recipients of SIAE Awards for the promotion of learning and knowledge, their video portraits and the outstanding performance by a music group. In the evening they attended the opening of a photographic exhibition in Žalec library, in this way getting the flavour of a typical LLW event.
The main part of the international meeting was a project workshop on the topic of more effective inclusion of the 'old' media (radio, television and newspapers) and the use of 'new' media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) in the festival of learning. On 13 May the SLS group was joined by around 15 Slovenian participants. Presentations of the SIAE and the LLW project were followed by examples of good cooperation by Slovenian LLW coordinators with the media, and then a lecture on public relations in the public sector. Discussions in four working groups yielded a wealth of findings that will benefit all participants in further media promotion of festivals of learning and also of adult education and lifelong learning throughout the year. A more detailed report will be available in the middle of June on the project website.
The next meeting in the SLS project will be from 6 to 9 October in Estonia. Slovenia will be represented by a full 9-member delegation, since the main topic is involving learners in festivals of learning. We have already achieved much in this area, but specifically our Estonian partners could teach us many new things regarding their learners' forum.
Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), SIAE
Regional consultation on fulfilment of the Belem Framework for Action in South Eastern Europe
Back in February, the regional office of dvv international for South Eastern Europe (SEE) (http://www.confintea.dvv-soe.org/), headed by Dr Beate Schmidt-Behlau, announced during a working visit to Slovenia that it would like to organise in cooperation with Slovenian partners a regional consultation on fulfilment of the Belem Framework for Action (CONFINTEA VI). Just over three months later, on 2 June 2011, the event took place in Ljubljana, under the aegis of the Slovenian Ministry of Education and Sports (MES) and co-organised by the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education (SIAE). It was attended by around 40 representatives from Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia and Slovenia.
The consultation, led skilfully by Ema Perme, head of the Adult Education Department at the MES, was opened by the Minister, Dr Igor Lukšič. The Minister told the audience that at a recent informal EU-level meeting, education ministers had determined that adult education was still like a stepchild in education policies. He gave a few reasons for this state of affairs, discussed the challenges and results of adult education in Slovenia and wished the participants successful regional cooperation.
This was followed by presentations on the adult education system in Slovenia, with emphasis on strategies and priorities (Vinko Logaj, MA) and on the achievements and challenges in the Czech Republic (Jakub Stàrek, MA), Norway (Graciela Sbertoli) and in Slovenia (Andrej Sotošek, MSc) in relation to the key priorities of The Belem Framework for Action: policies, management, financing, participation, involvement, equality and the quality of adult education. A talk was also given at the consultation by Arne Carlsen, the new director of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) in Hamburg. He presented the process of preparations for CONFINTEA VI and the activities that followed the conference held in December 2009 in Brazil. Currently the UIL and UNESCO members face the task of drawing up interim national reports by the end of the year. To this end a special coordinating group at UIL in cooperation with the UNESCO Institute for Statistics prepared a matrix for tracking key elements of the action plan and for development of indicators. In addition, recommendations are being drawn up for the preparation of national reports, while some countries organised events to popularise CONFINTEA VI. Reports on the results of these events in SEE were later presented by representatives from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia and Serbia. Carlsen also praised the initiative for a regional consultation for SEE, since such linking up makes sense and is becoming established elsewhere in the world.
In the workshop part of the consultation, participants eagerly discussed regional possibilities and initiatives linked to the aforementioned themes of the Belem Framework for Action. The rapporteur, Dr Katarina Popović of Serbia, concluded that they share the need for lobbying and promotion, reliable methodologies, cooperation and exchanging of examples of good practices, standards in various fields and the pooling of strength on the 12-year path to fulfilling the resolutions of CONFINTEA VI.
Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.panger@acs.si), SIAE
RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS
Formal adult education in Slovenia
The 15th volume of the SIAE Study and Research Series, entitled Formal adult education in Slovenia - perceptions and experiences of participants (Formalno izobraževanje odraslih v Sloveniji - percepcije in izkušnje udeležencev - in Slovenian language) has been published. The authors of the study, Dr Angelca Ivančič, Dr Vida A. Mohorčič Špolar and Dr Radovan, researched to what extent and how the system of formal education in Slovenia supports the culture of lifelong learning.
The book comprises seven chapters: the introduction is followed by a chapter designed to present formal adult education in Slovenia; the third chapter presents the characteristics of education participants in programmes in which the highest number of attendees were enrolled in the 2006/2007 academic year (studying samples); chapter four deals with the
experiences of participants in formal education in that academic year, their views on education, their motivation to study and the barriers they encounter; the fifth chapter aims to present the activities of institutions that organise and carry out adult education; the conclusion of the presented research results then closes with final findings summarised by the authors, and with recommendations for the future; the final chapter then comprises a comprehensive bibliography.
