Franz Jenewein is the new chairman of ARGE Bildungshäuser Österreich

He is the 12th chairman of ARGE Bildungshäuser Österreich (ARGE BHÖ). His predecessor, Anna Thaller, director of the Bildungshaus Schloss St. Martin, is due to retire this autumn.

Along with her, Gabriele Hofer-Stelzhammer from Bildungshaus Schloss Puchberg, who served as finance officer, and Angela Schmid from LK-Technik Mold, who held the role of secretary and quality officer, are also stepping down from the board. Newly elected to the board are Peter Jungmeier from the SPES Zukunftsakademie, Karl-Heinz Huber from the Bildungshaus Schloss Krastowitz, and Veronika Kusej from the Catholic Bildungshaus Sodalitas.

Anna Thaller: Three years as a dedicated driving force of ARGE BHÖ

As the second woman in the history of ARGE BHÖ, the enthusiastic adult educator took over the chairmanship of the association from Erich Wagner-Walser in 2023. Since then, she has brought her great strengths – her energy, her commitment and her outstanding talent as a networker in education policy – to bear not only in her role as director of the Bildungshaus Schloss St. Martin in Graz, but also within Austrian adult education scene.
 
A particular focus of her tenure as chairwoman was her active involvement in the development of the Austrian LLL (life long learning) strategy. In this role, she was able to contribute valuable expertise and practical experience gained during her work on the Styrian LLL strategy.
 
Her term of office saw a number of significant developments and events. In 2024, for example, ARGE Bildungshäuser Österreich celebrated its 70th anniversary with a major celebration which, thanks to her creative influence, was characterised in particular by a strong focus on art and culture. The admission of Bildungshaus Villa Rosental into the association also took place during this period and marked an important expansion of the network. “Education is the only key to democratic freedom and helps to secure peace,” says Anna Thaller. This understanding of education also shaped her work within the association: education as a contribution to democracy, social cohesion and a peaceful future.

Anna Thaller has served on the ARGE BHÖ board since 2018. The association’s members would like to express their sincere thanks for her many years of service and wish her all the best for her upcoming retirement. She intends to devote more time to her artistic and creative projects in the future.

Franz Jenewein: Looking ahead to the coming years with experience and foresight

Franz Jenewein has been director of the Tyrolean educational institute Grillhof since 1998 and has therefore been closely associated with ARGE Bildungshäuser Österreich for many years. He was first elected to the board in 2003. Until 2009, he was primarily responsible for establishing the quality management system in accordance with ISO 9001. In 2021, he was re-elected to the board. His calm, prudent manner and his expertise in adult education, developed over many years, are particularly valued.

Through his involvement in various working groups and educational networks, including the Federal Ministry for Women, Science and Research, the Tyrolean Adult Education Association and the Tyrolean Educational Service, he has an excellent regional and national network and is well-versed in current developments in education policy.

For the coming term, securing the financial stability of ARGE BHÖ and providing sustainable support for the educational work of its member institutions are of particular importance to him. 

As a prudent and open-minded adult educator and political scientist, he is also committed to embedding and strengthening democracy and peace even more firmly within adult education. The continuation and further development of the Erasmus+ programme within ARGE BHÖ is also among his key priorities for the coming years.