Evangelische Erwachsenenbildung – Bundesverband

Evangelische Erwachsenenbildung – Bundesverband e. V. (EEB Bundesverband), known until 2023 as the Deutsche Evangelische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Erwachsenenbildung (DEAE), is the federal-level umbrella association for Protestant adult education in Germany. It is a registered voluntary association (eingetragener Verein) operating under the sponsorship of the Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD), the country's main Protestant church body. Its federal office is located in Münster, Westphalia. The association functions as a coordinating and advocacy body rather than a direct provider of courses. It represents the interests of Protestant adult education at the federal level, promotes cooperation among the many regional and thematic institutions active in the field, and supports joint continuing-education initiatives. Its work spans religious and theological education, political education, global learning, family education, basic education and literacy, and the qualification of staff working in these areas. The EEB Bundesverband is governed by a members' assembly, a board, and the federal office. Its office is closely linked with the Comenius-Institut, the Protestant working centre for educational science. Its membership includes regional Protestant adult education associations from across Germany — among them bodies in Baden, Bavaria, Berlin-Brandenburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Württemberg — as well as related works and associations such as the Academy for Church and Diakonia, the education work of the Evangelical Methodist Church, Diakonie Deutschland, and the Protestant academies in Germany. Funding and sponsorship come from the EKD, the Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, and the Federal Agency for Civic Education. The association is itself a member of numerous national and European networks, including the Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Seniorenorganisationen (BAGSO), the Bundesforum Familie, the Deutsches Institut für Erwachsenenbildung (DIE), the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA), Oikosnet Europe, and the Rat der Weiterbildung / Konzertierte Aktion Weiterbildung (KAW). As a brand and institutional identity, the EEB Bundesverband represents the collective voice of Protestant adult education in Germany. Its 2023 renaming from DEAE to EEB Bundesverband aligned the federal body's name more closely with the terminology used by its regional member organisations and with the broader field of Evangelische Erwachsenenbildung.

The Deutsche Evangelische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Erwachsenenbildung (DEAE) was the federal-level umbrella organisation for Protestant adult education in Germany. It operated as a registered voluntary association under the sponsorship of the Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD). Its federal office was based in Münster, Westphalia, and was closely linked with the Comenius-Institut, the Protestant working centre for educational science. For much of its existence, the DEAE served as the central coordinating body for the many regional and thematic Protestant adult education institutions across Germany. It represented their interests at the federal level, facilitated exchange on continuing education concepts, coordinated joint training tasks, and cooperated with universities, scientific institutes, and church partners. It also documented the range of services offered by Protestant adult education and carried out project work in areas such as religious and theological education, political education, global learning, family education, basic education and literacy, and staff qualification. In 2023, the organisation was renamed Evangelische Erwachsenenbildung – Bundesverband e. V. (EEB Bundesverband). The new name aligned the federal body more closely with the terminology used by its regional member organisations and with the broader field of Evangelische Erwachsenenbildung. The association continues to operate from Münster under EKD sponsorship, with funding also from the Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth and the Federal Agency for Civic Education. Its membership comprises regional Protestant adult education associations from across Germany, including those in Baden, Bavaria, Berlin-Brandenburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Württemberg, as well as related works and associations such as the Academy for Church and Diakonia, the education work of the Evangelical Methodist Church, Diakonie Deutschland, the Protestant academies in Germany, the Protestant group of Heimvolkshochschulen, the Society for Bibliodrama, and the Association of Protestant Student Communities in Germany. The EEB Bundesverband is itself a member of numerous networks, including BAGSO, Bundesforum Familie, the Comenius-Institut, the Deutsches Institut für Erwachsenenbildung (DIE), the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA), Oikosnet Europe, the Evangelische Arbeitsgemeinschaft Familie (eaf), the Evangelische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Altenarbeit in der EKD (EAFA), Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst, the Kirchliche Konferenz der Werke und Verbände (KKWV), and the Rat der Weiterbildung / Konzertierte Aktion Weiterbildung (KAW).

• Renamed from Deutsche Evangelische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Erwachsenenbildung (DEAE) to Evangelische Erwachsenenbildung – Bundesverband e. V. (EEB Bundesverband)

The federal umbrella association and advocacy body for Protestant adult education in Germany, operating under the sponsorship of the EKD.

• Advocacy and interest representation

  Representation of Protestant adult education interests at the federal level.

• Coordination of continuing education concepts

  Inner-association exchange on continuing education concepts and agreements on joint training tasks.

• Cooperation with universities and institutes

  Cooperation with universities, scientific institutes, and church partners.

• Documentation and project work

  Documentation of the range of Protestant adult education services and task-related project work.

• Religious and theological education

  One of the thematic areas of the association's work.

• Political education

  One of the thematic areas of the association's work.

• Global learning

  One of the thematic areas of the association's work.

• Family education

  One of the thematic areas of the association's work.

• Basic education and literacy

  One of the thematic areas of the association's work.

• Qualification of staff

  Qualification of staff working in Protestant adult education.

1. 1Deutsche Evangelische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Erwachsenenbildung – Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Evangelische Erwachsenenbildung – Bundesverband – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org