Hybridisation of adult education policy in peripheral countries: A system theory analysis of EU–Serbia relations.

This article analyzes the relationship between the European Union (EU) and Serbia, a candidate country with a hybrid political regime, focusing on adult education policy through the lens of system theory. It argues that Serbia’s peripheral status and hybrid regime contribute to a hybridization of its adult education system, shaped by EU norm-setting, funding, and control mechanisms that reinforce power imbalances and prioritize political stability over democratic reforms. The study finds significant disparities between EU adult education strategies, such as the New European Agenda for Adult Learning (NEAAL), and Serbia’s implementation, highlighting omissions of social inclusion, environmental education, and civil society participation in Serbian policy documents. It concludes that the EU’s approach, emphasizing stability and soft power, may perpetuate dysfunctional dynamics in Serbia’s adult education subsystem and hinder the broader development of the European Education Area.