{"id":6653,"date":"2025-12-07T11:16:03","date_gmt":"2025-12-07T11:16:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/icae.global\/en\/?p=6653"},"modified":"2025-12-08T13:59:25","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T13:59:25","slug":"in-memoriam-andre-schlafli","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/icae.global\/en\/2025\/12\/in-memoriam-andre-schlafli\/","title":{"rendered":"In memoriam – Andr\u00e9 Schl\u00e4fli"},"content":{"rendered":"

en espa\u00f1ol – abajo\/en fran\u00e7ais – ci-dessous<\/mark><\/em><\/p>

Andr\u00e9 Schl\u00e4fli, former Director of the Swiss Lifelong Learning Association (SVEB) from 1991 to 2016, passed away unexpectedly in Cyprus on 22 November. His passing is deeply mourned by friends and adult educators across Europe and around the world.<\/p>

Andr\u00e9 was proudly Swiss, yet his vision extended far beyond national borders. To enrich his work at home and inspire colleagues abroad, he became an active member of the Executive Board of the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA) for many years. Later, from 2011 to 2016, he served as European Vice-President of ICAE, the International Council for Adult Education. In 2012, Andr\u00e9 was inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame (HoF), where he later became Chair of the Board. He also initiated the European Branch of the Hall of Fame (HoFE), which under his leadership grew into a vital part of the Hall\u2019s activities.<\/p>

I (Alan) first met Andr\u00e9 in 1991, shortly after he was appointed to transform SVEB into a lifelong and life-wide learning association. His background was unusual for our field\u2014he had previously worked as a banker\u2014but those skills in financial management proved invaluable. Andr\u00e9 brought energy, organizational talent, curiosity, and an enduring passion for adult learning and education. Among many collaborations, I worked closely with him and Ruth Jermann on launching the nationwide LernFestival\u2014an initiative that was creative, innovative, and full of joy.<\/p>

I (Sturla) met Andr\u00e9 around the turn of the millennium, when he was working to establish an Adult Education Law in Switzerland. I was invited to present the Norwegian legislation, and from that moment we became close friends. We worked together on ICAE and the Hall of Fame, sharing countless discussions\u2014sometimes in disagreement, but always ending in friendship.<\/p>

During his 25 years at SVEB, Andr\u00e9 persuaded legislators to adopt a law guaranteeing financial support for adult learning and education, as well as securing SVEB\u2019s long-term stability\u2014a milestone realized in 2017. He championed the professionalization and certification of the adult education workforce and played a key role in securing Swiss Cooperation funding for ICAE\u2019s work, which continued for several years.<\/p>

Andr\u00e9 was a bright, hardworking, and inspiring colleague and friend\u2014never afraid to challenge orthodoxies, yet always loyal and committed to the cause of adult education. His loss leaves a profound void. He will be greatly missed.<\/p>

Leicester \/ Oslo, December 2025<\/p>

Alan Tuckett and Sturla Bjerkaker <\/strong>(both in various positions in the ICAE Executive Committee from 1999 until 2015)<\/em><\/p>

\"\"
with the ICAE Executive Committee in Hamburg 2014<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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Lillehammer in the Summer of 2024<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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Induction INTERNATIONAL ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION HALL OF FAME (HoF), Oklahoma, 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
\"\"
Induction INTERNATIONAL ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION HALL OF FAME (HoF), Oklahoma, 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
\"\"
Induction INTERNATIONAL ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION HALL OF FAME (HoF), Oklahoma, 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/figure>
\"\"
The World Education Forum (WEF) 2015, held in Incheon, Republic of Korea<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>

En memoria de Andr\u00e9 Schl\u00e4fli<\/h1>

Andr\u00e9 Schl\u00e4fli, antiguo director de la Asociaci\u00f3n Suiza para el Aprendizaje Permanente (SVEB) entre 1991 y 2016, falleci\u00f3 inesperadamente en Chipre el 22 de noviembre. Su muerte ha sido profundamente lamentada por amigos y educadores de adultos de toda Europa y del resto del mundo.<\/p>

