In the period 1 – 2 June 2023, a study visit to Spain was successfully carried out within the current cycle of EPALE project. Members of National Support Services (NSS) EPALE from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia participated in the two-day study visit.
On behalf of Bosnian and Herzegovinian delegation, representatives of the Agency for Pre-primary, Primary and Secondary Education: the Agency’s director, Mrs. Maja Stojkić, the deputy director and national coordinator of EPALE in B&H, Mr. Siniša Gatarić, and members of the NSS EPALE team, Mr. Dragan Pinjuh and Ms. Daria Mršić participated in the joint study visit.
On the first day of the study visit, in the premises of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Education of the Kingdom of Spain with its seat in the city of Madrid, the representatives of the Ministry and the National Support Service of EPALE Spain warmly welcomed the delegations from B&H and Croatia and presented the education system in Spain through an extensive presentation.
The morning session was followed by a visit to the city of Toledo. During this visit, members of the EPALE delegations from B&H and Croatia had the opportunity to visit the IES University of Labour in Toledo, as well as the Center for Adult Education “Gustavo Adolfo Beker”, where they learned more from representatives of both institutions about their work, curriculum and challenges they are facing in their work with adult students.
On the second day of the visit, a meeting was held in the premises of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Education in Madrid. The meeting started with the presentation by members of the National Support Service of EPALE Spain, during which all participants had the opportunity to learn more about the activities of the NSS EPALE team from Spain. Then, members of the NSS EPALE Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia teams presented examples of good practices from their countries, as well as goals, challenges and activities implemented within the current EPALE cycle. Additionally, both NSS B&H and NSS Croatia shared with the hosts of the meeting many examples of good practices from the seven-year cooperation of EPALE NSSs from Southeast European countries.
The EPALE study visit resulted in the exchange of experiences and knowledge among the EPALE NSSs from Spain, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina and opened new doors for future cooperation at the international level.