On 17 December 2025, the European Training Foundation (ETF) hosted a regional webinar in collaboration with DVV International. The webinar was titled 'Adult Learning and Education Systems: Moving from Fragmentation to Coherence'.
The event brought together 74 policymakers from the field of adult learning and education (ALE) representing a large number of EU candidate and neighbouring countries (including six countries where DVV International is active in Europe: Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova and Ukraine). The webinar aimed to disseminate the results of the recent High-Level Round Table on ALE, which took place in Turin, Italy, on 18–19 November 2025, and to continue the professional exchange and discussions among policymakers and experts from the region's countries.
The most important issue around which the whole event was designed related to the question of how countries could develop adult learning systems to increase participation and reduce inequality, particularly in the context of EU accession. The webinar's key contributions came from Ms Araksia Svajyan, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport in Armenia, and Ms Felicia Bechtoldt, State Secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies in the Republic of Moldova. They shared with participants the latest achievements of their respective governments in reforming and developing ALE sectors.
The Deputy Minister, Svajyan, presented the best practices and challenges in adult education and learning in Armenia. She emphasised that her government's priorities are, on the one hand, to increase the number of citizens involved in the labour market and, on the other hand, to encourage active participation in the country's democratic processes. Armenia has already taken several important steps towards these goals, such as partially refunding course costs for adults involved in ALE and increasing the number of community educational centres offering vocational and non-formal education. However, access to educational opportunities in rural areas remains a challenge.
State Secretary Bechtoldt presented several new government initiatives, particularly those related to the ALE and labour market. According to her, the budget for active labour market measures has increased to five times the original amount for the year 2026. This will enable the Ministry of Labour to intensify a variety of active measures: new training courses are being planned, and job seekers will be supported through the provision of training vouchers and scholarships. Registration and consultations for unemployed people, as well as consultative services for employers, will become more accessible as the number of mobile teams increases from 3 to 26, covering the whole country.
Regarding non-formal ALE activities, the ‘University of the Third Age’ initiative was highlighted as a successful practice for improving the well-being of senior citizens. It is now available in three main urban areas of the country: Chisinau, Balti and Cahul. Finally, a large number of professional and vocational education and training standards are currently being developed and will be finalised soon.
Following the initial inputs, the event's moderators – Siria Taurelli (ETF) and Levan Kvatchadze (DVV International) – opened the floor to the audience for discussion. Based on questions from the audience, the main speakers highlighted further aspects of their governments' reforms (including inclusivity, quality, accessibility and affordability).
The ETF and DVV International plan to conduct the next webinar in the second half of January 2026.