The professional development of people working in education and training is one of the vital measures to improve quality of learning at all levels. Therefore, in order to achieve a high quality and effective adult education system in accordance with European standards, we intended to support our staff to maintain their professional development, develop new knowledge and to be innovative through their reflective practice and research. Thus, by implementing this project, we contributed to achievement of the main objectives of our European Development Plan: - Improving the professional and personal skills, including the key competences of the staff - Increasing the quality of the trainings - Providing adults access to high quality education - Professionalization and internationalization of the institution and staff Implementing this project, helped us to acquire new knowledge, skills and experiences in the areas of teaching, counselling and guidance, programme planning, and ICT use; as well as to establish a continuous professional development system. In addition, we ensured not only teaching, but also focusing on the concept of broader learning, paying attention to the welfare, motivation and transformation of the individual.
The participation rate of adults in the European Union in lifelong learning programs is trending upwards, but it is still far from what it should be. The place occupied by Romania and the capabilities of our association gave us the motivation to create a long-term plan for the development of the skills of adults. This project aimed at improving the key competences of adult education professionals and increasing the quality of adult education at European level since adult education staff plays an important role in lifelong learning. Adult education professionals help learners to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes throughout their lives. By this approach, we made a vital contribution to welfare and social cohesion in Europe. The staff selected from different education fields participated in training in European countries and learned methods and tools that make the adult education more accessible and engaging. Taking part in training courses in Spain, Poland, Slovenia and Bulgaria, they improved the quality of professional knowledge and skills, exchanged practices with their counterparts, while collecting information on the adult education of the visited country.