The digital transformation is changing the way adults learn, work, and participate in society. It affects the entire field of adult education: its educational offerings, the competencies of learners and educators, and the organization of educational institutions. Adult education should therefore support people in using digital technologies independently and actively shaping this transformation.
Digital literacy is a key foundation for this. It empowers adults to use digital resources in their daily lives and at work. It also helps them evaluate information and continue learning on their own. To ensure that everyone can participate, we need low-threshold and accessible learning opportunities. Equally important are appropriate technical equipment and learning support. Different learning needs must be taken into account. This applies in particular to people with basic literacy needs or limited digital experience.
AI also opens up new possibilities, for example in the creation of learning materials, language learning, or personalized learning support. However, it is crucial that its use aligns with the learning objectives and needs of the participants. In this context, AI literacy encompasses more than just the use of individual applications and tools. Participants must also learn to critically evaluate AI results and to recognize errors and discriminatory biases. Equally important is the responsible handling of personal data.
This is also linked to a mission of democratic education: Adults need guidance in digital information spaces where AI-generated content and disinformation can influence the formation of opinions.
For continuing education institutions, the digital transformation is also a task of organizational development. This includes training the entire staff—that is, instructors, management, and administrative personnel. In addition, suitable technical infrastructure is needed, along with agreement on common rules for the selection and use of digital applications.
The New European Agenda for Adult Education 2021–2030 provides a central framework for the work of the National Coordination Office. It identifies the green and digital transitions as one of five priority areas for action. Adult education is intended to empower people to actively help shape these changes.
The Action Plan for Digital Education 2021–2027 aims to achieve high-quality, inclusive, and accessible digital education. To this end, it combines the further development of digital education structures with the strengthening of digital skills.
The Union of Skills, introduced in 2025, also addresses the demands of the digital transformation. The acquisition of digital skills plays a key role in this. It systematically expands on the previous approach by placing a clear emphasis on lifelong learning, continuous professional development, and career reorientation (European initiatives on AI and skills).
The European competency frameworks provide additional guidance for educational practice. The general European reference framework for digital competencies (DigComp 3.0) describes the digital skills needed for daily life, work, and civic participation, and incorporates AI as a cross-cutting theme. DigCompEdu focuses on the digital competencies that educators need for their professional roles and supports the pedagogically sound use of digital technologies.
The European AI Regulation also underscores the importance of AI literacy (Digital Strategy). For continuing education institutions, this means that, in addition to the pedagogical benefits, the responsible use of AI at the organizational level is relevant.
The key themes of the European Agenda for Adult Learning address central challenges and developments in adult learning—from future skills and digital transformation to innovative learning spaces, sustainability, and social participation. Selected Erasmus+ projects and mobility initiatives demonstrate how these themes can be put into practice. These examples provide insights into specific approaches, methods, and experiences from European educational work and highlight how European exchange helps bring the Agenda’s goals to life.
The National Coordination Office links European initiatives with issues in adult education in Germany. It creates opportunities for professional exchange and networking. It also makes practical experience with digitalization and AI accessible to education professionals and institutions.
On July 1 and 2, 2024, the NKS Agenda EB, in collaboration with the Bavarian Adult Education Association, hosted the virtual conference “Understanding and Shaping AI: European Perspectives and Concrete Applications for Adult Education”. The conference focused on pedagogical applications as well as legal and ethical issues. Complementing these discussions, workshops showcased applications for basic education, language learning, and the design of individualized learning programs.
Two years later, another online conference built on this work. Titled “European Perspectives: Critical, Creative, Competent—Impulses for Democracy & AI in Adult Education”, the event took place on June 30 and July 1, 2026, and was organized by the NKS Agenda EB in collaboration with the Bavarian and Thuringian Adult Education Associations. The program combined democracy education and AI with practical examples from across Europe. It also addressed issues of organizational development and offered suggestions for teaching practice.
These events support knowledge transfer between academia, education policy, and practice. At the same time, they promote networking among stakeholders in adult education. Examples from Erasmus+ projects and exchange opportunities on EPALE complement this work. This allows colleagues from various European countries to learn from one another and share their experiences. They can then apply the knowledge gained to their own practice.
In this way, the NKS Agenda EB strengthens knowledge transfer between the European and national levels. At the same time, it highlights European perspectives on shaping digital adult education. In doing so, it contributes to a resilient and inclusive Europe.
In this installment of the discussion series on current challenges in adult education, Sascha Dowidat, an instructor in literacy, basic education, and artificial intelligence at the Bavarian Adult Education Association (Bayerischer Volkhochschulverband e.V.), speaks on the topic of “AI in Basic Education.”
The National Agency for Education for Europe works on the topic of digitalization, one of the four horizontal priorities of the Erasmus+ program.
The “Digitalization in Adult Education” dossier offers practical guidance on various aspects of the topic: from the legal framework to tips for presentations and handouts, the use of digital tools, and artificial intelligence that supports the teaching and learning process.
