The Adult Education Survey (AES) is an integral component of the European Union's statistics on lifelong learning (LLL). It involves interviewing individuals aged 18 to 69 (25 to 64 up to 2016) about their involvement in various educational activities, including formal, non-formal, and informal learning. The survey captures data on participants' learning activities over the twelve months preceding the interview. Conducted every six years, the survey's findings are made publicly available on Eurostat's website.
The following information is available from the AES:
The initial phase of the survey, known as the 2007 AES or 'pilot survey,' was conducted between 2005 and 2008 in 29 countries, comprising member states of the European Union, candidate countries, and countries of the European Free Trade Association. This pilot initiative was established within a unified EU framework, utilizing a standard questionnaire and ensuring quality reporting.
The third AES data collection, referred to as the 2016 AES, was conducted in 2016 and 2017, with implementation details specified in Commission Regulation (EU) No 1175/2014.
The latest AES data collection occurred in 2022 and 2023, based on Framework Regulation (EU) No 1700/2019, with implementation details defined in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/861.
Following the pilot phase, the AES became a mandatory European survey under the legal basis of Framework Regulation (EC) No 452/2008. The second AES data collection, known as the 2011 AES, occurred in 2011 and 2012, with implementation details outlined in Commission Regulation (EU) No 823/2010.
The Adult Education Survey (AES) has not been utilized much for research purposes, based on a related search in Scopus.