The Adult Education Survey (AES) provides comprehensive data on adult participation in lifelong learning for policymakers and researchers. This trend survey is mandatory for all EU countries every five to six years and has been conducted in Germany every two to three years by Verian on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
High methodological standards for trend results and education policy issues
Key challenges include, on the one hand, the high methodological standards required by Eurostat guidelines and, on the other hand, the need to provide trend information alongside findings on current topics. The results are published by the BMBF as a trend report and serve as the basis for many (policy) statistical reports and as a benchmark for the National Continuing Education Strategy (NWS). The AES helps identify trends and patterns in continuing education behavior and develop policy measures to promote adult education.
Communication is key
Verian’s experienced project team maintained close communication with key stakeholders from academia and politics throughout the project to achieve the best possible outcome for all parties involved.
Key Findings
The key finding of the AES—the rate of participation in continuing education—serves as a benchmark for the National Continuing Education Strategy (NWS). Although the 58% rate in the AES 2022 does not differ significantly from the 2020 survey, it still falls well short of the 65% target set for 2030 under the NWS (link to the NWS report). The following findings are also key:
- While the participation rate at the individual level has remained constant , a marked decline in the average number of hours spent per continuing education activity has been observed in all three continuing education segments since 2020.
- The perceived benefits of continuing education activities have gradually declined. While 87 percent of continuing education activities were still rated as having very high or fairly high benefits in 2012, this figure dropped significantly to 75 percent in 2022.
- The upward trend in education using digital media ( 2020: 60%; 2022: 72%) is primarily attributable to the increase incontinuing education activities that were conducted, at least in part, online. Among 18- to 64-year-olds, just over half (51%) participated in at least one educational activity using digital media in 2022. This indicates a clear upward trend since 2018.
- In 2022, three out of five (60%) adults aged 18 to 64 reported having a good overview of their own continuing education opportunities — a significantly lower proportion than in previous years. Additionally, at 44 percent of respondents, significantly more people expressed a desire for more information and guidance than in previous years.
Publications (AES 2020 and 2022)
AES 2022:
- Käpplinger, Bernd & Bilger, Frauke (2025): Statistical Surveys on Workplace Continuing Education. In: Martin Allespach, Bernd Käpplinger & Jana Wienberg (Eds.): Handbook of Workplace Continuing Education—Critical-Emancipatory Approaches in Theory and Practice. Frankfurt/Main: Bund-Verlag, pp. 104–116
- BMBF – Federal Ministry of Education and Research (ed.) (2024): Continuing Education Behavior in Germany 2022. Results of the Adult Education Survey. AES Trend Report. Bonn, Berlin: BMBF (Text: Bilger & Koubek)
AES 2020:
Data provided by GESIS for: AES 2007, AES 2010, AES 2012, AES 2014, AES 2016, AES 2018, AES 2020, and AES 2022
Used as the basis for the following statistics and education reports
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