Pathways to Democracy (Socrates)
	Leobaltica (Leonardo da Vinci II)
	The 3rd Conference of the BALTIC SEA ACADEMY
	Methods for Popular Education Development
Further Education in the BSA Region
	Project Leaders

Further Education in the Baltic Sea Region: Adult Education, Qualification, Democracy and European Integration

The 3rd Baltic Sea Conference was held at St. Petersburg.
With the title “Further Education in the Baltic Sea Region: Adult Education, Qualification, Democracy and European Integration”, the third Baltic Sea Conference was held in St. Petersburg from 8 to 12 September.

The Baltic Sea Academy (BSA) had invited a network of further educational bodies in the Baltic Sea region. This network has been constantly growing ever since it was established after the first Baltic Sea Conference in Hamburg in 1996 and now consists of over 30 organisations from countries around the Baltic Sea.

This year the BSA followed up the invitation of organisations from St. Petersburg which had been mentioned at the end of the 2nd Baltic Sea Conference in Stockholm in 1998 and the wish for closer co-operation and integration of Russia in the Baltic Sea network.

More than one hundred representatives of non-government organisations (NGO) for further education in Russia, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Germany took part in the conference. The almost 60 participants from St. Petersburg, Russia, also included representatives of government bodies.

The conference was opened by the Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg and Ortwin Runde, the Mayor of the Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg. Ortwin Runde stressed the great significance of the Baltic Sea region for the future of Europe. In this context, he emphasised the role of further education as a mainstay of democratic development and future prospects in a society based on knowledge. He ended his talk by quoting Henry Ford: “Getting together is a start, working together means success.”

3 workshops were held in the course of the conference:
1.Adult education and democratic development in the Baltic Sea region – didactics and methodology
2.Transnational exchanges and inter-cultural learning in the Baltic Sea region – opportunities for adult education
3.Co-operation between NGOs (further education networks) in the Baltic Sea states, government bodies and European organisations – problems and perspectives

In Workshop 1, based on a paper by Bengt Göransson (former Swedish Minister for Culture and Education) using the Swedish adult education system as an example (further education circle), the role of adult education regarding democratic development in the Baltic Sea region was discussed and methodology and didactic issues debated using examples.

In Workshop 2, with the title “International Education and Inter-cultural Learning in the Baltic Sea States - Opportunities for Adult Education” and using the example of the European trainee exchange programme within the Baltic Sea network, the importance of transnational projects in reducing inter-cultural tension and improving vocational skills was stressed. These projects are the manifestation of an integrated further education concept which purports to unite vocational, political and cultural education while placing particular emphasis on the development of language skills.

The main focus of papers and problem analyses in Workshop 3 was the setting up of NGOs (particularly in Russia). Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of European networks in supporting regional efforts. A concrete plan of action will be drawn up for the next few years which will include the setting up of a co-ordination office for Russia in St. Petersburg.
The next Baltic Sea Conference will take place in 2002 in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital.