SCUTREA is a lively and innovative professional network. It provides a focus and meeting place for institutions, departments and individuals engaged in researching the education and training of adults and/or in research in the broad field of lifelong learning.

SCUTREA was established in 1971 with the membership initially drawn from university adult education departments throughout the 
United Kingdom. Today, with the broad spread of lifelong learning activities and the decline in the number of university 
departments of adult education, membership is open to all institutions and individuals with professional interests in researching 
the education of adults. As a result, the membership is now quite diverse and makes our annual conferences very interesting and 
lively events to be at. SCUTREA values the contribution made by long-standing participants in SCUTREA conferences and events, 
as well as those who have served (in a voluntary capacity) as officers of SCUTREA (typically for a three-year period).
A list of current officers can be found on the Contacts page or on the backpage of the latest edition of the newsletter,SCOOP.

CONFERENCES

SCUTREA holds a three day conference each year. usually in early July, the proceedings of which are refereed and published. Past conference papers can be found in the Education-line collection. The theme chosen is always at the forefront of current debates in continuing education and the format of the conference deliberately reflects contemporary adult education practice. The next conference will be held on 3-5 July 2012 at the University of Leicester. Every two to three years the annual conference is preceded by a focused pre-conference. The pre-conference in 2012 will be part of the celebrations for the 150 years anniversary of the founding of Vaughan College, University of Leicester. The main conference in 2012 will focus on the theme of Adult Learning and Well-Being. Further details and the Call for Papers may be obtained from here in September 2012. Abstracts will be due in mid-January 2012. Papers will be selected following the SCUTREA Council meeting scheduled for the end of January or early February 2012. Accepted abstracts will need to be developed as completed papers of around 3500 to 4000 words by late April/early May 2012. The conference fee is usually in the region of £380 for members, and £400 for non-members. These costs are fully inclusive of the conference itself, a copy of the proceedings, accommodation and all meals including the Conference Reception and Dinner. The pre-conference is separately charged, and will probably be in the region of £60.00, with an additional cost if overnight accommodation is required. Full details will be made available as soon as they are finalised.

AWARDS

SCUTREA has four annual awards including the Tilda Gaskell Award for the Best Student Paper. The prize is a certificate and the 
return of the conference fees (but not travel costs). A second award is made at the conference for the paper that makes the most
significant contribution to social justice, and is named after, and judged by, Ian Martin (formerly of the University of Edinburgh). Those 
submitting papers should indicate that they wish to be considered for this award. However, it is at the discretion of the 
officers to make the award to a paper that has been included in the conference without the author(s)indicating that they wish 
their paper to be considered. The other two awards are, firstly, the Michael Stephens Award. For this award, applicants must
submit a research proposal with a maximum claim for £500 which can be used to pump prime the proposed research project. It is
unlikely to pay for the full costs of the research project, but could make the difference between the project going ahead or 
failing to materialise. Applications need to be with the Chair of SCUTREA by 1st April in any year. A condition of the award is 
that a paper based on the completed research is expected to be delivered at a subsequent SCUTREA Conference. The successful 
applicant will additionally receive the costs of the full conference and accommodation fees from SCUTREA, though the award holder 
will be responsible for meeting their own travel costs. A fourth award to be made by SCUTREA is in the process of being finalised
with a view to its introduction for the first time in 2012. This award is named in honour of the late David Jones,a former 
secretary and chair of SCUTREA. The focus on creative arts and/or international/comparative perspectives reflects David's 
interests in adult education and lifelong learning. The criteria for consideration of this award are being finalised. Check back
here in February 2012 by which time the details should have been confirmed.

FRIENDS OF SCUTREA

The Annual General Meeting at the 2011 conference in Lancaster agreed that we should have a new category of membership, Friends of SCUTREA. This would allow people who have been engaged with SCUTREA over the years, and who have since retired or are working in other fields, to show their solidarity with the organisation and keep  in touch with the research community. If you are interested in joining we would ask you to set up a standing order for an annual payment of £10.00 (minimum) to be paid to the SCUTREA via the Treasurer, Linda Morrice: l.m.morrice@sussex.ac.uk.

For further details, please contact the Membership Secretary, Christine Jarvis at the University of Hudderfield (c.a.jarvis@hud.ac.uk)