The NEAR project as a model and a method: assessing the impact of Erasmus+ through proximity and narration on adult education in the Naples area

The NEAR project suggests a change in the approach to assessing the impact of the Erasmus+ programme in Naples which shifts the focus from quantitative indicators to a methodology based on storytelling and proximity. In a context characterised by emerging social vulnerabilities, the model re-imagines transnational mobility as a process of ‘biographical learning’, capable of highlighting latent skills and reshaping participants’ identities. The model’s effectiveness is rooted in three interconnected dimensions: Individual transformation (Micro): narrating the travel experience enables vulnerable individuals (inmates, the elderly and students in marginalised communities) to develop self-efficacy and regain their social dignity. Organisational innovation (Meso): the institutions concerned evolve into ‘learning organisations’ capable of re-purposing assets confiscated from crime and adopting flexible, results-oriented management models. Systemic impact (Macro): through Territorial Education Pacts, the project promotes stable alliances between schools and the third sector and transforms adult education into a driver of urban regeneration and active citizenship. Overall, NEAR shows that pedagogical proximity and active listening are vital scientific tools for ensuring that internationalisation will become a democratic and structural asset capable of surviving individual funding cycles.