Goodbye to Prof. Dr. Mar Joanpere Foraster

As the guest professorship of Prof. Dr. Mar Joanpere Foraster (University of Tarragona, Spain) officially concluded at the Professorship for Adult and Continuing Education, the staff and students would like to extend their sincere thanks to Prof. Joanpere Foraster  for enriching our academic community with her extensive expertise on adult education.

During her time with us, Prof. Dr. Mar Joanpere Foraster led three remarkable courses:

• “Dialogic Gatherings of Adults”
• “Dialogic Model of Living Together in Adult Education”
• “Contributions from AE to Science and Society”

These courses, offered in English, attracted both Bachelor's and Master's students, as well as international exchange students, providing them with a rich opportunity to explore foundational and transformative themes in adult education. In addition to her courses Prof. Dr. Mar Joanpere Foraster delivered three guest lectures, each shedding light on critical issues in adult education and societal transformation:

1. “From Silence to Empowerment: The Academic Impact of the MeToo University Movement”  – A powerful exploration of the MeToo movement’s influence on universities and its implications for gender-based violence.
2. “Implementing Dialogic Literary Gatherings in Adult Education”  – Delivered in collaboration with the Rudolph-Alexander-Schröder Haus, Prof. Joanpere shared vital insights on integrating Dialogic Literary Gatherings into adult education programs, laying the foundation for ongoing work in the institution.
3. “Enhancing Wellbeing: Transformative Effects of Adult Education on Participants’ Lives” – This lecture offered profound insights into how adult education fosters personal growth and societal transformation.

Beyond her academic contributions, Prof. Dr. Mar Joanpere Foraster’s organization of the Dialogic Literary Gatherings was a highlight. These gatherings allowed adult education participants and international students from the University of Würzburg to experience the power of literature and dialogue in transforming lives, an initiative that has now been embraced by adult education institutions across the globe.

We thank Prof. Dr. Mar Joanpere Foraster for her contributions and wish her all the best in her ongoing work and future endeavors!

We extend our gratitude to DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) for their support of the visiting professorship during the winter term 2024/25, made possible by funding from BMBF (German Federal Ministry of Education and Research).