History

Although the project officially commenced in October 2003, the idea behind it came from a Grundtvig Training Programme for transnational project managers held in Estonia in June 2002.

The partners from Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Ireland and United Kingdom were all participants at this event and the Bulgarian and Swedish partners were already working with the UK partner in a Grundtvig Learning Partnership - " Methods of Overcoming Social Exclusion by Learning "

The ASSET partnership can draw on a rich vein of experience across adult education as it includes a range of providers, including a folk high school, Non-Governmental Organisations, a private adult school, a university, a local authority and a further education college.

All of the partners have however one thing in common - the desire to establish a first class adult education service across Europe . It is hoped that the ASSET tool-kit will make a meaningful contribution to achieving this desire.

All the participants acknowledge that the process of working in this project has been immensely rewarding at both a professional and personal level. We have all learned a great deal about each other's adult education systems, professional standards and culture, there has been genuine and useful transfer of knowledge, a steep learning curve for or all of us in project management and the development of wide-ranging and dynamic networking opportunities across Europe which has been a benefit to both our organisations and to ourselves.

We would like to thank the following people and organisations for their invaluable advice, help and input into the ASSET project: Ann Ekelius Örnblom, Anna Babanova, Ann-Marie Jansson, Bairbre Fleming, Barbara Westergren, Ben Yates, Birgit Lao, British Council, Carol Williamson, Christian Kloyber, Constantinos Korikis , Darina Dimitrova , Dobromir Semkov , Evangelia Avraam , Helen Deacon , Irmgard Stieglmayer , Iro Chamakioti , Jane Lundvik, Jaroslav Marousek, Kalev Kukk , Karin Albrecht , Külliki Steinberg , Lucie Tlamichova, Margot Fallon, Martina Hoare, Maud Hållén, Mike Cotton, Sheila Purcell, Staff of the UCD Adult Education Centre, Svenska programkontoret, Teti Kaloskami , Tony Downes, Vaclav Sneberger, Victoria Voudouraki , Virzhiniya Tasheva-Petkova , Vivi Sten, Yvonne Hutton.