One consequence of the heterogeneous provider structure in Austrian adult education and training is that there are not only different regulations regarding the initial training of trainers (cf. 9.7) but also regarding their continuing education and training.
- For teachers in continuing education and training at schools (e.g. at industrial master colleges, building craftsperson schools) the same rules apply as for teachers at secondary level (cf. 9.3)
- For teachers in continuing education and training at higher education establishments (e.g. as part of higher education courses) the same rules apply as for the scientific and artistic staff as part of Bologna study programmes (cf. 9.6)
For teachers in non-school-based or non-higher education-based CET there are no legal regulations regarding CET. For adult educators who are employed in a private educational establishment (non-profit or commercial), the valid collective agreement states that there has to be a company agreement on the principles of initial and continuing education and training within the company. In particular the establishment of a regular education and training offer within the company, the types of initial, in-service and continuing education and training and also the assumption of the costs by the employer have to be agreed.
Adult educators can obtain further qualifications for the following areas or expand their knowledge here:
- educational counselling and career guidance
- didactics and methodology, interculturality, pedagogy
- coaching and training
- management of the library, information and documentation system
- in-house adult education and training
- management positions (e.g. programme manager, site manager)
As well as courses, bachelor’s and master’s programmes
- at universities,
- university colleges of teacher education
- and private educational establishments,
- the likes of Danube University Krems,
- the University of Graz (UNI for LIVE)
- and the Federal Institute for Adult Education (BifEB),
for example, offer a series of CET programmes for teachers in adult education and training. In addition, the Austrian Academy of Continuing Education is a key stakeholder in the professionalisation of adult educators.