Slovak Adult Education Institutions Association
Slovak Adult Education Institutions Association (AIVD) is the non-governmental, apolitical, non-profit, voluntary organisation established on 12th March 1991 in Bratislava. Members of the AIVD are institutions (or their parts) of adult education and devoted individuals, who agree with the mission statement. We have now more then 120 members. AIVD is the publisher of the Journal of the Further Education (Slovak: Vzdelávanie dospelých).
MISSION OF THE ASSOCIATION
1. The mission of the Association is to associate institutions and individuals, which deal with continuing education of adults and to promote their common interests in accordance with needs of Slovakia;
a) to ensure the professional growth of its members and improvement of their services thus to contribute to improving quality of adult education,
b) to submit proposals and to cooperate with public/state authorities in the preparation and implementation of legislative, organizational and financial measures in the field of adult education,
c) to cooperate purposefully with similar domestic and international institutions, to coordinate collaboration and support the dissemination of information, to exchange knowledge and experience,
g) to pursue editorial and publishing activities on a national level, publish periodicals and non- periodical publications including own magazine and promote up-to-date knowledge,
The AIVD members follow the code of ethics, which establishes the basic rights and obligations of the Association members in relation to the clients, educational institutions and other AIVD members, and determines regulations for the Association members' activities. From obligations of the AIVD members the following has arisen:
- they offer and provide only such services that are in compliance with their competence, knowledge, experience and possible influence on their contractors (e.g. lecturers, renters of classrooms);
- before signing up an agreement they inform clients of the objectives, extent and duration of educational undertakings, availability and qualifications of the lecturers for particular educational undertakings, knowledge and skills of the audience that are substantial requirements for successful passing and leaving of educational undertakings, and whether educational aids are included in the price for the educational undertaking as well as of the estimated price and=a way of its determination;
- the AIVD members are obliged to keep confidentiality of all information they gained in connection with development and execution of educational activities for the clients, only clients are authorised to exempt them from this obligation.
ACTIVITIES OF THE ASSOCIATION
The Association organises professional undertakings on special subjects for its members to focus on problem topics in the area of further education of adults. Lately the most positive response has been received at the seminars oriented to:
- strategy of further education for the 21st Century;
- occupation standards and education standards;
- marketing and management in further education;
- professional qualifications in further education;
- education quality standards.
EDITORIAL ACTIVITIES
- expert opinions exchange and experience exchange;
- wide communication between the theory and practice;
- theoretical reflection of the present level of further education and prospects in development of further education of adults;
- information about new trends in further education area.
The Association offers the lecturers the opportunity to increase their professional qualifications at the lecturer certified course. The course professional managing and co-ordinating institutions are The Centre for Open and Distance Education of the Palacky University in Brno and the Department of Further Education (androgogics) of the Philosophical Faculty, Comenius University in Bratislava. A certificate is valid in both, the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic.
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
The Association plans to further develop its activities in the areas supporting expert and professional levels of its members and further education quality in Slovakia. In addition to the above mentioned activities the Association plans to focus in:
- methodical aid for educational institutions, issuing of methodical guidelines;
- accreditation of educational institutions;
- co-operation with European educational institutions and achieving membership at international organisations;
- organising study stays in abroad;
- training and information about assistance programmes in EU;
- legislation problems and funding of further education;
- creation of the effective system on co-operation and exchange of information on the AIVD members' activities.
THE ASSOCIATION BODIES
- General Assembly of the Members
- Executive Committee
- Auditing Commission.
is the top Association body. It decides upon all the Association's matters arising from the general terms of regulations and memorandum of AIVD association. The executive committee calls the session of the General Assembly minimally once a year.
is the statutory and managing body of the Association. It accounts for its actions to the General Assembly of the Members. At the head of the Executive Committee is the President of AIVD who is elected by the General Assembly of the Members. President of Association is authorised to act on behalf of the Association at all its matters.
THE AUDITING COMMISSION is the inspection and control body of the Association. It submits its reports and findings to the Executive Committee and General Assembly.
CONTACTS
e-mail Journal Vzdelávanie dospelých ( Further Education) : casopis@aivd.sk