Andr\u00e9 se sent\u00eda orgulloso de ser suizo, pero su visi\u00f3n trascend\u00eda con creces las fronteras nacionales. Para enriquecer su trabajo en su pa\u00eds e inspirar a sus colegas en el extranjero, fue miembro activo de la Junta Ejecutiva de la Asociaci\u00f3n Europea para la Educaci\u00f3n de Adultos (EAEA) durante muchos a\u00f1os. M\u00e1s tarde, de 2011 a 2016, ocup\u00f3 el cargo de vicepresidente europeo del Consejo Internacional para la Educaci\u00f3n de Adultos (ICAE). En 2012, Andr\u00e9 fue incluido en el Sal\u00f3n de la Fama Internacional de la Educaci\u00f3n de Adultos y la Educaci\u00f3n Continua (HoF), donde m\u00e1s tarde pas\u00f3 a ser presidente de la Junta Directiva. Tambi\u00e9n puso en marcha la rama europea del Sal\u00f3n de la Fama (HoFE), que bajo su liderazgo se convirti\u00f3 en una parte fundamental de las actividades del Sal\u00f3n.<\/p>

Yo (Alan) conoc\u00ed a Andr\u00e9 en 1991, poco despu\u00e9s de que fuera nombrado para transformar la SVEB en una asociaci\u00f3n de aprendizaje permanente y para toda la vida. Su trayectoria era inusual en nuestro campo, ya que anteriormente hab\u00eda trabajado como banquero, pero sus habilidades en gesti\u00f3n financiera resultaron ser muy valiosas. Andr\u00e9 aport\u00f3 energ\u00eda, talento organizativo, curiosidad y una pasi\u00f3n duradera por el aprendizaje y la educaci\u00f3n de adultos. Entre muchas colaboraciones, trabaj\u00e9 estrechamente con \u00e9l y con Ruth Jermann en el lanzamiento del LernFestival a nivel nacional, una iniciativa creativa, innovadora y llena de alegr\u00eda.<\/p>

Yo (Sturla) conoc\u00ed a Andr\u00e9 a principios del milenio, cuando trabajaba para establecer una ley de educaci\u00f3n de adultos en Suiza. Me invitaron a presentar la legislaci\u00f3n noruega y, desde ese momento, nos hicimos buenos amigos. Trabajamos juntos en la ICAE y en el Sal\u00f3n de la Fama, compartiendo innumerables debates, a veces en desacuerdo, pero siempre terminando en amistad.<\/p>

Durante sus 25 a\u00f1os en la SVEB, Andr\u00e9 convenci\u00f3 a los legisladores para que aprobaran una ley que garantizara el apoyo financiero a la formaci\u00f3n y la educaci\u00f3n de adultos, adem\u00e1s de asegurar la estabilidad a largo plazo de la SVEB, un hito que se alcanz\u00f3 en 2017. Defendi\u00f3 la profesionalizaci\u00f3n y la certificaci\u00f3n del personal dedicado a la educaci\u00f3n de adultos y desempe\u00f1\u00f3 un papel clave a la hora de conseguir la financiaci\u00f3n de la Cooperaci\u00f3n Suiza para el trabajo de la ICAE, que se prolong\u00f3 durante varios a\u00f1os.<\/p>

Andr\u00e9 era un colega y amigo brillante, trabajador e inspirador, que nunca tem\u00eda desafiar las ortodoxias, pero que siempre se mostraba leal y comprometido con la causa de la educaci\u00f3n de adultos. Su p\u00e9rdida deja un profundo vac\u00edo. Se le echar\u00e1 mucho de menos.<\/p>

Leicester \/ Oslo, diciembre de 2025<\/p>

Alan Tuckett y Sturla Bjerkaker <\/em><\/strong>(ambos ocuparon diversos cargos en el Comit\u00e9 Ejecutivo de la ICAE entre 1999 y 2015)<\/em><\/p>

En m\u00e9moire d’Andr\u00e9 Schl\u00e4fli<\/h1>

Andr\u00e9 Schl\u00e4fli, ancien directeur de la F\u00e9d\u00e9ration suisse pour la formation continue (FSEA) de 1991 \u00e0 2016, est d\u00e9c\u00e9d\u00e9 subitement \u00e0 Chypre le 22 novembre dernier. Son d\u00e9c\u00e8s est profond\u00e9ment regrett\u00e9 par ses amis et les formateurs d’adultes \u00e0 travers l’Europe et le monde entier.<\/p>

