Verband der Bildungszentren im ländlichen Raum e.V.

What Verband der Bildungszentren im ländlichen Raum e.V. does

Verband der Bildungszentren im ländlichen Raum e.V. (VBLR), headquartered at Claire-Waldoff-Str. 7 in Berlin, is a registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 1951 that serves as the national umbrella body for 44–45 member educational centers — predominantly Heimvolkshochschulen (folk high schools) and Bildungszentren — in rural Germany, plus one associate member in Denmark. Its direct "customers" are the member institutions, which it supports through funding administration, professional development, quality assurance, networking, and project coordination. The association's own secretariat is small — four staff: Dr. Peter Buhrmann (Managing Director), Laura Braun, Sabine Tix, and Janna Wacker — while the broader member network employs approximately 900 people and delivers roughly 22,500 seminars and events per year to approximately 500,000 participants.

The core product is adult and youth education grounded in the Scandinavian Heimvolkshochschule tradition associated with N.F.S. Grundtvig, organized around the "Leben und Lernen unter einem Dach" (living and learning under one roof) residential model. Offerings include multi-week Lange Kurse (long residential courses), political and civic education, democracy education (e.g., the "Abgehängt? Eingeholt!" 2022–2026 project), annual thematic programs (2023 Resilience, 2024 demokratie MITEINANDER, 2025 FRIEDEN bilden, 2026 OptimisMUT, 2027 MeinungsBILDUNG), Erasmus+ mobility programs, and an annual online training series for educators. There is no proprietary technology platform; value is delivered through in-person pedagogy, facilitator expertise, and a distributed physical footprint covering all German federal states.

Revenue mechanics differ between the association and its members. The association itself is funded through membership dues and its role as a conduit for federal KJP (Kinder- und Jugendplan des BMFSFJ) funding, Erasmus+ project grants (accredited since July 2025 by NA BIBB), Rentenbank funding, and Stiftung-für-Begabtenförderung support. Member institutions set their own program pricing and generate the bulk of the network's combined turnover, stated at approximately €50M annually. Go-to-market is event-driven (Jahrestagung, Bildungsforum, Fachtagungen, benchmarking seminars, Leitungskonferenzen) supplemented by a website, newsletter, and Facebook presence. As a non-profit with no equity holders, the entity is not investable in the conventional PE/VC sense; relevant strategic signals concern funding diversification, programmatic expansion, and cross-border (EU) project participation.

Name

Verband der Bildungszentren im ländlichen Raum e.V.

Legal name

Verband der Bildungszentren im ländlichen Raum e.V.

Website

https://lernen-im-gruenen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Verband der Bildungszentren im ländlichen Raum e.V. is a Berlin-based non-profit association founded in 1951, representing 44–45 rural adult and youth education centers (Heimvolkshochschulen) across Germany and one in Denmark, coordinating funding, professional development, and quality standards for a network serving roughly 500,000 participants annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult and Continuing Education

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Erasmus+ and Government-Sponsored Exchange Partnerships (EDAIABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Intergovernmental Education Cooperation & Bilateral/Multilateral Programs (EDADALAA), STEM, Digital Skills & Innovation Partnerships (EDADALAJ)

Keywords

• Adult education network
• Rural education services
• Folk high schools
• Continuing education programs
• Youth civic education

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership contributions and federal funding pass-through: The association acts as a conduit for federal funding (KJP — Kinder- und Jugendplan des BMFSFJ) to its member institutions. It also receives project funding from Erasmus+, the Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank, and the Stiftung für Begabtenförderung in der Landwirtschaft. No public revenue model for direct member fees is described.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The association is a registered non-profit umbrella body that represents and coordinates a nationwide network of 44–45 member educational centers (Heimvolkshochschulen / Bildungszentren) in rural Germany, plus one associate member in Denmark. It delivers adult and youth education through long residential courses (Lange Kurse), seminars, online training series, Erasmus+ mobility programs, and themed projects on democracy, peace, and civic engagement, while channeling federal and EU funding to its members.

