Maja Radinović Hajdič from Blejska Dobrava

Proposer: Municipality of Jesenice

Maja Radinović Hajdič's professional path is inextricably linked with the mission of the Jesenice Folk High School, the needs of the Gorenjska region and the development of adult education in Slovenia. Even her choice of degree subject (politics) showed that she wants to understand the broader context of events in society, and even as a student she was drawn to adult education. Her initial experiences with the Jesenice Folk High School convinced her that it provided her with sufficiently broad opportunities for creativity and career development, and so she became a professional associate there after graduation, and she has now been a successful director for many years. She received postgraduate training for her new duties at Manchester Metropolitan University. The career path of Maja Radinović Hajdič has been marked by innovation in the education offered by the Folk High School and the establishment of new forms of learning. She has particularly dedicated herself to the development of non-formal forms of learning, since these provide the opportunity for the broadest participation in programmes, regardless of the prior education, age, financial status or time or geographic (remote) constraints of individuals. Jesenice Folk High School has opened a guidance centre and an open learning centre, while a lifelong learning centre has been established, based on a partnership in a support network for the development of the culture of learning. They have for a number of years successfully provided study circles (and the award winner has led many of them), Learning for enhanced life efficiency programmes, the Lifelong Learning Week, education for democracy and workshops and thematic meetings (Herbal remedies, Slovene national cuisine, Life in old age, Greek mythology, Communication in the modern society etc.). They also attempt to enrich the wider community with the fruits of their labours in study circles. Maja Radinović Hajdič is also successfully involved in European projects. She designed the information package For Parents of Children with Special Needs (Za starše otrok s posebnimi potrebami, Socrates/Grundtvig 1), is the co-author of the handbook Še dobro, da smo si tako različni! (It's good we're so different!, Socrates) and is the joint editor of the handbook Right to Learning (Pravica do učenja, Socrates/Grundtvig 1).