Twenty university professors and teacher trainers from pedagogical faculties in Chișinău, Cahul and Bălți have strengthened their capacity to integrate the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC) into both initial and continuous teacher education programmes. The three-day training seminar was organised under the Council of Europe project Education for Democracy in the Republic of Moldova.

During the seminar, participants worked alongside Council of Europe experts to explore the conceptual foundations of the RFCDC and to gain a clear understanding of its framework, structure and intended outcomes. Discussions focused in particular on the framework’s practical relevance, with concrete examples and good practices shared from Moldovan and international universities.

“This training marks an important step in ensuring that future generations of teachers are equipped with the tools to cultivate democratic competences in their students,” said Valentina Ursu, associate professor, State Pedagogical University “Ion Creangă”. “By integrating the RFCDC into teacher education, Moldovan universities are helping to strengthen a culture of democracy, human rights and inclusion.”

This seminar represents the first activity organised by the project for pedagogical faculties in Chișinău, Cahul and Bălți. The project will continue to support universities in identifying opportunities to adapt and embed RFCDC principles into their courses and curricula. A series of further online and in-person training seminars, as well as mentoring sessions, are planned until the end of 2026.