Global and Intercultural Dimension in of Curriculum Development
At EU level, the "renewed European Agenda for Adult Learning" sets out the priorities for European cooperation in adult education policy for 2012 to 2020. The Agenda is based, inter alia, on the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020). On 29 November 2021, the EU Council of Education Ministers adopted the subsequent version of the European Agenda for Adult Learning for 2021 to 2030, based, inter alia, on the new generation of the strategic framework – ET2030. The national coordination unit for the European Adult Learning Agenda is based at the National Agency Education for Europe (Nationale Agentur Bildung für Europa) at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung – BIBB).
Both as part of further education monitoring, in the Adult Education Survey (AES) for instance, and also with respect to European further education networks such as the European Association of Regional & Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning (EARLALL), the European and international dimension of further education is becoming increasingly important. This applies to the sphere of competence of the Federation as well as that of the Länder.
Partnerships and Networks
The Erasmus+ key action 2 promotes strategic partnerships in adult education and vocational education and training. These are international projects aimed at the transfer, development and/or implementation of innovation and proven methods. The National Agency Education for Europe is responsible for strategic partnerships in adult education and vocational education and training. This is also the home of the national coordination office for the “E-Platform for Adult Learning in Europe” (EPALE). The multilingual online platform is offered by the European Commission, and allows adult education organisations and staff the chance to establish networks across borders.
Promoting international cooperation and initiating collaboration and business relations in in-company vocational training and vocational further education is the aim of the centre International Marketing of Vocational Education (iMOVE) of the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung – BMBF), which is based within the BIBB in Bonn. iMOVE supports primarily small and medium-sized educational enterprises with the strategic planning and implementation of their commitments abroad through extensive service provision which includes publications, seminars and conferences, and trips by delegations. With its brand “Training – Made in Germany” iMOVE also carries out publicity abroad for German competence in initial and continuing vocational education and training.