Product overview

The association operates as a network of 44 member educational centers (Heimvolkshochschulen / folk high schools) in rural Germany, offering a unified platform of adult and youth education services. The core offering consists of long residential courses (Lange Kurse), seminars, and training programs rooted in Grundtvigian pedagogy ('living and learning under one roof'). The portfolio also includes project-based programs — Erasmus+ mobility exchanges, democracy education projects (Abgehängt? Eingeholt!, PROMOCITI, Future Skills), and annual thematic projects (MeinungsBILDUNG, OptimisMUT, FRIEDEN bilden) — as well as online professional development series and qualification offerings for member staff. Services are collectively branded under the 'Lernen im Grünen' identity, with the association serving as the coordinating and advocacy body that channels federal funding, facilitates networking, and ensures quality standards across the member network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult and Youth Education Programs (Erwachsenen- und Jugendbildung) Core portfolio of seminars, personality development courses, regional and current-affairs forums, panel discussions and village dialogue formats delivered by the member educational centers for adults and young people in rural Germany.
• Erasmus+ Mobility Programs International staff exchanges and professional development opportunities (courses, job shadowings) for member institution employees in EU countries, with focus on digitalization, sustainability, diversity and active citizenship.
• Lange Kurse (Long Residential Courses) Multi-week residential courses for young adults between education and career entry, focusing on personal development, political awareness, communication skills and community engagement under the 'living and learning under one roof' model.
• Online Training Series for Educators (Online-Fortbildungsreihe für Pädagog*innen) Annual online pedagogical training aligned with the association's yearly theme, covering democracy education, peace education, media literacy and related topics for educators and leadership staff at member institutions.
• MeinungsBILDUNG (Opinion Education) Yearly theme project for 2027 focused on building capacity for independent judgment, critical thinking about information, and navigating public discourse on freedom of expression, targeted at political educators and learners.
• Abgehängt? Eingeholt! Jung, ländlich & vielfältig Four-year democracy education project (2022–2026) addressing youth in rural areas on topics including democracy and participation, diversity and discrimination, media literacy, conspiracy narratives, and extremism prevention.
• FRIEDEN bilden (Building Peace) Yearly theme project (2025) examining peace education, democratic education in rural regions, and the role of educational centers in societal cohesion, with three member houses developing methods and seminar concepts.
• OptimisMUT Yearly theme project (2026) for the association's 75th anniversary, focusing on optimism and courage as democratic attitudes, with three member houses developing projects on group resilience and individual confidence.
• Qualification Programs (Qualifizierungsangebote) Continuing education programs for staff of member institutions covering pedagogy, household management, kitchen operations, organization and administration, and leadership.
• Member Services and Funding Management (Mitgliederservice und Fördermittelverwaltung) Central services for member institutions including qualification and experience exchange, joint curriculum and project development, funding acquisition and administration, public relations, political advocacy, and network coordination.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22,500 seminars and events per year across the network
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and major.

