To collaborate online to enhance adult education. This was the general objective of the first national seminar of the EPALE ambassadors, which was carried out in Florence on the 8 May at “Istituto degli Innocenti”, as part of the celebrations for the 30^th anniversary of the Erasmus programme.

The group of new ambassadors met for the first time to know each other and start the collaboration with EPALE Italia Unit. They are the 52 education experts who succeeded in the competition issued at the end of 2016 and volunteered, free of charge, to contribute to disseminate knowledge on adult education, making it more effective in all its activities, in formal and informal contexts.

The coordinator of Erasmus + Indire, Sara Pagliai opened the seminar emphasising the important role progressively acquired by the programme, since 2000, when the sectorial programme Grundtvig was started.

There are more than 3 thousand people enrolled in the EPALE platform, 8.5% of the European total (about 26 thousand users). Our country plays a key role for the success of this European initiative, this is one of the reasons why the Italian model of EPALE ambassadors is highly taken into consideration at European level.

After a “speed date” socialising activity, the work groups met to discuss the key themes, identified by EPALE unit for the contents and activities plan for the following months. The themes were: migrants, adults’ education, basic adults’ literacy (CPIA), prison education, strategies and entrepreneurship for employment.

During the day, a first operative plan was laid down for the new group and the organisation of the collaboration options of the various EPALE activities began. In particular, the ambassadors will be required to use their experience to implement new contents and theme discussions on the platform; give organisational support for the informative and promotional events; and play a connective role for the already existing networks and the new ones to be directed towards the European community.

At the end of the work groups’ activities, the results of which will be published soon on this website, the ambassadors were called on the stage of the Festival in S.S. Annunziata square to be appointed EPALE’s ambassadors by the coordinator of the Agency Erasmus + Indire, Sara Pagliai and by the chief of EPALE Italian Unit, Lorenza Venturi.

What EPALE is

The Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe (EPALE) is the European digital platform dedicated to the professionals operating in the adult education sector. The online environment offers the possibility to collaborate, meet, exchange ideas, experiences and didactic methods. Currently, there are about 26 thousand EPALE members in Europe and 3 thousand in Italy. The National EPALE Unit is based at Indire.

To know more:

• Join EPALE
• EPALE Italy website
• Follow EPALE Italy on Facebook and Twitter