Summarised by Nevenka Kocijančič (nevenka.kociiancic@acs.si), SIAE
New Statistical Office publication in English
At the end of September 2010 the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SORS) put out as part of its Brochures collection a publication on the population entitled Starejše prebivalstvo v Sloveniji, then in February it produced the English translation, The Elderly in Slovenia. This publication represents a supplementary source of basic information that is essential for planning change in this field in the future, as well as for defining certain measurable targets.
The increasing proportion of older people in the population is causing numerous changes and is generating new challenges, for which the most appropriate solutions need to be found as soon as possible. Such demographic development demands fundamental social change in the areas of social protection, housing policy, employment, education and no doubt other areas. The process of the ageing population is gradually starting to have a noticeable effect on the customary relations between generations. There are more and more of those who believe that answers must be sought by all generations together, and that their efforts and searching must be based on dialogue and mutual cooperation.
The data in the publication (provided mainly in the form of graphs and brief commentaries) show "cross sections" of selected areas associated with the ageing population in Slovenia. Where possible, these data were supplemented by data from other EU Member States. This allows a more rapid insight into how Slovenia is placed in this area within the European context.
You can read more about this in the novice/news section on the SORS website.
Summarised by Nevenka Kocijančič (nevenka.kocijancic@acs.si), SIAE
Publication Guidance Activity of the SIAE
The SIAE has produced a publication on Guidance Activity of the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education (Svetovalna dejavnost Andragoškega centra Slovenije - in Slovenian language). In this publication we provide a brief presentation of the substantive fields of adult education for which expert staff of the SIAE offer guidance - to various institutions and their professional staff or to individual adults who approach us with various questions linked to education. We divided up the fields into two sections: • Guidance related to the system and operation of adult education in Slovenia, in which we included content associated with the systemic placement of adult education, adult education programmes, educational organisations, adult education personnel and public tenders in adult education, and
• Guidance related to the fields of adult education being developed by the SIAE.
The booklet provides information on how to contact us (personally, by telephone, email and via web corners). Finally we also added useful information about web links that support our guidance activities and could be useful for all those involved in guidance activities in adult education.
Andreja Dobrovoljc, MSc (andreja.dobrovoljc@acs.si), SIAE
Code of intercultural dialogue for adult educators
We live in a multicultural society, and one of the results of globalisation is the increasing number of migrants. Teachers in learning environments are also increasingly encountering cultural differences. In order to help adult educators deal with cultural differences in the learning environment, the SIAE has produced a code of intercultural dialogue for adult educators, entitled Kodeks medkulturnega dialoga za izobraževalce odraslih (in Slovenian language).
The authors, Dr Natalija Vrečer and Slavica Borka Kucler, divided the Code into the following chapters:
•	Education as an important aspect of integration,
•	Reform of curricula,
•	Intercultural competencies,
•	Intercultural dialogue,
•	Curing people of stereotypes and prejudices,
•	Education as multicultural education and
•	Literature.
The intercultural dialogue code represents a piece in the mosaic of the beginnings of multicultural education in Slovenia. Although the USA, Australia, Canada and Western Europe already have a long tradition, in Slovenia we can only talk about the beginnings of this kind of education. Multicultural education represents reform of the system of education, allowing it to respond adequately to the challenges of a multicultural society. One deficiency of the tradition of multicultural education is that it neglects the area of adult education, so much more needs to be done in this area.
Although the code is written for adult educators, it could also help the work of teachers in primary, vocational, secondary and university-level education.
Dr Natalija Vrečer (natalija.vrecer@acs.si), SIAE
Svetovalna dejavnost
Andragoškega centra Slovenije
Andragoški center Republike Slovenije Slovenian Institute for Adult Education
SLOVENIAN ADULT EDUCATION SCENE
Civil society as Sleeping Beauty
Civil society sleeps like a Sleeping Beauty in her kingdom. This is a metaphorical expression of the outcomes that we reached through the project called eduAkcija (eduaction instead of education).
mreža NVOzs vsezivljenjsko učenje
The purpose of the project, which the Scout association of Slovenia carried out in line with the Operational Programme for the Development
of Human Resources for the Period 2007-2013, was: to strengthen the functioning of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in those areas associated with the development and linking of the civil society and with dialogue with other subjects in society, especially those exercising authority. The project was carried out in the period from summer 2009 to October 2010 and supported by European Social Funds.
