Improving the framework conditions for adult edu- cation is one of the core tasks of DVV International. Lobbying and advocacy for the human right to education and lifelong learning are carried out to- gether with regional, national and global networks and adult education associations. It is the goal of DVV International as a professional organisation to make globally-relevant contributions to the develop- ment and expansion of sustainable structures, and to heighten the public profile of adult education.By Anja Thöne, Head of global ale Project, Senior Marketing Manager DVV International
Improving the framework conditions for adult edu- cation is one of the core tasks of DVV International. Lobbying and advocacy for the human right to education and lifelong learning are carried out to- gether with regional, national and global networks and adult education associations. It is the goal of DVV International as a professional organisation to make globally-relevant contributions to the develop- ment and expansion of sustainable structures, and to heighten the public profile of adult education.
The “Branding Adult Education” partner project, which aims to establish the global brand “ALE” (Adult Learning and Education), is a flagship project of DVV International’s lobbying work. The project was initiated by DVV Interna- tional in 2017, and aims to boost the political recognition and public awareness of adult education worldwide. Experts from four continents began to give adult education a name and a shape worldwide. Representatives from the research community, as well as from the regional and international network associations ASPBAE (Asian South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education), EAEA (European Association for the Education of Adults), GCE (Global Campaign for Education), CLADE (Latin American Campaign for the Right to Education) and CEAAL (Latin American Council for Popular Education), joined together in a consultation project under the auspices of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) and of the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE).
Boosting adult education at international level
This international branding process aimed at developing the first global adult education brand was successfully completed in 2019. For the first time, the experts suc- ceeded in developing a common global definition and vision of adult education and adopting it for their networks as part of the ALE brand. The global launch of the ALE brand was planned for the spring of 2020, and was to Network partners at the workshop in Bangkok in October 2019 take place in Ethiopia, accompanied by viral marketing activities. The launch on the African continent has however been cancelled due to the Corona pandemic. Events have been planned at local level, and the marketing activities have been expanded to become a virtual campaign.
The global ALE brand supports professional organisations and associations in raising awareness of the effective- ness of adult education worldwide, speaking with a common voice, improving the understanding of adult education as a public resource, increasing funding, and underlying the holistic approach of the adult education concept. The brand also serves to better shape global and developmental education strategies, and incorporates the drive to boost the public profile of adult education in the Agenda 2030.
The ALE brand is to be applied in a manner that is visible on a global stage for the first time as part of the forthcom- ing policy consultation processes for the next UNESCO International Conference on Adult Education 2022 (CONFINTEA VII). It can empower countries and stake- holders to define exactly what adult education means in the context of lifelong learning, thus making an important contribution to peace and development.
This article was first published in June 2020, DVV International´s Annual Report 2019
