Change in leadership at the German Institute for Adult Education

Bonn, 8. April 2026. After more than thirteen years as Scientific Director of the German Institute for Adult Education (DIE), Prof. Dr Josef Schrader is stepping down to return to the University of Tübingen as a senior professor of adult and continuing education. He is succeeded by Prof. Dr Hannes Schröter, previously Head of Department at the DIE and holder of the joint professorship for cognition and adult learning at the FernUniversität in Hagen.

Josef Schrader has led the DIE in accordance with the Leibniz Association’s principle of socially responsible science and research. He prioritised addressing key societal challenges through the work of the institute. These include migration, demographic change, and the digitalisation of working and living environments. He also addressed the issue of the large number of adults with low basic skills, with the ultimate goal of promoting fairer educational opportunities and establishing a robust, sustainable continuing education system.

To fulfil this role, he conducted research that was both fundamental and problem-oriented, seeking scientifically sound solutions that were relevant and feasible in terms of policy and practice. Close collaboration with policymakers and professionals based on mutual trust was essential, as was establishing a sustainable organisational and management structure linking research, knowledge transfer and infrastructure — both were key achievements.

He also set important priorities in his own research. These include the professionalisation of teaching staff, the potential of digital media, and the structure and governance of continuing education systems. As co-editor of the “Zeitschrift für Weiterbildungsforschung” (Journal for Research on Adult Education) and the “Wörterbuch Erwachsenen- und Weiterbildung”, as well as the initiator of a series of textbooks, he has shaped adult education research. He has also been actively involved in providing policy advice and engaging with practitioners. He contributed to the Decade of Literacy and Basic Education, the Leibniz Research Network on Educational Potential and the National Education Report and monitored developments in integration courses and European continuing education policy.

Upon his departure, Josef Schrader emphasised: “It has been a privilege to lead an institute that plays a key role in making education accessible to all adults, through research, knowledge transfer and infrastructure. Looking back at the institute’s almost 70-year history, it is clear that this task must be reinterpreted time and again. I wish Hannes Schröter every success in further developing the DIE.”
Hannes Schröter, a department head at the DIE, holds the cooperative professorship for cognition and adult learning at the FernUniversität in Hagen. Drawing in his many years of experience in research and practice, he will bring new ideas to the strategic development of the institute. His research focuses on empirical studies of teaching and learning processes, the professionalisation of teachers, the prerequisites of adult learners and their learning development, language education, competence-oriented teaching research and the use of digital media to support teaching and learning processes. He completed his PhD and habilitation at the University of Tübingen, where he was granted venia legendi in the field of psychology. From 2009 onwards, he served as a temporary academic counsellor, covering professorships in Biological Psychology and Cognition and Perception. He joined the DIE in 2016 and has headed the 'Teaching and Learning' department since 2021.

Hannes Schröter extends his heartfelt thanks to Josef Schrader for his formative work at the DIE: “Under his leadership, the Institute has made a name for itself in the academic world, established itself as a reliable partner for policy and practice, and strengthened its position within the Leibniz Association. Building on this foundation, I would like to work together with the staff to further develop the DIE as a leading institution for research and knowledge transfer in adult and continuing education and to provide new impetus in times of profound social change. Our aim will continue to be to combine excellent research with the challenges of practice and policy, thereby actively shaping adult and continuing education in Germany.”

The change in leadership ensures continuity and lays the foundation for future developments. The DIE and all its staff would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to Josef Schrader for his many years of commitment and will bid him farewell at a special ceremony attended by colleagues from academia, professional practice and politics. We warmly welcome Hannes Schröter to his new role as Scientific Director.

Contact

Prof. Dr Hannes Schröter

Photos for Download

Prof. Dr. Josef Schrader (© DIE/Sandra Seifen)

Prof. Dr. Hannes Schröter (© DIE/Marco Rothbrust)