Citizenship education as part of lifelong learning

Expected Outcome:

Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Policymakers, educators, and other relevant actors have tools and recommendations to put in place more opportunities for lifelong civic and citizenship^[1] learning, in support of democracy and democratic participation, including by relying on the opportunities offered by digital means, notably civic tech.
• Policymakers at local, regional, national and EU level have tools and recommendations for ensuring the participation of citizens in democratic life, whatever their background, especially those who face barriers to participation in democratic processes.

Scope:

A healthy democracy relies on citizens being able to make informed democratic choices, in free and fair elections. Meaningful and inclusive citizens’ participation and engagement can further complement and reinforce representative democracies and foster trust in public institutions. Education plays a major role in supporting active interest in democratic participation and citizen engagement. Accessible education in matters of democracy and participation in public-policy making is a lifelong process that concerns all age groups in society regardless of their educational and socio-economic backgrounds.

Lifelong learning about democratic processes, civic rights and obligations is crucial. It is a long process that concerns not only young people but also older ones. A healthy democracy relies on meaningful, inclusive engagement from citizens across all ages and demographic groups on a continuous basis. It is important to sustain lifelong civic participation, as technological, geopolitical and economic changes pose new challenges to social cohesion and the equal participation of all citizens in democratic processes.

The focus of this topic is on how citizenship education as part of lifelong learning can boost citizens’ democratic involvement and civic engagement. Research should look at how vocational education and training (VET) (e.g. at secondary and post-secondary levels), including apprenticeships, or adult education programmes, can raise civic knowledge, political awareness, and attachment to democratic values, such as respect for human dignity, freedom, equality and the rule of law. Projects should examine either VET or adult education programmes. Research should further investigate how involvement in these programmes is linked to increased civic participation actions like voting or standing as a candidate in elections, engaging in public policy-making processes, or broader democratic participation such as volunteering or engaging with civil society organisations.

Research could also explore how VET or adult learning programmes could support citizens including persons with disabilities, in enhancing their digital and media literacy skills, and navigating and understanding the rapidly changing democratic information ecosystem, for example by being able to recognise disinformation and make use of digital tools for democratic engagement.

Research should test and pilot innovative methods and curricula to develop citizenship awareness for VET or adult education teachers and students.

A gender and intersectional perspective should be systematically integrated throughout the research, as well as the perspective of other groups that are marginalised, underrepresented in political decision-making, face barriers due to accessibility issues, or are at risk of disengagement.

Research may also examine digital and media literacy to foster critical thinking, to shape and develop citizens’ media and other competencies of citizens, and make recommendations for best practices in this area. Proposals may also examine democratic participation among ageing populations for whom digital tools are a barrier and propose recommendations for solutions to improve their participation. While digital tools can support engagement, research may also examine non-digital, person-to-person approaches that support participation, including in an inter-generational setting.

Proposals should seek collaboration with the European Partnership on Social Transformations and Resilience.

[1] The Action plan on basic skills (March 2025) explicitly recognises citizenship as a basic skill, and it defines it as: “The ability to act responsibly and participate fully in civic life, grounded in an understanding of social, economic, legal and political structures. This involves understanding and evaluation of civic and democratic concepts, institutions and processes, including democracy, media literacy, crisis preparedness and respect for others and freedom of speech.”