Catholic Adult Education of Germany

Catholic Adult Education of Germany (Katholische Erwachsenenbildung Deutschland – Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft e. V., or KEB Deutschland) is the national umbrella association of Catholic adult education providers in Germany. It was founded in 1957 as the Katholische Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Erwachsenenbildung e. V. (KBE) and adopted its current name in 2013. The association is a registered non-profit organization (eingetragener Verein) based in Germany and operates as a network of more than 500 educational institutions nationwide. Its members include the German dioceses, represented by 29 episcopal commissioners for adult education, eleven Catholic state-level working groups for adult education, four Catholic associations at federal level, and seven further associations of Catholic works and institutions at federal level. KEB Deutschland describes itself as the second-largest provider of general adult education in Germany. According to data from 2018, its member institutions hold approximately 172,000 events annually, reaching around 3.6 million participants. This makes it the largest non-municipal and the second-largest general adult education offering in the country, with a focus on personal, religious, and cultural further education. The association's holistic approach is based on Christian values, and it emphasizes access to education for all people regardless of origin or social status. Its programs span faith and ethics, cultural and political education, and vocational further education, aiming to convey not only knowledge but also action competencies that enable participants to take an active part in society and achieve personal and professional goals. As an umbrella organization, KEB Deutschland coordinates cooperation among its member institutions, represents the interests of Catholic adult education in political, church, and social contexts, and works to develop and enforce educational standards. It maintains commissions on topics such as theology and education, digitalization, demographic change, and interculturality, as well as working groups on political education and education in large cities. The association organizes specialist conferences and is the sponsor of nationwide and European projects. It is a member of the European Federation for Catholic Adult Education (Féderation Européenne pour l'Éducation Catholique des Adultes, FEECA) based in Brussels. KEB Deutschland publishes the professional journal Erwachsenenbildung EB. Vierteljahresschrift für Theorie und Praxis, along with the book series EB spezial and EB Buch, through the publisher Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. It also provides material services such as Medien-Dienst EB, Info-Dienst Mitarbeiterfortbildung, and Info-Dienst Theologische Erwachsenenbildung. The conceptual basis of its work includes the recommendations of the 1975 document Schwerpunkte kirchlicher Verantwortung im Bildungsbereich from the Joint Würzburg Synod of the dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church in Germany, and the educational policy principles of the so-called Hirschberger Erklärung of the KBE from 1992. The association is led by a board chair, currently Elisabeth Vanderheiden, who is also managing director of Katholische Erwachsenenbildung Rheinland-Pfalz – Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft e. V. The federal managing director is Andrea Heim. In June 2026, the KEB general assembly in Ludwigshafen passed a resolution to clearly distance itself from right-wing extremist positions and not to invite functionaries of right-wing extremist, völkisch, and nationalist parties and groups to events of KEB member organizations, while continuing to develop event formats for engaging with positions of the AfD and their relationship to Christian fundamental values.

The Catholic Adult Education of Germany (KEB Deutschland) was founded in 1957 as the Katholische Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Erwachsenenbildung e. V. (KBE). Its establishment reflected the post-war development of organized adult education in West Germany, where churches and their affiliated organizations played a significant role in providing general and vocational further education. The association was created as a national umbrella body to coordinate the work of Catholic adult education providers across the country. In 2013, the organization changed its name to Katholische Erwachsenenbildung Deutschland – Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft e. V. (KEB Deutschland), reflecting a broader identity as the national association for Catholic adult education. By 2018, its member institutions were holding approximately 172,000 events annually and reaching around 3.6 million participants, making it the largest non-municipal and the second-largest general adult education provider in Germany. The conceptual foundations of KEB's work are rooted in two key documents: the 1975 recommendations of the Joint Würzburg Synod of the dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church in Germany, titled Schwerpunkte kirchlicher Verantwortung im Bildungsbereich (Focuses of Church Responsibility in Education), and the educational policy principles of the so-called Hirschberger Erklärung (Hirschberg Declaration) of the KBE from 1992. These documents continue to guide the association's educational mission. Over the decades, KEB Deutschland has expanded its network to include 29 episcopal commissioners for adult education representing the German dioceses, eleven Catholic state-level working groups for adult education, four Catholic associations at federal level, and seven further associations of Catholic works and institutions at federal level. The association maintains commissions on topics such as theology and education, digitalization, demographic change, and interculturality, as well as working groups on political education and education in large cities. It organizes specialist conferences and sponsors nationwide and European projects. KEB Deutschland is a member of the European Federation for Catholic Adult Education (Féderation Européenne pour l'Éducation Catholique des Adultes, FEECA) based in Brussels, connecting its work to broader European networks. It publishes the professional journal Erwachsenenbildung EB. Vierteljahresschrift für Theorie und Praxis and the book series EB spezial and EB Buch through Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, along with material services such as Medien-Dienst EB, Info-Dienst Mitarbeiterfortbildung, and Info-Dienst Theologische Erwachsenenbildung. In June 2026, the KEB general assembly in Ludwigshafen passed a resolution to clearly distance itself from right-wing extremist positions and not to invite functionaries of right-wing extremist, völkisch, and nationalist parties and groups to events of KEB member organizations, while continuing to develop event formats for engaging with positions of the AfD and their relationship to Christian fundamental values. The association is currently led by board chair Elisabeth Vanderheiden and federal managing director Andrea Heim.

• 2026

  General assembly in Ludwigshafen resolves to distance itself from right-wing extremist positions.

• 2018

  Member institutions hold approximately 172,000 events and reach around 3.6 million participants annually.

• 2013

  Renamed to Katholische Erwachsenenbildung Deutschland – Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft e. V. (KEB Deutschland).

• 1992

  Hirschberger Erklärung sets educational policy principles for the KBE.

• 1975

  Joint Würzburg Synod publishes Schwerpunkte kirchlicher Verantwortung im Bildungsbereich, a conceptual basis for KEB's work.

• 1957

  Founded as Katholische Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Erwachsenenbildung e. V. (KBE).

The second-largest provider of general adult education in Germany, offering values-based education open to all, with a focus on personal, religious, and cultural development.

• Erwachsenenbildung EB. Vierteljahresschrift für Theorie und Praxis

  Professional journal published by Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

• EB spezial

  Book series published by Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

• EB Buch

  Book series published by Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

• Medien-Dienst EB

  Media service for adult education.

• Info-Dienst Mitarbeiterfortbildung

  Information service for staff training.

• Info-Dienst Theologische Erwachsenenbildung

  Information service for theological adult education.

1. 1KEB Deutschland | Bildung mit Sinnkeb-deutschland.de
2. 2Catholic Adult Education of Germany - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Katholische Erwachsenenbildung Deutschland Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org