Counting What Doesn’t Count: Why Erasmus+’s democratic participation numbers are bigger than they look

‘If participation is a priority, adult education is one of its strongest entry points. Adults have the experience, motivation and opportunity to translate learning into civic action’ – Christopher Radovici, Research & Resource Coordinator at SALTO PI

From the 10–12 of June 2026, SALTO Participation & Information took part in the annual meeting of the Research-based Impact Analysis of Erasmus+ Adult Education Programmes RIA-AE Network in Riga, Latvia.

The event brought together around 50 participants from 21 partner countries, alongside representatives of National Agencies and research institutions working to strengthen the evidence base for adult education across Europe.

SALTO PI is a strategic partner in the RIA-AE Network, and this year’s focus connected directly to the Participation Priority: the impact of Erasmus+ on “Participation in democratic life, common values and civic engagement.”

WHY RIA-AE MATTERS

The impact of Erasmus+ on adult learners has been less researched so far, and little is known about the impact of the Erasmus+ programme on the environment and socio-economic resilience of adult learners. The Research-based Impact Analysis of Erasmus+ Adult Education Programmes Network, known as RIA-AE, was created to strengthen the evidence base on the impact of Erasmus+ in adult education.

Its mission is guided by two ideas: “Adult education matters” and “To explore the unexplored.”

The RIA-AE Network responds to this by bringing together Erasmus+ National Agencies and research institutions to better understand how international cooperation and mobility affect adult learners, staff and organisations.

The Riga meeting focused on refining the European synthesis report, discussing policy pointers, reviewing lessons from the second survey round, and preparing for the third round. Participants also discussed changes to monitor expectations from the European Commission and developed a joint dissemination strategy to strengthen the reach and impact of the network’s results.

Beyond the formal agenda, the meeting created space to compare national contexts, discuss shared challenges, and build trust across the network. This is especially important in adult education, where impact is often complex and long-term. Changes may appear through learner confidence, educator practice, organisational learning, stronger partnerships, or increased civic engagement.

Key Learnings from SALTO PI

One of the strongest reflections from the discussion was the recognition that Adult Education should be considered a primary target group within the Participation priority.

Adult learners are already active members of society, with established roles in their communities, workplaces and civic life, making them uniquely positioned to translate learning experiences into meaningful democratic participation and engagement in decision-making processes.

The approach presented by the Italian researcher offered a compelling perspective on participation in democratic life, framing it as a lifelong educational process. Their locally rooted adult education ecosystem shows how diverse actors, from formal education institutions to social enterprises, cultural organisations and civic associations, can work together to support a coherent progression from inclusion, to empowerment, to active participation, reinforcing both democratic engagement and community resilience.

The research showed that many Erasmus+ adult education projects address the Participation Priority indirectly.

In general, adult education organisations tend to approach the participation priority through practical means. This includes using learning processes, community engagement, intercultural dialogue, skill-building, etc., rather than relying on direct political or civic activism.

For us, the network meetings brought in meaningful insights regarding how we can better support projects addressing the priority in adult education, especially by linking their efforts to broader European policies and initiatives.

Another takeaway from these days is that the participation priority should be better reflected in the new programme, primarily through dedicated application forms and final reports.

For SALTO PI, this suggests two next steps: help projects link their work more explicitly to participatory and deliberative democracy structures (local, national, European) and to core EU rights instruments (the EU Treaty, the Charter of Fundamental Rights); and improve how the Participation priority is captured across the project cycle, including in the application form and final report.

Moving Forward

‘Adult education field historically has been shaped by the resistance movements and activists building democracy, from “reading the world” to organizing for a positive social change.

In the light of the declining democracy worldwide and current threats to European democracy, both the Participation priority and the Adult education field are gaining importance, and we hope this to be reflected in the next generation of the Programme’
– Alina Besleaga, Learning & Capacity Building Coordinator at SALTO PI

The Riga meeting made one thing clear: democratic participation is already happening across Erasmus+ adult education, it just needs better visibility.
SALTO PI will continue working with the RIA-AE Network to make sure it gets it.