About

The European Literacy Network (ELN) is an international not-for-profit organization of individual literacy researchers and practitioners established by COST Actions IS1401 (ELN), IS1404 (E-READ), IS1406, IS14010 (DigiLitEY), and CA15221 (WeReLaTe). The Founding Patron of ELN is the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences at the University of Porto wherein ELN has its headquarters.

The Association fosters networking among its members, promotes literacy research worldwide, and aims to bridge the gap between literacy science and education. Networking, advancement of literacy research, and better literacy education are not ends in of themselves, but means to strengthen individual researchers or practitioners’ capabilities, improve literacy education worldwide, promote human development, and spread humanistic values, as envisioned in the ELN Charter.

To achieve its goals, the network carries out many activities, including establishing communities, short-term exchange missions, training schools, workshops, and the Literacy Summit.

The ELN is dedicated to fostering understanding, inclusivity, and cultural exchange, while upholding the core principles of democracy, freedom, equality, and humanism. By supporting educators and learners from all walks of life, ELN contributes to a more informed, equitable, and non-discriminatory society. ELN is committed to treating all individuals with respect and dignity, regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, religion, cultural heritage, language, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or any other aspect of their identity. In addition, ELN firmly distinguishes between political contexts and individuals, ensuring that no person is judged or discriminated against based on the circumstances of the sociopolitical situations tied to their background. By promoting inclusivity and equality, ELN strives to create a collaborative and supportive environment where diverse perspectives are valued and barriers to participation in literacy research and education are actively addressed.