DEMOCRAT aims through a participatory approach to elaborate curricula for Education for Democracy (EfD) based on a framework of responsible democratic competences (RDCs), to test them in open, local, innovative learning projects, and to develop a toolbox to support the development of transformative practices. Bringing together partners from Spain, Germany, Estonia, Poland and Ireland, DEMOCRAT’s ambitious research and innovation programme will provide insights into the points of comparison and contrast in EfD in the EU-member states, and will develop an innovative curriculum framework linking RDCs with digitalisation and sustainability.

As a Horizon project coordinated by the Universitat de Barcelona (ES), DEMOCRAT’s strength and novelty lies in its commitment to applied research and pedagogical innovation. It will test and analyse pedagogical practices and material considering its effectiveness for acquiring democratic competences and European identity. It will garner insights into the factors influencing the impact of EfD on public participation through the analysis of European datasets, with a particular focus on the relation between socio-economic and educational inequalities and political and social participation.

DEMOCRAT will pursue a participatory and co-creation approach, cooperating with a wide range of actors which include public authorities responsible for education, municipalities, schools, students, parents, teachers, social educators, their associations, and other relevant NGOs. It will set up a national living lab in each partner country (Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Spain and Poland) as well as one transnational living lab, to foster exchange of experiences, mutual learning and co-development of practice within and across the national education networks.

From day 1, the consortium will liaise with a number of associations and networks in order to inform key stakeholders about the project activities and objectives and engage them early in the activities to be implemented, including participation in the living labs and EfD co-development. eucen will play a key role in establishing a strong communication channel with all associated organisations and networks to foster multi-layered dialogue, and in cultivating linkages to other EU projects in the field or adjacent fields to facilitate mutual learning processes.

This Horizon project has a consortium of 10 partners:

– Universitat de Barcelona, Spain (coordinators)
– NOTUS, Spain
– Tallinn University, Estonia
– Helsingin Yliopisto, Finland
– Hoschshule Dusseldorf, Germany
– Uniwersytet Jagiellonski, Poland
– Dublin City University, Ireland
– FOGG, Belgium
– Stichting International Parents Alliance, the Netherlands
– EUCEN, Belgium

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