Andr\u00e9 \u00e9tait fier d’\u00eatre Suisse, mais sa vision d\u00e9passait largement les fronti\u00e8res nationales. Afin d’enrichir son travail dans son pays et d’inspirer ses coll\u00e8gues \u00e0 l’\u00e9tranger, il a \u00e9t\u00e9 pendant de nombreuses ann\u00e9es un membre actif du comit\u00e9 ex\u00e9cutif de l’Association europ\u00e9enne pour l’\u00e9ducation des adultes (EAEA). Plus tard, de 2011 \u00e0 2016, il a occup\u00e9 le poste de vice-pr\u00e9sident europ\u00e9en de l’ICAE, le Conseil international pour l’\u00e9ducation des adultes. En 2012, Andr\u00e9 a \u00e9t\u00e9 intronis\u00e9 au International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame (HoF), dont il est ensuite devenu pr\u00e9sident du conseil d’administration. Il a \u00e9galement lanc\u00e9 la branche europ\u00e9enne du Hall of Fame (HoFE), qui, sous sa direction, est devenue un \u00e9l\u00e9ment essentiel des activit\u00e9s du Hall.<\/p>

J’ai (Alan) rencontr\u00e9 Andr\u00e9 pour la premi\u00e8re fois en 1991, peu apr\u00e8s qu’il ait \u00e9t\u00e9 nomm\u00e9 pour transformer la SVEB en une association d’apprentissage tout au long de la vie et dans tous les domaines. Son parcours \u00e9tait inhabituel dans notre domaine \u2013 il avait auparavant travaill\u00e9 comme banquier \u2013 mais ses comp\u00e9tences en gestion financi\u00e8re se sont av\u00e9r\u00e9es inestimables. Andr\u00e9 a apport\u00e9 son \u00e9nergie, son talent d’organisateur, sa curiosit\u00e9 et une passion durable pour l’apprentissage et l’\u00e9ducation des adultes. Parmi nos nombreuses collaborations, j’ai travaill\u00e9 en \u00e9troite collaboration avec lui et Ruth Jermann au lancement du LernFestival national, une initiative cr\u00e9ative, innovante et pleine de joie.<\/p>

J’ai (Sturla) rencontr\u00e9 Andr\u00e9 au tournant du mill\u00e9naire, alors qu’il travaillait \u00e0 l’\u00e9laboration d’une loi sur l’\u00e9ducation des adultes en Suisse. J’ai \u00e9t\u00e9 invit\u00e9 \u00e0 pr\u00e9senter la l\u00e9gislation norv\u00e9gienne, et \u00e0 partir de ce moment, nous sommes devenus des amis proches. Nous avons travaill\u00e9 ensemble sur l’ICAE et le Hall of Fame, partageant d’innombrables discussions, parfois en d\u00e9saccord, mais toujours dans un esprit d’amiti\u00e9.<\/p>

Au cours de ses 25 ann\u00e9es pass\u00e9es \u00e0 la SVEB, Andr\u00e9 a persuad\u00e9 les l\u00e9gislateurs d’adopter une loi garantissant un soutien financier \u00e0 l’apprentissage et \u00e0 l’\u00e9ducation des adultes, tout en assurant la stabilit\u00e9 \u00e0 long terme de la SVEB, une \u00e9tape importante franchie en 2017. Il s’est fait le champion de la professionnalisation et de la certification des professionnels de l’\u00e9ducation des adultes et a jou\u00e9 un r\u00f4le cl\u00e9 dans l’obtention d’un financement de la coop\u00e9ration suisse pour le travail de l’ICAE, qui s’est poursuivi pendant plusieurs ann\u00e9es.<\/p>

Andr\u00e9 \u00e9tait un coll\u00e8gue et un ami brillant, travailleur et inspirant, qui n’avait jamais peur de remettre en question les id\u00e9es re\u00e7ues, tout en restant toujours loyal et engag\u00e9 dans la cause de l’\u00e9ducation des adultes. Son d\u00e9part laisse un vide immense. Il nous manquera beaucoup.<\/p>

Leicester \/ Oslo, d\u00e9cembre 2025<\/p>

Alan Tuckett et Sturla Bjerkaker<\/em><\/strong> (tous deux ont occup\u00e9 divers postes au sein du comit\u00e9 ex\u00e9cutif de l’ICAE de 1999 \u00e0 2015)<\/p>

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

en espa\u00f1ol – abajo\/en fran\u00e7ais – ci-dessous Andr\u00e9 Schl\u00e4fli, former Director of the Swiss Lifelong Learning Association (SVEB) from 1991 to 2016, passed away unexpectedly in Cyprus on 22 November. His passing is deeply mourned by friends and adult educators across Europe and around the world. Andr\u00e9 was proudly Swiss, yet his vision extended far … <\/p>\n

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