Research-based Impact Analysis of Erasmus+ Adult Education Programmes:  The RIA-AE Network

Background

The Erasmus+ programme, supported by the European Union, aims to enhance the educational, professional, and personal development of participants across Europe and beyond. The adult learning component of Erasmus+ focuses on improving the socio-economic resilience of adults facing challenging conditions for personal advancement. This involves enhancing language, numeracy, digital, and other skills to promote greater autonomy among vulnerable adults. 

The adult learning sector distinguishes itself from other programme areas of the Erasmus+ programme (like VET; higher education; and primary and secondary education). For example, adult education is provided by a variety of different organisations (e.g. charities, cultural institutions, libraries, voluntary organisations, etc.). Moreover, besides professionals, these organisations often use volunteers to support adult learners in their learning process (e.g. for learning a new language). Another peculiarity is that in many EU Member States there are no national strategies for adult learning, as is usually the case in primary, secondary and higher education. In addition, the group of adult learners is also very diverse and includes people with a lower level of education, little digital skills, a migration background, disabilities and older people. Given this large heterogeneity of the target groups, adult education addresses a wide range of different learning needs. Till now, less is known about the impact of Erasmus+ on adult learners, staff, volunteers and organisations in the field of adult learning. To better coordinate research activities on strengthening the impact of international cooperation and mobility projects in adult education and to enable the further development and quality improvement of the Erasmus+ programme, a transnational research network has been established: The RIA-AE (Research-based Impact Analysis of Erasmus+ Adult Education Programmes) network.

The Network

The RIA-AE network was established in 2022 by 8 National Agencies, under the coordination of the National Agency at BIBB (DE02). The network has grown significantly since its creation and currently involves 16 National Agencies: Germany, Finland, France, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Austria, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Türkiye and Hungary.An international consortium is, in cooperation with the NA at BIBB, responsible for the transnational research coordination: Ockham IPS (project lead), Institut für Innovation und Technik (iit) and artéduc/University of Brussels.

The Monitoring Approach

The RIA-AE network developed a transnational monitoring approach to the Erasmus+ program in adult education. National monitoring studies, conducted in parallel with the same survey design in the network's member countries, inform national agencies about the implementation and impact of the Erasmus+ program in adult education. Additionally, the data contributed to the development of a European study aimed at highlighting the program's effects on a transnational level and providing impetus for its further development at the European level.

The study focuses on the impact of the two key actions of Erasmus+ (Key Action 1: Learning mobility of individuals and Key Action 2: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices) on the funded organizations, the learners (staff and participants), and the adult education sector in each country. Besides the internationalization of this educational sector, there is particular interest in the horizontal priorities set by the European Union: inclusion and diversity, environmental sustainability and combating climate change, digital transformation, participation in democratic life, common values, and civic engagement.

The research design agreed upon within the network includes a mixed-methods approach. In addition to document analysis, which includes project documents and data from EU databases, an online survey of participating organizations was conducted. Case studies and interviews with adult learners and non-participating organizations round out the methodological approach. In the first survey round in 2023, the methodological concept was not fully implemented by all countries. An expansion is planned for the subsequent survey years 2025 and 2027. 

The national reports of the participating countries and the European synthesis report from the research round 2023/2024 are available for download in the posts below.

	Impact of Erasmus+ on the Adult Education Sector in Germany  Resource
	Mission Statement RIA-AE Network ‘Adult education matters’ AND ‘To explore the unexplored’