Wide Selection Of Courses : Germany

The trade unions also have a large continuing education program. The adult education centers and the German Trade Union Federation (DGB; Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund) are linked in a working group called “Arbeit und Leben” (Work and Life). This provides workers with courses in economic and social affairs, works constitution, insurance and labor law, and much more. Works council members and other labor representatives can take courses at special DGB academies.

The churches, too, are active in the field of adult education. The Protestant Church maintains 15 academies where it holds seminars on topical issues. In the foreground of Catholic continuing education work are family and marriage issues as well as theological and cultural subjects.

Foundations closely allied to the political parties likewise have continuing education programs. These include the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (CDU), the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (SPD), the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FDP), the Hanns Seidel Foundation (CSU) and the Heinrich Boll Foundation (Alliance 90/The Greens).

Roughly 200 private distance-learning organizations also offer about 1,260 continuing education courses. In 1995 there were about 150,000 participants, including 22,000 from the new states, where the process of developing continuing education is in full swing.

The Federal Centre for Political Education issues publications and magazines providing reliable and well-researched information on political, economic and social affairs in Germany. It stocks films and videos on these topics and organizes conferences and seminars.