Sumy City Council and NGO Lifelong Learning Centre took part in the Regional Conference on Adult Learning and Education in Chișinău

Representatives of Sumy City Council, together with the NGO Lifelong Learning Centre, took part in the Regional Conference “Adult Learning and Education (ALE) as a Responsibility of Local Authorities”, held in Chișinău (Republic of Moldova) on 16–17 September 2025. The event was organized by DVV International in cooperation with the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) and Chișinău City Hall.

Vlada Usyk, head of the sector of strategic planning at Sumy City Council, presented the city’s strategic priorities in advancing lifelong learning and highlighted the importance of integrating adult education into local development policies. Her participation marked another important step in implementing Sumy’s Lifelong Learning Strategy and expanding the city’s international cooperation within UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities.

Dr. Hanna Shvindina, Associate Professor at AUK and CEO of the Lifelong Learning Centre, contributed as a strategic expert and local specialist in UNESCO’s ALE initiatives. She emphasized the importance of strategic planning and networking in building sustainable frameworks for adult learning, helping municipalities to develop effective models and strengthen partnerships with international institutions.

The conference brought together 58 participants from Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, as well as international experts from Germany and Austria. Discussions focused on the role of municipalities in promoting lifelong learning, integrating ALE into local strategies, and creating “third spaces” for education and community interaction.

Experiences from Learning Cities such as Lviv (Ukraine), Chișinău (Moldova), and Dresden (Germany) were shared, while the Ukrainian delegation—supported by UNESCO’s Kyiv office—engaged in a dedicated workshop on advancing ALE strategies in Ukrainian municipalities.

The active involvement of Sumy City Council, together with academic and NGO partners, demonstrates the city’s consistent commitment to embedding lifelong learning into local governance and adopting the best European practices. This joint effort contributes to positioning Sumy as a progressive city within the UNESCO Learning Cities network.

More about it at https://www.dvv-international.org.ua/news/detail/adult-learning-and-education-ale-in-moldova-the-national-conference-took-place-in-chisinau