Education experts from across Europe gathered in Strasbourg on 20-21 May for the 14th Plenary of the Education Policy Advisors Network (EPAN), where the European Space for Citizenship Education (ESCE) took centre stage. With representatives from all 48 states parties to the European Cultural Convention, the meeting underlined the momentum behind strengthening democratic citizenship education—both as a shared European goal and a concrete educational practice.
Importantly, the meeting took place in the broader context of the Secretary General’s “New Democratic Pact for Europe”, where education features as one of the three central pillars.
Chaired by Sarah Keating, Head of the Division for Formal and Non-Formal Education, the first day of the meeting focused on the European Space for Citizenship Education (ESCE) and its three areas: codification of principles, quality assurance, and co-operation. These themes were explored in parallel workshops, allowing participants to delve into each area in depth and to contribute substantive input into the co-creation process of the European Space.
Participants reaffirmed the importance of balancing European collaboration with national contexts, ensuring that tools and frameworks remain both adaptable and grounded in shared values.
A highlight of the day was a session on recent developments in the European Space, introduced by Salvador Sala, Head of the European Space for Citizenship Education Unit, with contributions from Council of Europe experts Gert Biesta, Catalina Ulrich Hygum, and Patricia Hladschik. The discussion provided an overview of the developments of the work and set the tone for subsequent exchanges, framing the ESCE both as a conceptual framework and as a practical tool for advancing quality citizenship education. Notably, the three workshops pointed to the importance of revitalizing existing frameworks, underscored the value of self-reflection and continuous learning, and stressed the need to respect national contexts while upholding the shared values of the Council of Europe-through a process built on mutual trust and transparency.
There was a strong call to move beyond formal compliance and focus on real impact—particularly the development of learners' democratic competences, active participation, and civic mindset.
On day two, France, Greece, and Ireland shared recent developments related to the implementation of the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC) in their national contexts. This was followed by presentations from the Council of Europe Secretariat on new tools and guidance documents covering vocational education and training, education for sustainable development, and the toolkit for a democratic and inclusive school culture, as well as a snapshot of its ongoing co-operation projects.
These guidance documents and educational tools were welcomed as practical enablers for schools and policymakers to anchor citizenship education in everyday teaching and institutional culture.
Participants also highlighted the importance of visibility, peer exchange, and motivation—calling for a space to showcase good practices and foster support engagement.
As work on the European Space for Citizenship Education progresses, EPAN remains a key partner in co-creating a cohesive and adaptable framework—rooted in national realities and shared European values—to support inclusive, sustainable, and democratic citizenship education across member states.
