Videncenter for Folkeoplysning

What Videncenter for Folkeoplysning does

Videncenter for Folkeoplysning (Vifo) is a Danish non-profit knowledge and research center established in 2013 on a three-year grant from the Danish Ministry of Culture. The organization produces independent research, statistics, and knowledge products on the Danish folk education sector, covering evening schools (aftenskoler), folk high schools (højskoler), day schools, study associations, and scout organizations. Its outputs include research reports, an annual conference ("Folkeoplysning i forandring"), a municipal-level statistics database, and a podcast series, all distributed free of charge to municipalities, educational institutions, sports associations, policy makers, and civil society stakeholders.

Since 2016, Vifo has operated as a permanent department within Idrættens Analyseinstitut (Idan), sharing back-office infrastructure and resources with the sister organization Play the Game, and it is physically located in Aarhus. The business model is government grant funding rather than commercial revenue: Vifo's annual budget is fixed at 2 million DKK (approximately USD 300,000), drawn through the Danish lottery act distribution mechanism (udlodningsmidlerne) administered via the Ministry of Culture. It employs approximately six staff and conducts both self-initiated research and commissioned studies for municipalities.

The organization's research is positioned as neutral, evidence-based input for public-sector decision-making, and its outputs are used by municipalities in particular to evaluate and develop their folk education offerings. Vifo has begun extending its work into Nordic-level collaboration on folk education research, indicating a modest broadening of its geographic remit beyond Denmark.

Name

Videncenter for Folkeoplysning

Legal name

Videncenter for Folkeoplysning

Website

https://vifo.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Videncenter for Folkeoplysning (Vifo) is a Danish government-funded non-profit knowledge center producing independent research and statistics on folk education, serving municipalities, educational institutions, and policy makers with free reports, databases, and conferences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Aarhus

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Vifo is permanently funded through Idrættens Analyseinstitut with an annual fixed grant of 2 million DKK from the Danish Ministry of Culture, as part of the sports policy agreement.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Videncenter for Folkeoplysning (Vifo) is a Danish government-funded research and knowledge center that produces and disseminates evidence-based research on folk education (aftenskoler, folkehøjskoler, efterskoler, study associations, scouts, etc.) and Danish civil society. Its core outputs are research reports, a municipal statistics database, an industry podcast, and annual conferences serving municipalities, adult education institutions, sports organizations, and policy makers.

Product overview

Videncenter for Folkeoplysning (Vifo) is a Danish research and knowledge center that operates as a single, unified research institute focused on folk education (folkeoplysning) and its role in Danish civil society. The organization offers a portfolio of research services rather than a traditional product platform. Core offerings include: a comprehensive municipal statistics database on folk education activities, the 'Folkeoplysning på lyd' podcast series exploring education concepts, regular research publications and reports covering evening schools, folk high schools, after-school programs, and volunteer organizations, major annual conferences bringing together sector practitioners, and the Vifo Forum network for stakeholder engagement. The organization is institutionally connected to Idrættens Analyseinstitut (Idan) and Play the Game, sharing a joint secretariat and board.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Folkeoplysning på lyd: Podcast series exploring folk education in Denmark, featuring conversations between Vifo's director Troels Rasmussen and various actors in the folk education sector.

Products and services

• Database: Tal på folkeoplysningen i kommunerne A publicly accessible database providing statistics and data on folk education across Danish municipalities, allowing users to access and analyze municipal-level data on adult education and community learning activities.
• Folkeoplysning på lyd (Podcast) A podcast series exploring the concept and practice of folk education in Denmark, featuring interviews with key actors in the field discussing democracy, volunteering, community building, and the future of folk education.
• Research Reports and Publications

Quantifiable outcome

• Conducts the primary national survey of adult education (aftenskole) sector every 20 years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Aalborg KommuneminorOthers · 1 January 2025Vifo conducted research on evening schools in Aalborg municipality, examining the conditions, roles, and development potential of adult education locally.
• Nordic Research Partners (Norway, Sweden, Finland)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Vifo collaborated with researchers and organizations in Norway, Sweden, and Finland to create a comprehensive overview of how evening schools and study circles are organized in the Nordic countries.
• Rødovre KommuneminorOthers · 1 January 2023At the request of Rødovre municipality, Vifo conducted research on the framework and guidelines for evening schools in the municipality, including their work with reaching new target groups.
• Idrættens Analyseinstitut (Idan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Vifo operates as an integrated department within Idrættens Analyseinstitut, sharing administrative infrastructure, staff, and resources. The integration was made permanent in 2014 as part of a broader sports policy agreement.
• Play the GamecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Play the Game, the international sports governance initiative, operates alongside Vifo and Idan under the same institutional structure, sharing offices and resources.
• FO-Byen (Aarhus)minorOthers · 1 January 2014Vifo shares office space in the FO-Byen building complex in central Aarhus, along with other folk education organizations and projects including job workshops, senior day schools, and community initiatives.
• FOF København/LyngbyminorOthers · 1 January 2014Vifo conducted a study of the yoga market in Copenhagen in collaboration with FOF København/Lyngby, examining the scope, practices, participant profiles, instructors, and education in yoga.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Deutsches Institut für Erwachsenenbildung (DIE): Germany's leading institute for adult education research and continuing professional development; comparable as a national research body studying adult and continuing education, though based in Germany.
• NCVER (National Centre for Vocational Education Research): Australian national research body producing data and analysis on vocational education and training; structurally analogous as a publicly funded research center supporting evidence-based policy in adult education.
• Folkbildningsrådet (Swedish National Council of Adult Education): Swedish counterpart organization responsible for distributing government funds and producing knowledge on folk high schools and study circles; directly comparable in mission and function but operates in Sweden rather than Denmark.

Broad incumbents

• European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA): European-level association representing adult education providers and producing policy analysis on lifelong learning; shares Vifo's mission of supporting and informing the adult education sector but at a pan-European scale.
• Danish Institute for Human Rights: An independent Danish state-funded research institution; structurally similar as a publicly funded knowledge center producing reports and analysis for public sector and policy stakeholders, though focused on human rights rather than education.
• UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL): UNESCO institute dedicated to lifelong learning research, policy advice, and capacity building; comparable as a knowledge-producing institution supporting adult and non-formal education globally.
• VIVE – The Danish Center for Social Science Research: Denmark's largest independent social science research institute; comparable as a government-affiliated research body producing policy-relevant studies on welfare, education, and civil society, though with a much broader mandate.

Direct peers

• Idrættens Analyseinstitut (Idan): Vifo's parent institution and a Danish government-funded research center conducting analysis on sports and civil society; shares staff, board, and administrative infrastructure with Vifo, making it the closest organizational peer.
• Play the Game: An international sports governance initiative operating alongside Vifo and Idan under the same institutional structure in Aarhus; comparable as a sibling organization sharing office space, secretariat, and board.

Others

• Statistics Denmark (Danmarks Statistik): Denmark's central statistical authority; relevant as an enabler of evidence-based research and a potential data partner, though its mandate and scope are much broader than Vifo's.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Vifo.dk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/videncenter-for-folkeoplysning

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Videncenter for Folkeoplysning