Under the motto “Continuing Education in Transition: Needs, Structures and Perspectives in Saxony", stakeholders, institutions and interested parties involved in adult and continuing education will meet at the beginning of November to discuss current challenges and strategies in Saxony's continuing education sector.  

Continuing education has a variety of goals: earning additional qualifications while working, re-training on the way to a completely new career, or taking a leisure course to deepen one's own interests. At the same time, the continuing education market has always been a seismograph of societal processes of change and development, and is affected by permanent changes and pressure to adapt. Despite low public awareness, hardly any other field of the educational system reacts so sensitively to changes in society and the labor market.  

The constantly changing world of work, job requirements that are becoming more digital, and challenging situations such as the shortage of skilled workers are generating an increasing demand for continuing education, as well as for needs-based content that reflects current societal discourses: Just as Microsoft Office courses once replaced stenography training, broad cross-sectional topics are becoming increasingly relevant today, above all digitalization, sustainability or AI. Continuing education providers must respond to these developments. They are faced with the difficult task of recognizing such trends at an early stage and developing an up-to-date program. In the process, existing structures are under increasing pressure to become more flexible in order to respond to short-term needs.  

Against this backdrop, the State Forum on Continuing Education 2023 is addressing the transformation of Saxony's continuing education sector. The focus will be on these changed educational needs among the population and on changes in organizational structures. Two keynote speeches will focus on modernization activities among continuing education providers and the influence of artificial intelligence, while the six expert forums will address topics such as digital education certificates, the interlinking of vocational and general continuing education, sustainability strategies, and organizational development processes. In addition to providing scientific input, the State Forum on Continuing Education is thus also an opportunity for networking and sharing experiences for Saxony's continuing education providers. 

The State Forum on Continuing Education will take place on November 2, 2023 at the Saxon State Library – Dresden State and University Library (SLUB). The conference is conducted by the State Advisory Council for Adult Education of the Saxon State Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs in cooperation with the State Commission for Continuing Education in Saxony. This year's organizers are the Saxon Association of Adult Education and the Chair of Adult Education at TU Dresden. Participation is free of charge. The full program as well as information on how to register is available at www.tu-dresden.de/gsw/landesforum 

Contact:  
Prof. Dr. Sandra Bohlinger  
Chair of Adult Education 
TU Dresden 
Tel.: +49 351 463-31664 
Email:  

Robert Helbig 
Managing Director 
Sächsischer Volkshochschulverband e.V. 
Tel.: +49 371 35427-50 
Email: