INTALL

Paula Guimarães

In recent years, internationalisation in the field of adult education and lifelong learning has led to new demands in the field. A diverse target group in adult education practice and an increasing number of international students at universities pose challenges on both levels.

Moreover, a mismatch between the existing skills of students and practitioners and the skills required by the labour market in adult education and lifelong learning calls for a more integrated approach to educating students and practitioners together. The current low level of cooperation between higher education and practice constrains professionalisation in adult education and lifelong learning and calls for more connected systems and deeper exchanges of knowledge and experience. Additionally, increasingly dynamic and complex ways of living mean huge challenges to individual learning and mobility (especially in terms time and financial resources).

That is why the Strategic Partnership ‘International and Comparative Studies for Students and Practitioners in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning’ (INTALL) will develop for the first time a methodology for building joint structures in the professionalisation activities of universities and practitioners in adult education and lifelong learning. To achieve this, the following outputs will be developed

– a blended learning methodology for teaching students and practitioners together (IO1),
– a joint learning community for international teaching and learning settings (IO2),
– a portfolio method for strengthening employability in adult education and lifelong learning (IO3)
– a digital learning environment ‘International and comparative studies @ home’ (IO4).

The development of these intellectual outputs will be accompanied by an intensive pilot phase in three Winter Schools. These Winter Schools will bring master’s and doctoral students and professionals in adult education and lifelong learning together to implement the methodologies in a sustainable way. Additionally, teaching staff from higher education and practice meet for developing a joint learning community. Flexible learning pathways in a blended-learning mode and the recognition of learning on different levels take the diversity of the target group in account.

The intellectual outputs and learning and teaching activities are designed to tackle the current and abovementioned challenges in adult education and lifelong learning. The Strategic Partnership expects increasing internationalisation in the field, trustful cooperation between higher education and practice, increased employability of graduates in adult education, a better match of existing and required skills, and a growth of professionally qualified practitioners in the field.

In addition, joint materials for teaching in international settings will support education on all levels. Besides, the flexible online learning pathway contributes to making education accessible in the digitised world. To ensure the sustainability and widespread use of the project results at the institutional, national, European and international levels, all developed products will be available online via Open Access. Various dissemination activities and a broad supporting system with many associate partners will ensure the long-term implementation of INTALL beyond the term of the partnership.

1/09/2018 – 31/08/2021

Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices
Action Type: Strategic Partnerships for higher education
Project Reference: 2018-1-DE01-KA203-004272