Further education is provided by school and non-school educational institutions. The act on lifelong learning distinguishes further education providers:

• gymnasia, secondary vocational schools, conservatories, schools for children and pupils with special education needs, basic schools of art, language schools and higher education institutions which offer, in addition to school education, also the educational programmes,
• legal entities that are targeted at education and activities directly connected with education,
• natural persons – enterprisers  that are targeted at education and activities directly connected with education,

Focus of further education in secondary schools and higher educational institutions usually corresponds to the subjects and educational content taught in these institutions. The extent of further education, its forms and educational activities are adapted to the specific requirements of adult target group.

Non-school institutions which provide education include mainly private educational institutions, company institutes, various non-governmental institutions, civil associations, non-profit organisations and other. These institutions offer non-accredited courses and accredited education programmes for adults to supplement and extend their education or acquire knowledge in special interest areas.

A significant part of adult education takes place at the workplace and is paid for by the employer (with a possibility to obtain financial subsidies, for example from European sources). This mostly includes development of specialisations, innovation education, or re-qualification. Bigger companies and businesses often have their own teachers and trainers. Smaller businesses often opt for employees’ participation in education in education institutions.

One of the institutions in adult education and training is also The Academy of Education, a non-state educational institution, with a network of more than thirty centres distributed all over the country. The Academy of Education works as an independent civil association which is simultaneously a member of the European Association for the Education of  Adults (EAEA), Association of Institutions of Adult Education in the Slovak Republic (AIVD SR) and Slovak Society for Quality.

Legislative references

National Council of the Slovak Republic, 1991. Act No. 455/1991 on entrepreneurship (Business Act) as amended by subsequent provision (Zákon č. 455/1991 Zb. o živnostenskom podnikaní v znení neskorších predpisov (živnostenský zákon)) (last accessed 26/02/2020).

National Council of the Slovak Republic, 2009. Act No. 568/2009 on lifelong learning and on the change and supplement to some acts as amended by subsequent provision (Zákon č. 568/2009 Z.z. o celoživotnom vzdelávaní a o zmene a doplnení niektorých zákonov v znení neskorších predpisov) (last accessed 21/11/2019).