Adult education and vocational continuing education in the German-speaking Community are central pillars for individual development and the region’s economic competitiveness. They give people of all ages the opportunity to advance professionally and personally and to participate actively in social life.

The following subchapters will:

• describe how responsibilities for adult education and continuing vocational training are distributed between central and local authorities, outlining the main bodies responsible for organizing and/or intervening in the various areas of adult education and continuing vocational training (Distribution of responsibilities);
• take a look at the history of adult education as well as current developments (Developments and current policy priorities);
• present the main providers (Main providers); 
• present the different types of training (Main types of provision); 

• explain the system for validating competencies acquired through non-formal and informal learning in the German-speaking Community (Validation of non-formal and informal learning)

  The continuing education counselling service (Ostbelgien Bildung - Weiterbildungsberatung und Beratung zur beruflichen Entwicklung) at the Ministry of the German-speaking Community and its associated continuing education portal (Ostbelgien Bildung - Mit Weiterbildung zum Ziel) inform and guide adults in their search for suitable further training.