Research targets adult education access
A university headquartered in Australia has secured funding from Horizon 2020 in order to undertake research on the challenges for young and vulnerable groups in accessing adult education.
The work by RMIT Europe, based in Barcelona, Spain, is in collaboration with researchers from eight other European universities as part of the €2.5m project. Other consortium members include higher education institutions in Finland, Estonia, Germany, Greece, the United Kingdom, Hungary and Turkey; the project is led by the University of Tampere in Finland.
Professor Jo Tacchi, director of research and innovation at RMIT’s European hub, will lead RMIT Europe’s contribution to the venture, saying that the research takes a critical look at the current adult education environment in Europe, analysing existing initiatives, pathways and accessibility.
She commented: “In focus are the most vulnerable groups, such as young people with low levels of basic and functional literacy, those not in education or training or those in situations of near social exclusion.
“It is anticipated the research outcomes will help policy makers, educational authorities and educators at local, national and European levels tailor adult education policies and practices to better meet the needs of these groups.”
RMIT, based in Melbourne, Australia, is able to partner with other universities as well as join research consortiums in the five-year programme through its presence in Europe.
