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By using the DISCUSS platform, you expressly consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information according to this Privacy Policy.

Information collected online can generally be categorized as either non-personal information or personally identifiable information. Non-personal information is information that cannot by itself be traced back to a specific individual. For example, we know how many calls or queries we receive each day but we do not know the names and email addresses of the persons submitting the queries. Personally identifiable information is information you provide to us that is uniquely associated with you, such as your name or email address.

We do not associate any non-personal information we collect from you, including your search queries and IP address, with the personally identifiable information that you may submit to us. For this reason, we do not consider your IP address to be personally identifiable information. DISCUSS will not share, rent, sell or otherwise disclose any of the personally identifiable information that we collect about you.

On registration users are presented a registration form, which requests for some basic details. Mandatory fields are: name, email, country of residence and current location of the user. Moreover, users are requested to indicate at least one area of interest. Users are free to provide additional information, that might be of potential interest for other community members. At the end of the registration process users can upload a profile image of their choice.

All user details collected during registration are recorded and stored in the database, and by the user can be retrieved, modified or deleted at any time from their profile page. User details and profiles are visible to members of the DISCUSS community solely. Moreover, users by adjusting the privacy settings, can hide their user details completely from other community members. In addition, they can specify the notifications and messages they want to receive from other members or community moderators. All privacy settings are available from users' profile pages.

Users can delete their account at anytime from the profile section ("edit account details"). Moreover, users are given the option to download their account data in csv, xls and pdf format. After deletion all records associated with the user account will be permanently removed from the database, including all postings, messages and submissions made during the community membership.

New users after registration receive an email, which includes an activation link. Registration only comes into effect if the user clicks on the link, and herewith formally confirms the membership (double-opt-in).

If users register through their accounts on third party social networks, such as Facebook, Google, LinkedIn or Twitter, their name and email are transferred to DISCUSS. However, in any case users must consent the exchange of data ahead of the transfer process.

DISCUSS uses the embedly service. Everytime a user posts a link to an external web resource, the content will be embedded into DISCUSS via the embedly API. Learn more about the privacy policy of embed.ly at http://embed.ly/legal/privacy.  

User activities, such as blog posts, stream posts or comments are recorded and stored in the database. If the user deletes an activity or item posted, all related database entries at the same time will be removed from the database. Private messages will be stored for 100 days, and after this period automatically removed from the database.

Users for each activity are awarded with points. From the points overall scores are calculated, and highest ranking members are presented on the community frontpage. On removal of a user's profile, all points will be removed from the database.

All personal data collected by DISCUSS are available from the user's profile page. DISCUSS does not collect any other personal data, and does not claim ownership of any of the contributions made by users.

DISCUSS does not sell or pass on any data to third parties, nor does it use google analytics or similar software to track users' activities. We however reserve the right, to closer inspect cases of potential copyright infringement, offending or fraudulent behaviour, as far as this should have been brought to our attention.

All user data are stored on servers located in Germany. The DISCUSS team is in charge of data handling, safety and protection. The team members are available from the moderator list, which is presented on the frontpage of the DISCUSS community. Users are requested to contact a team member on any privacy issue that might occur during their membership.

SIM Europe's most recent european-wide expert survey reveals lack of reform towards establishing lifelong learning in several EU countries. According to the experts, in ten countries, no reforms have been undertaken aimed at improving financial or human resources for lifelong learning. Moreover, the researchers see a great need for reform in many countries regarding the strong influence of social origin on educational success. Six countries were not active in this regard: Croatia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Slovakia and Spain.

This year, the EAEA Grundtvig Award will be given to a project successful in engaging new groups of learners.

One of the key challenges in adult education is often described as the “Matthew effect” – those who have will be given more and those who don’t will have less. This means that those who already have higher levels of education are more likely to participate in adult education. Partly this is due to the fact that they are more likely to be in the kinds of jobs where their employers offer training through their companies, but also because they more likely have positive experiences with learning and are therefore more likely to participate voluntarily.

InnoVal aims at identifying innovative and reliable assessment methods that can allow all learners to have a chance at validation, with a special focus on the needs of disadvantaged groups such as refugees and early school leavers.

The European Digital City Index 2016 (EDCi) describes how well different European cities support digital entrepreneurship. It aims to provide a holistic and local view of what matters to digital startups. According to the developers (Nesta), it is the most complete description of what impacts digital entrepreneurs on a local level, and how different digital startup ecosystems compare within Europe.

The new 2 years Erasmus+ project Walk & Talk promotes non-formal learning of Europeans 65+, along with physical activities taking place outside the classroom. While the seniors are walking, they will learn about the interrelation between physical activity and active and healthy aging. They might learn a new language, discuss local culture and history, traditions, use apps etc. Senior learners can meet outside the centre of their home towns, in nature, or within their own surrounding or neighbourhood, which will be easier for the seniors living in big cities.

Transnational project management is a key feature of all European projects, comprising a range of more or less formalized tasks and activities, that shall allow for the smooth and efficient implementation of projects. Over the past years a broad range of methods and tools have been developed, with a view to support the day-to-day and strategic management of EU projects. The bulk of those however is dedicated to planning, monitoring, documentation of results and outcomes, accountancy and evaluation.

To help cities better address challenges such as Inclusion of Migrants and Refugees, Poverty, and to make the most out of EU funding opportunities, the European Commission has launched a new web portal during the European Week of Regions and Cities.

On 30. May 2016 an informal meeting of EU Ministers with responsibility for urban affairs took place in Amsterdam, at the initiative of the Dutch Presidency. During this meeting an "Urban Agenda for the EU", also called "Pact of Amsterdam", has been established. The goal is networking and knowledge sharing of city authorities at European level, also to achieve better regulation and the promotion at EU level.

The Award will celebrate educational practices from all over Europe that can demonstrate the use of creative and inclusive learning methods with outstanding results and the potential to be replicated and/or of inspiring others. The Award is not limited to a particular sector; lifelong learning covers education and training across all ages and in all areas of life be it formal, non-formal or informal.