51th Salzburg Talks for Principals in Adult Education

Citizenship in a Globalized Society. Challenges for Adult Education?

Since at least the mid-80s, a phenomenon of increasing globalization has been observed worldwide on different levels. We understand globalization as phenomena of the loss of power of nation states as well as a coming together of world regions that previously appeared to be widely separated, or the change from firmly established territories to networks guided by interests. However, globalization also means redefining political space and democratic participative structures. Current trends lead away from basic democratic ideals in the direction of governance and expert decisions.
Globalization, which is often spurred on by the forces of the market, has created a completely new terrain, for adult education.
What does this mean for emancipatory education, for citizenship, for education and training as well as for adult education altogether?
The 2008 Salzburg Talks are dedicated to the analysis of globalization phenomena in terms of their relevance to adult education, and is particularly interested in ex-amples of projects and reports.
We invite the submission of lectures/reports on the following (and similar) topics:
-Policy analyses (commentaries on educational policy papers e.g. of the EU, UNESCO, OECD, country reports)
-New chances for supranational cooperation/networking. Coming together versus the loss of regionality?
-Social theoretical contributions (diagnosis, empiricism)
-Reports from the field: e.g. citizenship, political education, languages, global changes (e.g. climate change, health)
-Experiences with global comparability (EQF, NQF etc.)

The following schedule is planned for the 2008 Salzburg Talks:

Sunday, July 6
8 p.m.: Opening of the 51st Salzburg Talks
Opening by the Association of Austrian Adult Education Centres (VÖV)
“The Current Situation of Adult Education in Austria”
Wilhelm Filla, Secretary General of VÖV, Vienna

Monday, July 7 Morning, keynote speech:
"Globalisation, internationalisation, localisation: what prospects for active citizenship and adult learning"
John Field, University of Stirling (UK), Director of Division of Aca-demic Innovation and Continuing Education (DAICE), Deputy Principal and Co-Director of the Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning
Afternoon: Participants present papers on the theme of the Talks in parallel sub-groups/panels. It is possible to change sub-groups/panels during breaks.
Evening: 7 p.m. Panel discussion with members of the media and par-ticipants of the Talks on the topic of “What characterizes the new global citizen?”

Tuesday, July 8
Morning:
Participants present papers on the theme of the Talks in parallel sub-groups/panels It is possible to change sub-groups/panels during breaks.
Afternoon: Participants present papers on the theme of the Talks in par-allel sub-groups/panels
Late afternoon/evening: Trip to the City of Salzburg

Wednesday, July 9
Morning: Individual country reports – short contributions by participants
Afternoon: Excursion – boat trip on Wolfgangsee Lake and visit to the Federal Institute for Adult Education.

Thursday, July 10
Morning: “The European Qualification Framework - Chances and Challenges for Adult Education”
Eva Cendon, Danube University Krems, Department for Continuing Edu-cation Research and Educational Management
Afternoon: Participants present papers on the theme of the Talks in par-allel sub-groups/panels; conclusion of the Talks
Evening: Social gathering with music

Friday, July 11 Morning: Departure

Languages

The conference languages are German and English. Simultaneous interpreting and consecutive interpreting (in the sub-groups) will be provided. Participants are expected to be able to actively contribute in either German or English.

Procedure

The “Salzburg Talks” attach great importance to the exchange of ideas and to discussions concerning the theme of this annual international conference. Apart from the contributions of the keynote speak-ers, who are found and engaged by the organizers, the conference is marked by the great number of international contributions on the topic by the participants themselves.
Those of you who wish to make a contribution on the theme of the Talks or on some aspect connected with it, please indicate that on the application form and give us some idea of the content as well as the title for the detailed programme. We would like to ask you to send an abstract to the conference office by the end of May.
Participants’ contributions shall deal with theoretical aspects, as well as practical experiences, models and ideas of adult education related to the theme of the Talks. Optional country reports do not have to be linked to the theme of the Talks. Interesting topics concerning adult education in the respective countries are welcome.

Participants

The “Salzburg Talks” are attended by leading experts in adult education from Europe and outside Europe who are interested in the topic of the Salzburg Talks and who want to take part in discussions, present papers or simply wish to exchange opinions on an international level. A total of 50 participants can be accepted.

Please note: Individual support by EU Participants working in adult education are entitled to apply for grants within the fra-mework of the EU programme on LIFELONG LEARNING/Grundtvig (grants for further vocational training). Application has to be made through the respective national agencies (see http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/llp/grundtvig/national_en.html). All 27 member states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Turkey are enti-tled to take part in this programme.

Please enquire whether a cultural agreement between your country and Austria ex-ists and take advantage of the opportunity of getting a grant.

Costs

The conference fee is € 155 including the excursion. The remainder of the costs for the preparation, organisation and staging of the Salzburg Talks, incl. translation/interpretation and reporting, are borne by the Association of Austrian Adult Education Centres.

Accommodation is to be settled directly with the hotels (see registration form). The flat sum (for drinks served during breaks, lunch buffet and drinks, full dinner and all recreational facilities) is to be paid directly at Gasthof Gastagwirt.
Participants are charged € 430 for accommodation at Gasthof Ga-stagwirt, € 420 for accommodation at Hotel Santner and € 475 for ac-commodation at Gschirnwirt.

Registration

For your registration, please use the enclosed registration form and forward it to the Verband Österreichischer Volkshochschulen. The deadline for registration is April 30, 2008.
Your registration will be confirmed within two weeks. You will also receive a copy of the final programme, together with any additional information required, in June.

Registration Form

Chairing the Talks/Preparation Team

Elisabeth Brugger
Chairperson of the Educational Committee of the Association of Austrian Adult Education Centres, Educational Consultant of the Vienna Adult Education Centres, Vienna

Hannes Galter
Director of the “Austrian Urania for Styria”

Nicole Slupetzky
Educational director and deputy director of the Salzburg Adult Education Centre

Walter Schuster
Director of the Brigittenau Adult Education Centre (Vienna)

Stefan Vater Educational consultant of the Educational Work and Research Unit of the Association of Austrian Adult Education Centres, Vienna

Time and location

Start:

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Opening 8 p.m.

End:

Thursday, July 11, 2008 (Departure)

Place:

Gasthof Gastagwirt (4*) / Alte Wiener Straße 37 / A 5301 Eugendorf bei Salzburg /

tel.: +43/(0)6225/8231 / fax.: +43/(0)6225/8231-49 / e-mail: office@gastagwirt.at / Internet: http://www.gastagwirt.at

Registration at the conference office

Association of Austrian Adult Education Centres
Weintraubengasse 13
A 1020 Vienna
tel.: +43/(0)1/216 42 26
fax.:+43/(0)1/214 38 91
e-mail: voev@vhs.or.at
Internet: http://www.vhs.or.at