This UNESCO Chair aims to develop understanding about how adult
learning can help address inequalities in the poorest communities of
the world. Through investigating how or why adult literacy might
facilitate or respond to processes of social transformation, including
women’s empowerment, the Chair sets out to strengthen the
interaction between researchers, policy makers and programme
participants. The distinctive feature of this UNESCO Chair is sharing
experiences and insights across South-North and South-South.
The UEA UNESCO Chair is an international partnership with university
departments specialising in adult literacy and community learning in
Ethiopia (Bahir Dar University), Malawi (University of Malawi), Nepal
(Kathmandu University and Tribhuvan University Center for Educational
Innovation and Development) and the Philippines (University of Santo
Tomas). We share a commitment to developing innovative and
‘bottom-up’ approaches to adult literacy research, capacity
strengthening and policy initiatives.
ABOUT THE CHAIR’S RESEARCH
Whether in Norwich or Bahir Dar, Anna and her team carry out research projects that have responded to local agendas for change. As Anna further explains, “we take a participatory approach to developing research, engaging practitioners and policy makers in debate and action around adult literacy and intercultural learning.
The Chair has also taken forward theoretical understanding in the areas of
literacy, gender and indigenous learning.
Holding regular Literacy Day conferences to help to bridge the
gap between policy, research and practice, Amma and her team work to highlight ways in which universities can support adult literacy and learning. UNESCO Chair Literacy Days were held in Egypt (2017), Nepal (2018), Ethiopia (2019) and the Philippines (2019). As well as facilitating research collaboration, these events have led to new networks, such as establishment of the Ethiopian Association of Adult Education and TRANSFORMARE in the Philippines.