The network of 59 NGOs from the field of education made efforts in three directions:
•	strengthening awareness that in the NGO sector high-quality knowledge (competence) is created and transferred for the most part for free (voluntarily);
•	efforts to have this knowledge recorded, verified and recognised as an added value in the development of society on the local, national and European level;
•	increasing awareness of the effects of adult education in the local community (inclusion and participation) - both among employers (employability) and those exercising authority (development and support).
The activities were focused to strengthen awareness of the importance of knowledge and learning, the roles of NGOs in adult education, the structuring of knowledge and the formation of competence frameworks. For this purpose we organised workshops and public debates with NGO representatives. In the desire to improve the possibilities for developing various forms of learning, we addressed to local communities an initiative on the topic of Financing adult education in the local environment. We also published an educational publication, a monthly bulletin and maintained the website razvijaj.se (develop yourself) with educational stories and testemonies.
Adult education in civil society (and NGOs as it's "organised" part) is an opportunity for members to pursue lifelong learning and for the sustainable operation of societies, so it must be recognised as an important segment of what is offered by adult education and for that reason properly supported.
Tadej Pugelj (tadej.pugelj@gmail.com), eduAkcija
Presentation of the projects LENA and LARA
Over the last five years the Slovenian Federation of Pensioner's Organizations has participated in two international projects in the field of education of older people, called LENA and LARA. The two projects involved the participation of public institutes and non-governmental organisations from six and five countries respectively.
Andragoški center Republike Slovenije
Slovenian Institute for Adult Education
The European project LENA, learning suited to older people, was created owing to the sudden demographic changes of the ageing population and the increasing importance of lifelong learning. The project was created through the cooperation of experts from the UK, Austria, Czech Republic, Italy, Germany, Portugal and
Slovenia. The aim of the project was to formulate a range of programmes for the education of older people based on European knowledge and experience. So each participant in the project drew up their own programme with full methodological instructions and the envisaged didactic tools, and tried out the programme in several different test groups of older people. In Slovenia we prepared a Learning in the post-professional phase programme entitled Safe - robust - healthy: What can I do for my own safety and how can I do it? It comprises five different subjects: arranging a safe home, safe use of transport, modern nutrition, finances and how to act in the event of theft or robbery in the home or outdoors. The materials are published in the languages of all the participants.
The aim of the project LARA, Learning - a Response to Ageing, which involved the cooperation of organisations from the UK, Austria (coordinator), Czech Republic, Germany, Portugal and Slovenia, was to draw up a programme for training those who provide education to older people. It was set out based on the conviction and experience that in the education of older people, account needs to be taken of the fact that they learn differently from young people, they have rich life experiences and in this sense they can also be "teachers for each other", which is only possible if the education process is managed so as to enable this. Taking all this into account, each project partner prepared a part of the programme and tried it out in their own Learning - a Kesponse tO Ageing
environment. This led to the creation of comprehensive material comprising three handbooks entitled Guide, Handbook and Set of tools. All the materials are published in the languages of all the project participants, on CD and on the project website: http://www.laraproject.net/.
We concluded the project at a congress in Hamburg (http://www.laraproject.net/outcomes/lara-congress.html), which was also attended by a representative of the Grundtvig programme, Alan Smith, and a representative of AGE, the European platform of non-governmental organisations, Dušana Findeisen. Both representatives stressed the importance of education for older people, and drew our attention to activities in 2012, when active ageing should be brought to the fore.
Although the project is concluded, the work will continue. Once we bring the envisaged new features into the education of older people and determine that participants in education are satisfied with such education work, we will be able to say: "We have succeeded!"
Irena Koželj Levičnik (irena.levicnik@amis.net), Slovenian Federation of Pensioner's Organizations
The influence of lifelong education and learning on quality of life
As part of the project Lifelong learning and quality of life in later periods of life, which is being carried out by the Faculty of Management in Koper, we researched how lifelong education and learning influence the experiencing of quality of life in the third age.
UNESCO identifies education as one of six factors that contribute crucially to quality of life. Our research thus offered answers to our research questions via the opinions of people in the third age. All of our respondents agree that education and learning contribute in various ways to the quality of their lives. They perceive it as a feeling of usefulness (so they are not living "pointlessly"). Education contributes to the better understanding of oneself and others and expands the capacity for seeing life from several points of view, which in the opinion of the interviewees generates happiness. They also feel its influence in the possibility of their own affirmation, which positively influences self-confidence, since they can use new knowledge with authority in various situations. Our respondents have experienced the interpersonal relations that they established during courses, and then developed into ties of friendship, as a very important influence. Learning represents independence for our respondents, as well as an active life, which in their opinion contributes to health and wellbeing. Equally, the new knowledge they gain from learning increases the possibility of contractual work and thus their earnings, and this increases the level of comfort in their lives.
