A shining example of international collaboration

03/17/2026

The Adult Education Academy once again brought lively exchange among people from around the world to the University of Würzburg in 2026. Participants agreed: it was an extraordinary opportunity.

Smiling faces from all over the world. The Adult Education Academy at the University of Würzburg was once again a resounding success in 2026. (Image: Eva Schiffner / Universität Würzburg)

Since 2014, the Adult Education Academy (AEA) at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) has been a hub for international networking in adult and continuing education.

At the beginning of February 2026, numerous researchers and students once again gathered in Würzburg for a two-week intensive programme to discuss selected aspects of adult and continuing education. International dialogue lies at the heart of the academy. This year, 133 participants from 41 countries travelled to Lower Franconia – more than ever before.

“We are trying to understand how adults pursue continued learning in different countries and how this learning is supported in different contexts. We view adult education as a universal human right grounded in a humanistic worldview, one that contributes to shaping democratic societies together,” explains Regina Egetenmeyer, Professor of Adult and Continuing Education at JMU.

A unique atmosphere

Thirty-three lecturers led the working groups, which addressed topics such as the role of artificial intelligence in adult and continuing education, the social influences on learners, and inclusion. The question of how adult education can contribute to peaceful coexistence also played a central role.

More than twenty educational institutions – from Germany, Slovenia and the United States to Nigeria – took part in the programme.

All of them contributed to a very special atmosphere of “moving things forward together”, says Professor Andrea Kübler. “I have rarely experienced an event where people from so many different nationalities worked together so intensively,” notes the Dean of the Faculty of Human Sciences.

For Regina Egetenmeyer, the AEA represents an important example of the ongoing effort to understand one another. “The academy’s approach not only helps understanding similarities and differences but also fosters among students an attitude of curious, respectful international comparison. Social and cognitive aspects of non-understanding are explicitly included in this process. We also learn, emotionally, to engage with non-understanding,” the professor explains.

Honouring graduates

As part of the academy’s closing ceremony at the Neubaukirche, certificates were presented for the second time to graduates of the double-degree Master’s programme Adult Education and Management in Lifelong Education. JMU has offered this programme in cooperation with the University of Padua since the winter semester of 2023/24. In 2025, seven students completed the double degree, five attended the ceremony in person to receive their certificates.

Many positive voices

“For me, the programme was also about personal development. The opportunity to collaborate across cultures and explore how adult education can contribute to peace was incredibly enriching – especially because the AEA brings together people from countries that have stood on different sides of conflicts in the past, such as the former Yugoslavia or India and Pakistan.”
Paul Mackzum, student at Texas State University (USA)

“The most important thing for me was the people. The learners and professionals I met reminded me that what truly matters is not numbers, but stories – individuals striving towards their goals through education.
Ana Ugrekhelidze, DVV International

“I would like to sincerely thank everyone who makes this international network for adult and continuing education possible, thereby creating the space to further expand international exchange in this field.”
Prof. Mar Joanpere Foraster, Rovira i Virgili University (Spain)

“I am proud of our students and of the dedication and enthusiasm with which they immersed themselves in this international learning experience. For all of us, both academically and personally, it was an incredibly profound and enriching time.”
Prof. Miriam Roth Douglas, West Liberty University (USA)