1. Introduction

We want to present you the topics of the “Danube-Networkers for Europe (DANET) e.V.” Newsletter. You are invited to read a background article regarding older adult education, and messages from Danube Region countries: Germany, Hungary, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia and Bulgaria. You will find inspirational practices and interesting links. DANET presents itself at Berlin Conference and at Danube Conference on Culture in Ruse.
We wish you a wonderful spring and a pleasant reading!

2. Background article

Dušana Findeisen, Ph.D., Slovenian Third Age University, National Association for Education and Social Inclusion

Shall we professionalize older adult education?

Abstract: Society has changed and so have older adult education and older adult educators’ competencies. The author discusses the concept of competence arguing that skills, knowledge and attitude get united in a competence on condition they are related to performance in real professional contexts. When in tune with changes, competencies are not stable. The author goes on discussing relations between older adult learners, older adult educators, society and culture that shape older adult educators’ competencies. Since one of the dilemmas in older adult education is the relationship between disciplinary knowledge and professional knowledge, she is concerned with the issue of professionalism and professional competencies as well as the process of professionalization in older adult education.

Key words: professional competency, professionalism, skills, knowledge, attitude, older adult educator, older adult education, culture, older adult education programme

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3. Inspirational practices

3.1. Danube-Networkers’ action “Christmas Packages along the Danube”

In the frame of the international project “Tastes of Danube. Bread.Wine.Herbs” the Danube-Networkers started in the beginning of November 2016 a new common activity related to Christmas and the New Year, promoting international contacts.

Idea: Each participating partner organization prepare three nicely packed Christmas boxes and send them to three partners living in different Danube countries per post.

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3.2 Old age without borders, a virtual conference e-World universities 50+

In the framework of this conference are produced webinars with professionals and researchers coming from most different countries. You can learn a lot, you can get a lot of information, you can do a lot, together. With those who enroll cooperate professionals and researchers. Topics are topics that concern older people: health, well being, new technology, innovations, entrepreneurship, the role of international institutions, like UNESCO, Encore org. Retirement, long term care, travelling, accommodation, finances, mobility, activism, and ageism, spirituality.

http://agewithoutborders.net/#speakers.

4. Danube-Networkers presents itself at conferences

4.1 The 4th Danube Conference on Culture in Ruse, Bulgaria

The Danube Conferences on Culture series is the annual platform for the creation a vivid cultural network in the Danube Region, which has been initiated by the State of Baden-Württemberg related to the EU Danube Strategy. The conferences were held in Ulm, Germany (2013), Novi Sad, Serbia (2014), Timişoara, Romania (2015) and Ruse, Bulgaria (2016) in successful cooperation with these municipalities.

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4.2 Erasmus + festive event in Berlin for Europe’s largest educational program

30 years of European cooperation in education were honored at a festive event in the Berlin Congress Center on 24 January 2017. Among the prominent guests were Tibor Navracsics, EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Prof. Dr. Johanna Wanka, Federal Minister for Education and Research, Manuela Schwesig, Federal Minister for Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Dr. Susanne Eisenmann, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport of the State of Baden-Württemberg and President of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs.

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5. Important links

Roma Inclusion Conference

The European Danube Academy (EDA) and its partners – the Council of Danube Cities and Regions (CDCR), the Andrássy-University, the city of Budapest and the federal state of Baden-Württemberg – would like to kindly invite you to the „Roma Inclusion Conference“ from 06^th to 08^th April 2017, taking place at the Andrássy-University in Budapest, Hungary.

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6. Messages from Danube countries

6.1 Germany: The new project „Open Door for Danube Countries for All“ (ODDA) (2017)

Background: The pilot project Open Doors for Danube Countries for All (ODDA) builds on experiences from the previous work and projects of the network Danube Networkers. Experiences from cross-national projects have shown that many people are reserved when it comes to programs that include international meetings or travel to the West or the East. This applies especially to people with low education, but also to people, who have large knowledge about their own culture. This reserve comes from the lack of knowledge of languages – the other national languages or English, the lack of experience with the cultures of the Danube neighbours and the resulting fear of getting into difficult situations.

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6.2 Germany: New Danube-Networkers project „Tastes of Danube: Bread Connects“ (2017/2018)

“Bread connects” is a follow-up project of the very successful project “Tastes-of-Danube.Bread.Wine.Herbs” (www.tastes-of-danube.eu). “Bread connects” is going on for two years including a lot of activities on local level in the different regions of all Danube-countries involved and with some transnational main activities. The project will be realised with numerous partners, in close cooperation with the international Association “Danube-Networkers for Europe (DANET) e.V. It .is mainly financed by the State Ministry of Baden-Württemberg , Germany, with support of other sponsors.

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6.3 Germany and Hungary: Roma Inclusion Conference

Roma Inclusion Conference

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6.4 Austria: Call for picture competition referring to the topic “What do Four Freedoms of the EU mean to you?”

Foster Europe, Foundation for strong European Regions within a project Debate on the Future of the Four Freedoms of the European Union – EU3doms is organizing a picture competition for pupils and students.

What are the 4 Freedoms?

Free movement of people: e.g. mobility of employees, students

Free movement of services: e.g. mobility of self-employed persons to provide services abroad

Free movement of goods and capital: e.g. elimination of customs duties and quantitative restrictions.

The guidelines for the competition are uploaded to the DCSF website. Please follow this link: http://dcsf.danubestrategy.eu/news/guidelines-competitions-eu3doms .

6.5 Croatia: 110 years of Open University Zagreb

In 2017, the Public Open University Zagreb is celebrating 110 years of continual work. In 1907, the assistant professor of the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Zagreb, dr. Albert Bazala (1877-1947) founded the Public Open University Zagreb as an extension of the University of Zagreb. “The conditions of our time”, Bazala wrote, “are such that only an educated an enlightened man may rightly fulfill them.” This formed the base of the Croatian adult education system 110 years ago under the slogan of Stjepan Radić „education towards freedom“. Radić was political scientist who graduated at École libre des sciences politiques in Paris and the most popular politican at the time. Bazala went to Vienna which already has a rich experience in vocational and general education to study various forms of public education, especially the two most important institutes – Volksheim and Volksbildungshaus and he wrote an interesting report about this experience.

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6.6 Slovenia: Education of older people addresses up to three decades of human life

Promoting Third Age Education in the 50+ P3AE is a, ERASMUS+ KA2 project project co-founded by European Union and coordinated by LatConsul, RIGA. By and large older adult education seems to be less developed in the Nordic European countries: Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Baltic countries etc. The EUROSTAT researchers’ finding was that “in this area the North of Europe should be learning from the South of Europe”. Nevertheless the P3AE project opens the doors to equal exchange for all partners. In a true project, exchange is the most important act. It is never too early to learn from each other.

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6.7: Bulgaria: The attractive life of one Bulgarian Pensioneers’ organisation

Introduction

The Union of Pensioners’2004 is a national organization in Bulgaria. The regional organization of Ruse (UP-Ruse), with Yordan Kazakov – chairperson, boasts over 7000 members, organized in 78 clubs in Ruse and the towns and villages in Ruse region (http://www.pension-bg.org/).

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