• Rødding HøjskoleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Rødding Højskole in Denmark, founded in 1844 and considered the oldest Danish folk high school, hosted a VBLR Erasmus+ mobility in June 2026. Nine VBLR staff members visited to learn about the Danish folk high school model, democratic culture, and long-term residential courses. The visit was part of the association's ongoing engagement with the Danish folk high school tradition.
• Løgumkloster HøjskoleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Løgumkloster Højskole in Denmark was a second host institution during the VBLR Erasmus+ mobility in June 2026, with a focus on inclusion practices and outreach to new target groups (e.g., people from financially weaker backgrounds or those with mental health challenges).
• Federació d'Associacions Culturals i Educatives de Persones Adultes (FACEPA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022FACEPA is a Spanish adult education association based in Barcelona. As a project partner in the Erasmus+ project PROMOCITI (Promoting Active Citizenship), FACEPA collaborated with VBLR and other partners from 2022 to 2024 on curriculum development, training, and transnational exchanges focused on active citizenship in adult education. FACEPA hosted the first Train-the-Trainer seminar in Barcelona in November 2022.
• Färnebo FolkhögskolamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Färnebo Folkhögskola is a Swedish folk high school located in Österfärnebo. It served as a project partner in the Erasmus+ PROMOCITI project (2022–2024), contributing to the development of Active Citizenship curricula and participating in transnational project meetings and multiplier events.
• SPES ZukunftsakademiemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022SPES Zukunftsakademie is a folk high school in Schlierbach, Austria. A key partner in the PROMOCITI project (2022–2024), SPES hosted the second Train-the-Trainer seminar in May 2023. It also partnered with VBLR in the Future Skills Erasmus+ project (March 2024 – April 2025) focused on competency transformation in education houses of the future.
• Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bildungshäuser Österreich (ARGE BHÖ)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022ARGE BHÖ is the Austrian association of folk high schools (Bildungshäuser). It partnered with VBLR in the Erasmus+ Future Skills project (March 2024 – April 2025) to analyze future competency needs, leadership culture, and organizational development in educational institutions across both countries.
• Ogólnopolska Sieć Uniwersytetów Ludowych (OSUL) – Polish Association of Folk High SchoolsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022OSUL is the Polish national association of folk high schools. It was a project partner in the PROMOCITI Erasmus+ project (2022–2024) and hosted the final project meeting in Złotów, Poland in February 2024.
• Bildungszentren Ländlicher Raum in Bayern e.V.minorOthersA state-level association in Bavaria representing folk high schools and educational centers in rural areas of Bavaria, Germany. Members of the VBLR network.
• Niedersächsischer Landesverband der HeimvolkshochschulenminorOthersA state-level association in Lower Saxony representing folk high schools. Part of the VBLR network of regional state associations.
• Arbeitskreis der Bildungsstätten und Akademien (Heimvolkshochschulen) in Nordrhein-Westfalen e.V. (ABA-NRW)minorOthersA state-level association in North Rhine-Westphalia representing folk high schools and educational academies. Part of the VBLR network.
• Arbeitsgemeinschaft Ländliche Erwachsenenbildung Baden-Württemberg e.V. (ALEB)minorOthersA state-level association in Baden-Württemberg representing adult education in rural areas. Part of the VBLR network.
• Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (BMFSFJ)majorOthersThe Federal Ministry for Family Affairs provides funding through the KJP (Children and Youth Plan), which supports political youth education courses at member institutions. The ministry co-finances personnel costs and continuing education offerings, which the association passes through to members.
• Nationale Agentur beim Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (NA BIBB)majorOthersVBLR has been an accredited institution in the Erasmus+ program since July 2025 (accredited by NA BIBB). This enables the association and its member institutions to access Erasmus+ funding for mobility activities (courses, job shadowing abroad) and internationalization of adult education.
• Stiftung für Begabtenförderung in der LandwirtschaftminorOthersThe foundation partially funds the qualification of educators in long-term courses (Lange Kurse) at agricultural folk high schools through an annual seminar.
• Landwirtschaftliche RentenbankminorOthersThe Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank partially funds the qualification of household management leaders (Hauswirtschaftsleitungen) through an annual seminar organized by the association's network.
• Open Knowledge FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuring the Future Skills project, the VBLR project team visited Open Knowledge Foundation in Berlin as part of an excursion to learn about organizational structures, work approaches, and personnel management at organizations focused on open access to knowledge.
• SuperCoopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs part of the Future Skills Erasmus+ project excursion in Berlin (October 2024), the project team visited SuperCoop, a cooperatively organized supermarket, to study self-organization and employee participation models applicable to educational institution management.
• Flipped Job MarketminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFlipped Job Market facilitated a workshop on 'Gelingens-Geschichten' (success stories) at the Future Skills multiplier event in November 2024, focusing on employee strengths and values-based recruitment approaches for educational institutions.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst): Germany's national agency for international academic exchange and the largest such organization worldwide. Comparable to VBLR's Erasmus+ accreditation and international mobility coordination function, but at much larger scale and focused on higher education.
• Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband (DVV): The German national umbrella for the broader Volkshochschulen (adult education centers) network. Serves overlapping adult education populations in Germany but with a wider, more vocational/non-residential remit than VBLR's rural folk high school network.

Others

• NAFSA: Association of International Educators: The world's largest professional association for international education, connecting educators and administrators. Thematically comparable to VBLR's role in coordinating international mobility and partnerships across its member network.
• European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA): The pan-European NGO representing over 120 organizations active in adult learning. Comparable to VBLR as a broader-network advocacy and policy body in adult education, operating one level above national associations like VBLR.

Regional players

• FSO (Folkehøjskolernes Samfund i Danmark): The Danish association of folk high schools (folkehøjskoler). Operates in the same Nordic Grundtvigian tradition and hosted VBLR's Erasmus+ mobility in June 2026 (Rødding and Løgumkloster), making it a natural regional peer and partnership counterpart.
• Folkbildningsrådet (Swedish Folk High School Council): The Swedish national council that distributes government funding and coordinates folk high schools (folkhögskolor) in Sweden. Operates in the same Nordic folk high school tradition shared by VBLR partners like Färnebo Folkhögskola, but at a national funding/coordination scale.

Direct peers

• Ogólnopolska Sieć Uniwersytetów Ludowych (OSUL): The Polish national association of folk high schools (Uniwersytety Ludowe). Functions as VBLR's structural counterpart in Poland and was a partner in the Erasmus+ PROMOCITI project, hosting the final meeting in Złotów (2024).
• Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bildungshäuser Österreich (ARGE BHÖ): The Austrian umbrella association of folk high schools (Bildungshäuser). Closest directly comparable organization to VBLR — same member-based, residential adult education model, same Grundtvigian tradition, and an established partner in VBLR's Erasmus+ Future Skills project (2024–2025).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/verband-bildungszentren
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verband-der-bildungszentren-im-l%C3%A4ndlichen-raum-e.v.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Verband der Bildungszentren im ländlichen Raum e.V.