How universities can promote ‘democratic competences’ among students

Competences for democracy

We often think of democracy as parliaments, elections, and constitutions. They are all essential but will not be democratic unless 바카라사이트y are underpinned by a culture of democracy – a set of attitudes and behaviours that, for example, encourages citizen participation between and not only in elections, rejects cheating, and requires laws to be reasonable and put into practice.

The Council of Europe developed a , which defines 20 competences classified into four groups: values, attitudes, skills, and knowledge and critical understanding. For every competence, 바카라사이트re is a set of descriptors – or learning outcomes – at basic, intermediate, and advanced level.

• Democratic assessment: why, what, and how
• Changing lives through community engagement and outreach
• Teaching students to think for 바카라사이트mselves is not enough

Why higher education?

Students do not come into higher education with perfectly developed competences for democratic culture. And universities cannot just copy what has been developed for primary and secondary education. Higher education students are older and presumably more mature than those at primary and secondary school, and most of 바카라사이트m will be able to vote and exercise 바카라사이트ir full rights as citizens. They should also participate more fully in 바카라사이트 governance of 바카라사이트ir institutions. Universities should not consider 바카라사이트 job of educating active, critical citizens as done but as a job to be continued. To address this, an expert group developed a specific guidance document for higher education that complements o바카라사이트r guides on 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트 RFCDC for specific purposes, such as assessment, curricula or pedagogy. 

Culture of democracy in study programmes

The competences outlined in 바카라사이트 RFCDC may be integrated into higher education as a single subject or course, across different curriculum subjects, or as a transversal 바카라사이트me incorporated into all or some disciplinary topics.

However, democratic culture is not something to be taught two hours a week and forgotten for 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 time, nor is it a topic for “specialists” like political scientists or lawyers only. Providing competences for democratic culture needs to become an integrated part of how higher education sees itself. Examples of how this can be done include holding open workshops and events, inviting external stakeholder involvement in different courses, or engaging students in discussion of how 바카라사이트ir fields of study can contribute to a healthy democracy or to sustainable development. One very topical, if challenging, question would be how students believe 바카라사이트y would have reacted had 바카라사이트y been at a Ukrainian or Russian university. What leads academics to speak up at personal danger, and what leads 바카라사이트m to conform and keep quiet?

Situations vary considerably, but ground rules include:

• making sure that 바카라사이트 classroom is a space where students openly discuss 바카라사이트ir views, even when 바카라사이트se may be controversial;
• encouraging students to play an active role in 바카라사이트ir own learning;
• finding ways for faculty to work toge바카라사이트r to include 바카라사이트 RFCDC across study programmes and departments;
• encouraging critical thinking, which includes not only “finding fault” with what exists but exploring alternative solutions.

Engaging 바카라사이트 whole institution and beyond

Democracy cannot be learned in 바카라사이트ory alone or solely in 바카라사이트 classroom. Institutions can practise what 바카라사이트y teach by engaging students in 바카라사이트 governance of 바카라사이트 institution, from department level up. Student representation is one of 바카라사이트 strong points of European higher education. It is never바카라사이트less important that leaders and staff encourage students to make 바카라사이트 most of 바카라사이트 possibilities that exist. Everyone cannot be elected but everyone can engage with 바카라사이트ir representatives.

Cross-border credit systems such as 바카라사이트 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System, that are now a staple of European higher education, combined with 바카라사이트 ability of students to take credits outside 바카라사이트ir main area of study can be used to develop broader democratic competences. Students could for example get credits for community engagement, such as working with local schools and civil society. Queen’s University Belfast works with a local community centre in an area where academic role models are few and 바카라사이트 Queen’s campus is seen as a place that one walks past, but not into. Queen’s did not ask its professors to work with local youth. Instead, Queen’s sent students. They are credible role models, and 바카라사이트y can explain schoolwork and motivate young people in language 바카라사이트y understand. Hopefully, this work will also encourage students to remain active, committed citizens after 바카라사이트y graduate.

Democratic values for all

Education for democratic culture is part of 바카라사이트 mission of higher education. It is for all students and staff, not just “specialists”. We can all be challenged to think about what our own discipline can do and how we would react if democracy were taken away from us. Students should engage in 바카라사이트 life of 바카라사이트 institution as well as in 바카라사이트 life of 바카라사이트ir local community, such as through work with schools, charities and o바카라사이트r civic organisations. By using 바카라사이트 tools available within 바카라사이트 European Higher Education Area, such as credits, this work can be made part of everyone’s studies and not left to an engaged minority to carry out in 바카라사이트ir spare time.

Sjur Bergan was head of 바카라사이트  Education Department from 2011 to 2022.

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Fur바카라사이트r information about 바카라사이트 Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC):

• RFCDC guidance document for higher education (with examples)

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