EAEA General Assembly, Grundtvig Award
and Rita-Süssmuth Award Ceremony
3 June 2025
EAEA
General Assembly
Venue: Löhrstraße 3-7
Registration and welcome coffee
Welcome remarks
Speaker: Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer
Facilitator: Uwe Gartenschlaeger
Statutory business
Presentation and discussion about the 2024 Activity Report, 2025 Workplan, the 2024 Financial Report and 2025 Financial Plan
Speaker: Raffaela Kihrer
Board elections
Presentation of candidates for the Board and President
Facilitator: Raffaela Kihrer
Voting session
Election of the new Board and President
Facilitator: Raffaela Kihrer
Lunch break
Announcement of election results
Facilitator: Raffaela Kihrer
Keynote address
The rise of populism in Europe – How can ALE respond to this?
Speaker: Marina Weisband
Panel discussion
What is the role of ALE for ‘preparedness’, democracy and active citizenship? What does this mean for flexible learning pathways and empowering adult learners through innovative educational models and policies? Which good examples are there already?
Panelists:
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer
Gustav Fridolin
Christian Soyk
Per Paludan Hansen
Membership updates
Presentation of any changes to membership or structural updates within EAEA
Facilitator: Marina Sakač Hadžić
Concluding remarks
Brief overview of outcomes and transition to the evening’s award ceremony
Speaker: Uwe Gartenschlaeger
Grundtvig Award and
Rita-Süssmuth Award Ceremony
Venue: Alte Börse Naschmarkt 1
EAEA Grundtvig Award and DVV International Rita-Süssmuth Award Ceremony and reception
Every year, EAEA seeks out adult learning and education (ALE) projects that stand out for their innovation and excellence. The EAEA Grundtvig Award highlights these projects in 2025, under the theme of “Flexible Learning Pathways in Adult Learning and Education.”
This year’s theme is all about flexibility in the learning pathways. Since adults have different backgrounds, needs, and expectations, learning must be flexible and diverse. Adult learning thrives on variety, and we want to celebrate creative approaches that push the boundaries.
The award recognises projects and innitiatives that:
- Increase the flexibility of the educational offer and the participation of underrepresented groups in ALE, and/or
- Support blended learning opportunities, modular learning and other flexible learning structures, and/or
- Show readiness to adjust to individuals’ and groups’ needs and demands during the learning process, and/or
- Encourage adult learners to take ownership over their learning process through determining the time, space and pace of their learning, and/or
- Assure high transferability of learning outcomes in ALE, and/or
- Support key EU initiatives in terms of Flexible Learning Pathways.
In 2025, the ‘Rita-Süssmuth Award for the International Adult Education Centre’ will once again be awarded as part of the Urban X-Change Network project and funded by the Federal Foreign Office (AA) under the motto ‘International Partnerships to Strengthen Democracy and Participation’.
The award recognises adult education centres that:
- Help shape the future of their communities with internationally orientated strategies, concepts, and ideas, and/or
- Integrate international and intercultural references into their programme offerings and organisational culture, and/or
- Facilitate the exchange of knowledge between adult education institutions worldwide through international partnerships, field trips, consultancy assignments and other activities.
Prof Dr Rita Süssmuth, who gave the award its name, was President of the German Adult Education Association (DVV) for 27 years. She is now Honorary President of the Association and continues to advocate for the interests of adult education in a national, European, and international context.
DVV International is happy to award three Volkshochschulen (Adult Education Centres) in Germany this year.
Participation fees / Grundtvig Award: No fees apply
Dinner reception
Venue: Auerbachs Keller Leipzig GmbH · Mädler-Passage (Aufgang A) · Grimmaische Strasse 2-4
Festive dinner
Participation fees / Festive dinner:
Until end of April: 50 euros
1st May onwards: 70 euros
Participation fees: General Assembly
Early bird until end of February:
EAEA members: 30 Euros
Non-members: 50 Euros
Until end of April:
EAEA members: 40 Euros
Non-members: 60 Euros
1st May onwards:
EAEA members: 60 Euros
Non-members: 80 Euros
