Created in 2018, the Education Policy Advisors Network (EPAN) was established to support education authorities in the Council of Europe member states to promote democracy and human rights in education through the use of the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC), adapted to each context.
The Council of Europe Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC) is a set of materials that can be used by education systems to equip young people with all of the competences that are needed to take action to defend and promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law, to participate effectively in a culture of democracy, and to live peacefully together with others in culturally diverse societies.
It is intended for use by education policy makers, especially those working within ministries of education, and by education practitioners in all sectors of education systems, from pre-school through primary and secondary schooling to higher education, including adult education and vocational education. The RFCDC provides a systematic approach to designing the teaching, learning and assessment of competences for democratic culture, and introducing them into education systems in ways that are coherent, comprehensive and transparent.
In the Western Balkans, three projects promoting democratic culture and academic integrity are currently being implemented within the framework of the EU-CoE Horizontal Facility III for the Western Balkans and Türkiye:
"Quality Education for All" in Bosnia and Herzegovina aims to foster quality education for all by applying anti-discriminatory approaches based on Council of Europe standards and practices to promote inclusion and address discrimination in the education system.
"Quality Education for All" in Montenegro aims to foster quality education in pre-university and higher education by implementing the Council of Europe Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC) and promoting good practices of the Platform for Ethics, Transparency and Integrity in Education (ETINED).
"Quality Education for All" in Serbia aims to further improve the quality of education in Serbia by fostering a culture of democracy and inclusion and combatting all forms of discrimination in the formal education system through the implementation of the Council of Europe Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC).
Funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented in Kosovo* the project INCLUDE aims to foster quality education and improve access to education for children from disadvantaged groups including Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian children and children with special education needs.
Implemented by the Council of Europe and funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the project aims to improve the quality of education in Albania by strengthening democratic citizenship education based on Council of Europe standards and practices.
The project helps further strengthening the capacity of the Moldovan education system to develop competences for life in democratic and inclusive societies through formal education. The project promotes the integration of the Council of Europe Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC) in school curricula, teacher education, teaching practices and school governance. It is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), in the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova 2021-2024.
Implemented by the Council of Europe and funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the project aims to strengthen democracy in Georgia through the increased participation of young people in decision-making processes at the local level through democratic citizenship education and practices in schools.
Implemented by the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of North Macedonia, the project is funded by Germany and aims to promote democracy and human rights in and through education and equip young people with the competences to live in a multicultural society through a comprehensive set of initiatives at the policy and grassroot levels.
Implemented by the Council of Europe and funded by Germany, the project aims to support the prevention of bullying and peer violence in schools in Serbia and strengthen safe school environments based on European standards and practices.
The Council of Europe provides strategic advice and support to the EEA/Norway grant programme area “Children and Youth at Risk” in Bulgaria, Romania and the Slovak Republic.
