Prof. Balázs Németh
What excites you about adult learning and education?
"My main interest about adult learning and education is connected to policy contexts referring to participatory issues, challenges of equity and inclusion and to matters of community learning in urban environment. Other focuses of interest are the history of adult education, active citizenship, professionalisation in adult education, the roles of international organisations in adult education and finally, learning cities and regions to promote adult and lifelong learning through collaborative actions."
Why did you choose to do research in the field of adult learning and education?
"One reason is that it offers the potential and implication of interdisciplinary approach to understand participation and performance in adult learning in the context of time, space, content, motivation, methods and outcomes."
Balázs Németh is a researcher on European adult and lifelong learning policy development and comparative adult education. He is an associate professor and reader in Adult Learning and Education at the University of Pécs. He is also a founding member of the Hungarian Universities Lifelong Learning Network (MELLearN) and represents the University of Pécs in the European Universities Continuing Education Network (EUCEN) and in the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA).
Balázs Németh is President and member of Steering Committee of EUCEN for 2021-23 period being responsible for policy affairs and talks. He is a vice-Director of PASCAL International Observatory for Central-East Europe, Executive President of MELLearN and the current president of the Adult Education Sub-Commission of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
- the analysis of the roles of Inter-governmental organisations (IGOs)
- Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the development of learning cities
- Politics and Adult Education
- Comparative Adult Education
- History of Modern European Adult Education and Learning City-Region Developments in association with the global network of learning cities programme of UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning
CG2: Higher education supporting the development
Co-Moderator: Prof.(H) Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Heribert Hinzen & Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mar Joanpere Foraster
This issue relates to three main areas for action to widen participation and performance in university lifelong learning programmes:
- Policy environments to promote lifelong learning in higher education
- Institutional governance and implementation
- Widening access through diversification and flexibility
The third above mentioned area takes us to some key issues of adult learning, like reaching out to non-traditional learners and vulnerable groups, diversified learning provision, flexible learning pathways, technology-enhanced learning, social responsibility and local partnerships. These areas can allow universities to either initiate actions in accordance with those emerging areas of intervention for better participation in quality learning and to enhance learning opportunities for a potentially wider group of non-traditional learners.
The roles of higher education in lifelong learning having been emphasized by UNESCO UIL reflections are the results of a wider scope on interactions amongst various sectors of education and beyond to understand potentials of skills development, as a dominating layer of educational policy focuses so as to help engagement, participation be settled through equitable measures and quality concerns, by recognising on the one hand, the impact of national qualifications frameworks for educational and VET programmes and for skills policies, but also to rely more, on the other hand, claiming developments in non-formal and informal learning for adults.
- NÉMETH, B./ ISSA, O./ DIBA, F. & TUCKETT, SIR A. (2020): Learning Cities and Learning Communities: Analyzing Contextual Factors and their Impacts on Adult and Lifelong Learning in Urban Settings In: Andragogical Studies No.1/June2020 ISSN 03545415 Pp. 17-53.
- NÉMETH, B. (2020) (ED.): Learning Cities – an Influential Topic for Adult Education and Learning, Drawing Attention to Inclusion, Collaboration and Innovation. Andragoska Spoznanja/Studies in Adult Education and Learning Letnik 26. 1/2020 – ISSN 13185160
- EGETENMEYER, R./ GUIMARAES, P./ NÉMETH, B. (EDS.) (2018): Joint Modules in Internationalisation in Higher Education. Frankfurt am Main: Peter LANG, 2018, ISBN 978-3-631-73625-8
- NÉMETH, B. (2017): Critical Overview of the Roles of International Organisations in the Development of Adult Learning and Education" In: Slowey Maria (ed.) Comparative Adult Education and Learning. Authors and Texts. 184 p. Firenze: Firenze University Press, 2017. pp. 117-159. ISBN:978-88-6453-422-0
- NÉMETH, B. (2016): Changes in the Roles and Functions of Adult Learning and Education Policies in Europe in the Last Twentyfive Years In: Sava, Simona/ Novotny, Petr (eds.) Researches in Adult Learning and Education: The European Dimension. 211 p. Firenze: Firenze University Press, 2016. Pp. 22-41. ISBN:978-88-6453-424-4
- NÉMETH, B. (2015): Lifelong Learning for All Adults? A New Concept for UNESCO - Limits and Opportunities for a Changing Inter Governmental Organisation In: Marcella Milana, Tom Nesbit (eds.) Global Perspectives on Adult Education and Learning Policy. 288 p. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015. pp. 165-178. ISBN:9781137388247
