Slovenian Institute for Adult Education

The Slovenian Institute for Adult Education was founded by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia in 1991 to promote the development of adult education. It is the main, non-governmental and non-profit institution for research, development and counseling in the field of adult education in Slovenia. The Institute employs 30 people on a full-time basis. All its professional and research employees have university degrees, one-third of them have post-graduate degrees (doctorate and master’s degrees), while 15 are registered researchers. The basic mission of the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education is to foster the development of a culture of life-long learning and education in Slovenia in accordance with the strategy and principles of life-long learning and education as a relatively independent and equal field within the overall system of education. The following tasks in particular are carried out by the Institute: - the preparation of professional foundations for the development of a system of adult education; - the development and maintenance of an information system for the needs of adult education; - the organisation and realisation of continuing education and training for adult education staff; - research and development work; - the development of professional foundations for the programming and organisation of adult education and for the preparation of an Adult Education Master Plan; - to propose the decision makers the norms, standards and measures for the promotion of adult education; - to carry out counseling and advice services for individuals and institutions involved in adult education; - international cooperation is also an important part of the Institute’s activities. Research and development activities include basic and applied research and development. Research and development are carried out in a closed loop: study and analysis, evaluation of effects, creation of models, development of networks, staff training, introduction into practice. The initiative for a project can arise at any point in this circle. The tasks defining the basic mission of the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education also define research and development specialisation of the Institute. Thus, the Institute is a specialised institution for the research in adult education in the sense of concept, system and policy of adult education, in the sense of developing new methods and ways in the education and learning of adults, and for the evaluation of new solutions in practice. The Institute is also specialised in the research of liberal and non-formal adult education, programming in adult education, in the research of participation in adult education, in career development, and in development of adult education information system. Research and development projects carried out by the Institute so far Research Second International Adult Literacy Survey (international project) Experts on Adult Education (project with international participation) Adult Education in the Central; East European and Baltic Countries (project with international participation) Legislation and Policy in Adult Education in the World (international project) ALADIN – international linkage of information and documentation centres (international project) The Conception of Adult Education in Slovenia (when in the Pedagogical Institute) The Development and Enforcement of the System of Adult Education in Slovenia Integral Scheme of Science and System of Adult Education Adult Education as a Factor of Development. The History of Adult Education (co-ordinating organisation: Faculty for Organisational Sciences) Participation in Adult Education Transformations in the Labour Market and training of the Labour Force The Development and Introduction of the Certificate System Evaluation of the Development and Introduction of the Certificate System Education of the Employed in the Economy Sector Evaluation of the education of the Unemployed