Network Governance in Adult Education

An International Comparison of Network-Focussed Political Strategies for the Provision of Adult Education in Italy, Nigeria and Germany

Abstract

Network governance aims to create synergies between the competencies and resources of different institutional actors to deal with complex and interlinked problems. Interorganisational networks are capable of coordinating different products and services of their members, regulating the mutual recognition of qualifications, and rationalising work by sharing people and infrastructure. Network governance is thus a type of policy that takes the diversity of adult education as a starting point and ultimately harnesses it for efficient service delivery. Our critical reflection is based on the question as to what role network governance plays in the institutionalisation of adult education. We therefore analyse political documents (laws, policy documents, funding programmes, recommendations for action, and strategy papers) to compare three cases from Italy, Nigeria, and Germany, focussing on the goals of networks, the actors and stakeholders involved, and the realised forms of collaboration. Our findings show how closely network governance is linked to overarching political cultures and objectives.