Deutsch
Research on Literacy Promotion / Basic Education for Adults
Work in the field of literacy promotion and basic education for adults is necessary in Germany, too. While basic education in terms of elementary competencies in reading, writing and arithmetic is acknowledged as a fundamental human right in our country, part of the population do not acquire these skills to a sufficient degree of competence. Numerous young persons leave school each year without acquiring a formal leaving degree, most of all they have not acquired the basic educational competencies. Failure in the education process and in later working life is as closely connected to the social background in Germany as in no other OECD country. This fact is confirmed by PISA results and the biographies of the adults who enrol in the adult education centres, wishing to acquire reading and writing skills in a second attempt.
The 
Förderschwerpunkt (funding initiative) is structured by four thematic areas:
- Research projects on fundamental aspects of working on literacy and basic education with adults;
- Research on increasing the efficiency and quality support and counselling for adults whose basic education is insufficient;
- Research and development work in the field of literacy and basic education in the context of economy and labour as well as
- Research and development work on the professionalisation of teachers and tutors working with adult learners in the areas of literacy and basic education.
This research priority programme is managed by
the organisation unit for education research, integration and gender research at the project management agency of the German Aerospace Center. Second Chance: Basic Education for Adults for further information. 
The funding priority is also described in detail on the website alphabund.