A detailed presentation of the research can be seen in Slovenian language.
Julija Pirnat (julija.pirnat@gmail.com), Ljubljana
Mobile information point for foreigners at the SES Employment Corner
The Ljubljana Area Office of the Slovenian Employment Service (SES) has set up a mobile Info Point for foreigners. Information for foreigners who are not citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland are regularly provided with information throughout Slovenia.
Information is provided at SES locations, in worker hostels and at employment fairs and other career events. Meetings are conducted in the form of individual conversations. They are provided by advisers from the Info Points for foreigners with skills in intercultural operations. The SES provides continuously updated notification on its website of the dates and locations in Slovenia where the mobile Info Points are available.
Source: http : //www .ess.gov.si/obvestila/ obvestilo?aid=245 (in Slovenian language) Summarised by Ajda Turk (ajda.turk@acs.si), external associate of SIAE
Public discussion with stakeholders on the emerging Slovenian Qualifications Framework
In February, March and April 2011, the Centre of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education, which was named the national coordination point for the EQF, organised five consultations with various stakeholders and a concluding national consultation on the emerging Slovenian Qualifications Framework (SQF), wherein it cooperated closely with the National Steering Committee for preparing a national qualifications framework, which was appointed by the Slovenian Government and is the highest decisionmaking body in the development of the Slovenian Qualifications Framework.
Through these five consultations we wished to inform the widest possible circle of stakeholders regarding the emerging Slovenian Qualifications Framework, as well as to gain their opinion on this proposal. At the five
Zavod Republike Slovenije za zaposlovanje
consultations we addressed the following substantive issues with stakeholders: whether 10 levels and SQF descriptors adequately reflect the specifics of Slovenia; what should be the competences of the national bodies in developing the SQF; what legal basis should the framework have; how, if at all, should qualifications gained outside the formal education system (labour market) be placed in the SQF and in what way can we ensure the quality thereof; what is the comparability of the study results of old university diplomas with the new Bologna Bachelor and Master degrees; whether the SQF should be included in collective agreements and so forth. We also invited foreign experts to the consultations (Edwin Mernagh, Elisabeth Frank, MA, Sirkka-Liisa Kärki, Dr Mile Dželalija), who presented the national qualifications frameworks of Ireland, Austria, Finland and Croatia, and gave an assessment of the development of the SQF.
Based on the consultations carried out for various stakeholders and taking into account the proposals from these consultations, we prepared a supplemented draft SQF and as such presented it to the general public at the national SQF consultation (in photograph, photo: Tadej Bernik), where in addition to stakeholders and domestic and foreign experts, those present were addressed by the Minister of Education and Sports, Dr Igor Lukšič, and the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Gregor Golobič. The conclusions of the national consultation were summarised by the chair of the Steering Committee group, who stressed that in the coming months it will be necessary to formulate a translator to translate the SQF level into EQF, where special attention will need to be focused on the coherence and quality of that translator; the presented SQF proposal does not yet have a final form and in the coming months it will be subject to broader expert (deliberation of the proposal in Expert Councils, the Slovenian Higher Education Council, the Government Council for Student Issues, the Economic and Social Council) and public discussion, wherein we wish to achieve the broadest possible consensus on the SQF; the present national consultation on SQF has demonstrated its support of the proposed SQF.
For more information go to http://www.nok.si/ (in Slovenian language). Borut Mikulec (borut.mikulec@cpi.si), Centre for Vocational Education
The Slovenian Qualifications Framework project is partly financed by the European Union, specifically from the European Social Fund. Activities are being pursued as part of the Operational Programme for Human Resource Development 2007-2013, 1st development priority

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Published by Slovenian Institute for Adult Education (SIAE), Šmartinska 134a, SI-1000 Ljubljana | Editor-in-chief: Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (E: zvonka.pangerc@acs.si) | Executive editor: Nevenka Kocijančič (E: nevenka.kocijancic@acs.si) | Editorial board: Sonja Klemenčič, Nevenka Kocijančič, Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc, Andrej Sotošek, MSc, and Margerita Zagmajster, MSc | Translation: Amidas d.o.o. | Design: Larisa Hercog | W: http://www.acs.si/bulletin e-novicke
ISSN 2232-2612
The publication was co-financed by the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs.