At the end of November, the Department of Educational Sciences organised an expert consultation to celebrate the 50th anniversary of andragogy at the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana. Many national (and foreign) experts who have made a significant contribution to its development in Slovenia were invited to participate in the event.
The consultation was opened with a welcoming address by Dr Mojca Schlamberger Brezar, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, and Teja Dolgan, Head of the ALE Sector at the Ministry of Education. They highlighted some chronological cues of the development of andragogy and ALE in Slovenia.
The first part of the consultation covered the development of andragogy
In the first part of the consultation, colleagues from three Slovenian universities presented the development of andragogy at their home faculties. A historical overview was given to highlight the development of andragogy in Slovenia. They also discussed the programmatic and terminological renaming of the andragogy course at the Faculty of Education of the University of Primorska. The Master’s degree programme in Adult Education and Career Development has only recently been renamed the Andragogy programme.
At the University of Maribor, however, the field of andragogy was retained at the Faculty of Arts under different subject names.
The event evoked many fond memories and gratitude towards those who paved the way and shaped our academic and professional paths, as well as about ALE’s position in the system and society, and what it should be. However, the bottom line is that such professional meetings are always valuable. Andragogy is a wonderful discipline which, whether it looks like it today or not, has a beautiful future.
Influencers on the initial steps
A round table followed in which prominent Slovenian andragogues Dr Ana Krajnc, Dr Zoran Jelenc, Dr Janko Muršak, Dr Sonja Kump, and Dr Vida Mohorčič Špolar participated. They presented their experiences and the impact they had on andragogy through their professional work. The moderator, Dr Nives Ličen, also recalled other influencers who have left their mark.
She highlighted the role of Dr Sabina Jelenc Krašovec, who also had a significant influence on my studies and professional development. We listened to stories about the first breakthroughs in the development of andragogy in Slovenia and the establishment of the study programme at the Faculty of Arts. The participants touched upon the terminological (re)naming and the vital influence of industrial andragogy on the development of this field in Slovenia. They did not avoid the currently very topical issue – the integration of artificial intelligence in ALE.
At the end, it was clear that Dr Ana Krajnc was the one who united all the andragogues mentioned above. In the 1970s, she laid the foundations for the study of andragogy in Slovenia and continued its development. She is also connected to the other participants of the round table. Some of them were initially her students and later lecturers at the Department of Educational Sciences.
The meeting of andragogues on the occasion of a high anniversary is also a time to look ahead. Younger generations are entering the profession and will continue the work of the pioneers. Andragogy is in the midst of turbulence, as is life in its broadest sense. Therefore, the field of terminology is the first one that would require additional attention and collaboration from all. Many questions have arisen, which are reflected in conceptual inconsistencies. It is time for the profession to become more unified again.
I wish that in the future, there would be (even) more done in the field of andragogy studies – more information and awareness-raising about the study programme, more integration with other fields of study, professional fields and the job market.
Practical training should be organised from the first year of undergraduate studies onwards, and the study of andragogy should also be organised at the first cycle of the Bologna degree. I am a mentor for practical training to a number of students of the Master’s Degree in Andragogy. I am also involved in the University of Ljubljana Alumni project to shed light on the work of an andragogue. This connected me with a second-year undergraduate student from another discipline who first heard about andragogy (and ALE) when we met, despite the fact that she is studying at the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ljubljana.
As I sat up there in the large lecture hall no. 18, I admired my former professors reminiscing about their collaboration for the good of andragogy. They still have a lot of charisma.
It was a special day for me; for a moment, I returned to my years of studying andragogy. Meeting my classmates and other colleagues brightened up the afternoon and evening. I look forward to more such professional events in the future.
Neda Đorđević (neda.dordevic@acs.si), SIAE
