International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame, European Chapter

The International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame honors outstanding leaders in the fields of adult learning and continuing education who are distinguished as a scholar, practitioner, or policy-maker.
The Hall serves as a record of inspiration for the next generation of adult and continuing education leaders.
To be eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame, a person must be eminently distinguished in the profession, shall have brought honor or distinction, and shall have contributed to the heritage of adult and continuing education.

Annually, around ten adult and continuing education leaders from around the world are selected for induction into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame. These individuals reflect the great diversity of adult and continuing education practice and scholarship and the increasingly global leadership community that constitutes the IACE Hall of Fame.

On this page we supply additional information about and for members of the Hall of Fame specificly in the European region.

Sad news: André Schläfli + (2025)

André, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011, was an exceptional active member and held various positions within our organization: He served as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the IACEHOF, was a member of the Executive Committee for five years, acted as the Treasurer of the IACEHOF, co-chaired and actively shaped the HOF-Europe.

for more information.

Induction into the Hall of Fame 2025 in Norman/Oklahoma
European Inductees:

Lucian Ciolan, Romania: Lucian Ciolan is one of Romania's most distinguished scholars and policymakers in the field of adult education. He has significantly influenced and enriched scholarship, policy making, and practice through his research and development work on continuing teacher education, training of teachers, and adult vocational training. Over the past twenty-five years, he has become a reference in continuing teacher and adult education in Romania and beyond for his model of adult learning and training that integrates learning research and the cognitive sciences. He has helped implement more than forty adult education programs, reaching participants from more than sixty countries worldwide.
Agneta Lind, Sweden: Agneta Lind's name is synonymous with the field of adult literacy and international development. Over a more than thirty-five-year career, she championed adult literacy, particularly in Africa, through her work with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Authority (SIDA), governments, UNESCO, universities, and individual practitioners. She served as an expert consultant to numerous African countries, as well as some countries in Asia and Latin America. Lind consulted for the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning and the German Adult Education Association, among other organizations. It is her engaged, consistent commitment to adult literacy internationally that stands out as her lasting contribution to the field of adult education.
Rob Mark, Ireland: Diversity, inclusion, and a concern for social justice characterize Rob Mark's innovative contributions to adult and continuing education over the past three decades. His multifaceted research and projects range from access and adult literacies to age friendliness and social inclusion. He is well respected for his ability to blend practice—as a manager, teacher, and author—with a high level of scholarship. His projects have improved access to and quality of lifelong learning for adults both in Ireland and in the United Kingdom, as well as in many other parts of the world.
Oleg Smirnov, Ukraine: Oleg SmirnovOver the past decade, Oleg Smirnov has been a crucial contributor to the establishment of adult and continuing education in Ukraine. Smirnov has promoted adult education as a legitimate and necessary component of the country's national education system, helping to build more professional, resilient, and innovative institutions even in the face of recent war. Throughout his career Smirnov has endorsed adult and continuing education in Ukraine and across Europe by demonstrating the field's relevance in times of crisis, transformation, and reform. His approach highlights how adult education can serve as both a stabilizing force and a driver of long-term recovery.

Congratulations to our new inductees!

HoFE-meeting March 2025

The 2024 International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
took place in Florence, Italy.

The new iductees

European inductees Class 2024: Don Luigi Ciotti Italy, Karen Evans UK, Francesc Pedró Garcia Spain, Timothy Denis Ireland UK, Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik Slovenia, Morten Flate Paulsen Norway. Andreas Schleicher Germany, Magdalini (Magda) Trantallidi Greece. Albert Tuijnman Netherlands+

The 2024 European Inductees:

Albert Tuijnman+, Netherlands	Andreas Schleicher, Germany	Don Luigi Ciotti, Italy

Francesc Pedró Garcia, Spain	Karen Evans, UK	Magda Trantallidi, Greece

Morten Flate Paulsen, Norway	Timothy Denis Ireland, UK	Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, Slovenia
Organisational Award: EAEA

International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame
European Chapter (HOFE)