Values in democracy education - enhancing competencies and beliefs of teacher students through a joint study program

All participating organisations and project members applied for this project due to a shared commitment to promoting democratic awareness and value-based education. We had identified an increasing...

We responded to the lack of structured opportunities for students—particularly in primary teacher education— to gain the necessary comptencies for democracy education via systematic curricula development and academic practice. across subject areas. We intended to develop a low-barrier study course combining university courses with an exchange, making transnational learning accessible even for teacher students with fewer mobility opportunities. The exchange served not only as a format, but as a catalyst for professional development and instructional innovation through shared experience and critical reflection (students and staff). Strengthening digital competences, developing shared materials and quality criteria were also core objectives. Dealing with multiculturality is essential for both students and educators; therefore, intercultural and interreligious competences were key dimensions of our approach. We also aimed to empower participants as future multipliers and to establish lasting university–NGO cooperation. The concept was designed to be transferable across educational contexts. The CDC framework guided our shared approach.

The project involved a range of activities on different levels. We coordinated our cooperation virtually and in person, using shared digital tools for planning, communication, and monitoring. Student training took place through LTTAs, which included visits to schools and museums, interreligious dialogue alongside religious places in town. Universities and NGOs co-developed and implemented a study course on “Values in Democratic Education” in teacher education, combining local seminars and an international exchange. Students from all partner institutions prepared jointly in digital collaboration spaces and then met during physical exchanges, engaging in local NGO workshops, school visits, creative formats like theater-based value reflection or stop motion and joint lesson planning. Participating staff and students reflected together on democracy and values in education. The project also involved cooperation with schools and non-formal education providers like museums. Research, evaluation activities, and Master’s theses accompanied the implementation. Dissemination included public workshops, conferences, online events and regional networking. These activities supported democratic competences and professional growth on all levels.

The project produced several key results. A cross-sectoral course on values and democracy education in combination with an international student exchange has been designed and published in the openly accessible ValiDE Handbook, including theoretical foundations, teaching modules, evaluation tools, lesson materials in multiple languages, a reflection tool, and a criteria catalogue. The materials are available via the project website and will also be accessible through open platforms in all three nations, like ZOERR in Germany. The teaching materials are suitable for use in primary schools and have also served as examples in teacher education seminars beyond the project context. A comparative curriculum analysis has been conducted and is currently under publication; two additional contributions on the project model and the evaluation tool are planned for autumn 2025. Universities and NGOs collaborated closely in all phases, which led to new institutional links and follow-up project ideas. The study course has already been reused in other contexts. Students and staff reported significant competence gains. These results laid the foundation for continued cooperation and long-term dissemination through national repositories and EPALE.