Advanced Diploma in Education Policies for Young People and Adults

The Diploma in Policies for Youth and Adult Education (EPJA) is the result of collaborative work between CLACSO and CLADE. It is presented as a space for critical, practical, and reflective training, designed to address the challenges and opportunities facing Youth and Adult Education (EPJA) in Latin America and the Caribbean. We seek to strengthen the capacities of public officials, specialists, researchers, activists, and decision-makers through the analysis of current public policies in different countries and the strengthening of these policies and their practices, with the aim of enhancing public offerings in EPJA in our region.

The academic program is structured around three modules that explore the theoretical and conceptual foundations of Adult and Youth Education (EPJA), as well as the experiences and challenges in implementing inclusive and equitable policies through case studies. Special attention will be given to the diversity of contexts and populations, promoting intercultural dialogue in the development of proposals within the socio-community sphere.

Through a participatory and collaborative pedagogical approach, participants will have the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences that contribute to strengthening EPJA in their respective contexts and areas of management.

This diploma program aims to strengthen the commitment to defending the human right to lifelong learning, empowering participants to promote public policies that guarantee social justice. We invite all those interested in building a more inclusive, democratic, and transformative adult education system to join this space for learning and collective reflection.

The Diploma in Policies for Youth and Adult Education (EPJA), offered by CLACSO and CLADE, is designed for public officials from ministries of education and other ministries or institutions working in the fields of youth and adult education, literacy, and non-formal education. It is also open to civil society organizations, teachers, and researchers involved in the development and/or implementation of education policies for young people and adults. The program is based on the need to strengthen the capacity of states to guarantee the right to lifelong learning, with an intersectional approach.

Key points of its rationale:

Recognition of adult education as a human right: The aim is to promote the understanding of adult education as a fundamental right, essential for individual and collective development. This implies moving beyond the traditional view of adult education as mere educational compensation, and recognizing its intrinsic value as a space for learning and social transformation.

Capacity development: Strengthening capacities to analyze the context of adult education, identifying convergences between the needs and demands of educational subjects. Designing and implementing innovative and relevant adult education programs and projects, as well as evaluating the impact of adult education policies and programs.

Strengthening public policies: This diploma program aims to provide participants with the necessary tools and knowledge to design, implement, and evaluate public policies for adult education. It emphasizes the importance of inclusive and equitable policies that respond to the needs and demands of the diverse student population within the adult education system.

Promoting inclusion and equity: Adult and Youth Education (EPJA) is conceived as a key instrument for combating inequality, asymmetries, and social exclusion. The diploma program seeks to promote policies that guarantee access to education for young people and adults in vulnerable situations, such as women, indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, and people deprived of their liberty.

Promoting citizen participation: The aim is to promote the role of civil society in defining and managing adult education policies. This involves strengthening mechanisms for dialogue and consultation between the State and social organizations.

General Purpose

To provide a professional development program for public officials from Ministries of Education and other ministries or institutions working in the field of Youth and Adult Education, Literacy, Non-Formal Education, etc. Additionally, to civil society organizations, teachers, and researchers involved in the development and/or implementation of education policies for young people and adults, especially in light of the Marrakech Framework for Action (MFA), an instrument that has guided work in this field since 1949. 

Specific objectives

• Understanding the theoretical and conceptual frameworks that underpin EPJA policies, as well as the social, economic, and cultural factors that influence their formulation.
• Develop the ability to critically analyze existing EPJA policies by taking into account case studies, identifying their strengths, weaknesses and possibilities for improvement.
• Strengthening capacities to design innovative and relevant public policies that respond to the needs and demands of young people and adults, considering the diversity of contexts and populations, promoting the inclusion of vulnerable groups.
• To understand the processes of implementing EPJA policies, as well as the monitoring and evaluation mechanisms considering international frameworks such as MAM, Agenda 2030, among others.

The program consists of 10 weekly classes, each taught consecutively and linked to the others. 

The modules that comprise the Higher Diploma are:

Module 1: Sustainability of EPJA: MAM, teacher training and financing

• Point zero. Marrakech Framework for Action (MFA), key to understanding public policies in EPJA.
• Eyes on the horizon. Challenges of teacher training for adult education that we need
• Commitment from the pocketbook. Financing Adult Education and its facets
• Polishing Violet Lenses. Gender and EPJA

Module 2: Case studies and experiences

• Looking at the practice. Opportunities in public management EPJA: The Chilean case (part 1)
• Looking at the practice. Opportunities in public management EPJA: The Chilean case (part 2)
• Looking at the practice. Opportunities for intercultural integration in public management EPJA: The case of Guatemala
• Looking at the practice. Opportunities in public management EPJA: The case of Brazil

Module 3: Intersectionality and Incidence

• Building bridges. Technical working groups for monitoring EPJA
• Regional convergences. Impact of regional spaces and the 2030 Agenda for monitoring SDG4 and MAM

• Raul Valdes (UIL – UNESCO)
• Francisco Cantamutto (CONICET, Argentina)
• Agostina Costantino (CONICET, Argentina)  
• María Eugenia Letelier (National Coordinator of the area of ​​educational trajectories and lifelong learning of the Ministry of Education of Chile)
• Rosy Zúñiga (CEAAL Coordinator)
• María Cianci Bastidas (CLADE)
• Nelsy Lizarazo Castro (CLADE)

Classes will be held synchronously on Tuesdays from 9 to 11 a.m. Ecuador time. The sessions will be recorded for those who cannot attend.

Each class will be accompanied by essential and supplementary readings, which will serve as the basis for discussions, reflections, and individual, group, and collective projects in forums and other resources and tools available in the virtual classroom. All activities will be supported by the tutoring team.

CLACSO and CLADE, with the support of UNESCO, will award 70 full tuition scholarships These courses are aimed at public officials from ministries of education and other ministries or institutions working in the field of youth and adult education, literacy, non-formal education, etc. They are also aimed at civil society organizations, teachers, and researchers involved in the development and/or implementation of education policies for young people and adults.

Requirements for the application:

• Participants will be selected by an evaluation committee appointed by the convening organizations. Applications will be submitted through the CLACSO website.
• The candidates must:

1- Complete your personal details.
2- Complete a letter of interest.

• The available scholarships will be allocated respecting regional diversity and gender equity.
• An Academic Committee will review the applications and award the scholarships; the decision cannot be appealed. The results will be announced by CLACSO.
• This call for applications will remain open. until April 21.