Joint Master "Adult Education for Social Change" Explained

Professor of Andragogy, Larissa Jõgi, gives an insight into what adult education is, and the effect it can have on the world.

Larissa Jõgi portrait

What is the field of "adult education" about?

Adult education is any kind of learning – education or training – undertook by adults for different reasons and motives, such as, professional, vocational or self-development. Also, adult education, relates to different kinds of social practice: liberal education programmes, welfare, health, civic society, democracy, community and organisation developments. Adult education might be based on formal, non-formal or informal forms of learning.
 

How does adult education contribute to the concept of lifelong learning?
Adult education is a meaningful and significant part of lifelong learning and a key component of the lifelong learning process by providing different possibilities of learning, education, participation and collaboration throughout a person’s whole lifespan.

Why should lifelong learning be as prominent as basic education?
Lifelong learning is a learning process that takes place through the whole lifespan, from childhood education to non-formal education for adults. A person’s individual development, both professional or personal, does not end with basic education or, even, university education. Thus, adult education and lifelong learning are just as vital as basic education.

How are social change and adult education connected?
Adult education relates not only with the individual person’s learning process, but it always also impacts the changes in society, community, organisations, as well as the individual level. Educated adults, groups and communities are guaranteed to create social change.

The programme aims to deliver a curriculum that enables people to work with adults effectively and competently in changing socially diverse contexts.
 
Why choose degree studies in the Joint Master "Adult Education for Social Change"?
There are a multitude of reasons:
  • Diversity of content – the programme is the results of the cooperation between academics from five different European universities.
  • Valuable knowledge – the programme aims to deliver a curriculum that enables people to work with adults effectively and competently in changing socially diverse contexts.
  • Lots of practice opportunities – the programme includes 3 adult learning placements and a summer school in Penang at University Sains Malaysia.
  • International – the programme gives you variations of academic and professional possibilities to learn in a different academic and international context.
  • Travel and experience different cultures – you will get the chance to study and learn at different European universities: Tallinn University/Estonia, Glasgow University/Scotland, University of Malta, Open University of Cyprus and Maynooth University/Ireland.
  • Diverse academic and social culture – you will meet academics from different universities and you will have possibilities for placements in different social and cultural context.
  • Combination of theory and practice – you will get a lot of professional and learning experiences, professional skills and theoretical knowledge.
  • Community – you will get many new friends for the rest of your life!    
 
Read more about the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master study programme "Adult Education for Social Change" here.