The purpose of this blog is to provide some information on the GINCO project funded under the multilateral stream of the Grundtvig arm of the EU Lifelong Learning Programme. GINCO is a Grundtvig network run by an international consortium of 21 partners.

The aim of the network is to share expertise, to create and share useful material and to enhance communication and cooperation in order to improve the quality of Grundtvig courses, to enlarge the scope of provision and to improve the visibility and success of the action and the courses.

The objectives of the GINCO network are to network actual and potential Grundtvig course organisers, not only offering a forum for cooperation and exchange of expertise but also offering support for development, promotion of access, delivery, accreditation and sustainability of their courses.

GINCO aims to help course organisers and stakeholders to:

• improve the quality of Grundtvig European training provision and its accreditation systems.

• share expertise with other (potential) Grundtvig course organisers.

• strengthen the cooperation between the relevant stakeholders: adult education providers, LLP National Agencies, the European Commission and other.

• contribute to their professionalization concerning Grundtvig course provision and delivery

• help expand the Grundtvig course offer in LLP countries

• support the dissemination and sustainability of the Grundtvig courses

The direct network target groups are:

• adult education staff from Grundtvig course providers,

• potential Grundtvig course providers,

• adult education providers in general,

• LLP National Agencies,

• educational policy makers at European, national and regional levels.

Activities:

A first international conference on quality of and ICT use in Grundtvig courses was organised in Izmir, Turkey, 27 - 31 October 2010.

A second international conference on Validation of Learning Outcomes will be organised in Thessaloniki, Greece, 07 – 11 December 2011.

A third conference on Grundtvig Course Provision will be held in Belgium, September 2012.

At each conference experienced and new Grundtvig course organisers will meet. Through key note speakers, workshops and examples of good practice participants will share and learn about the conference topics.

Conferences are listed in the Grundtvig Training Database. Participants can apply for a grant (travel and accommodation costs covered, participation for free) under the action 'Visits and exchanges' of the Grundtvig programme. Please visit the website of your National LLP/Grundtvig Agency for grant application forms and application procedures (different deadlines applied in different countries).