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The role of civic and citizenship education for strengthening civic and democratic participation and support for common European values
Funding Program
Horizon Europe: Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive society
Call number
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-DEMOCRACY-10
deadlines
Opening
15.05.2025
Deadline
16.09.2025 17:00
Funding rate
100%
Call budget
€ 10,500,000.00
Estimated EU contribution per project
between € 3,000,000.00 and € 3,500,000.00
Link to the call
Link to the submission
Call content
short description
The aim of this topic is twofold. First, to understand and enhance – through innovative methodologies tested and measured by successful projects – young people’s civic knowledge (understanding of democratic institutions and processes) and democratic citizenship attitudes, as well as their experiences, willingness, and opportunities to engage in their communities and participate in civic life, fostering a culture of dialogue, democratic debate, and tolerance. Second, to assess the effectiveness of the teaching methods used to promote civic knowledge, attitudes, and engagement, ensuring they contribute to the development of informed and active citizens.
Call objectives
Education should equip young people with competences for their personal, social, professional as well as civic engagement and development, enabling them to contribute to our democracies, now and in the future, by shaping active, engaged and creative citizens who are aware of their shared values and able to improve their living environment, as recalled in the 2023 Council conclusions on the contribution of education and training to strengthening common European values and democratic citizenship. In the current context of growing social concerns and political polarisation, as well as in some cases insufficient engagement of young people in democratic life, we need effective educational and training tools to increase and nurture civic engagement and democratic participation and trust in democratic processes. How can different types of citizenship education (including combining formal education with non-formal or informal learning) increase the level of democratic knowledge, and encourage young people to become more involved in their communities and in democratic decision-making?
This involves developing citizenship competence, in line with the 2018 Council Recommendation on key competences for lifelong learning, and includes, for example, building knowledge and understanding of the European common values, of citizens’ obligations and responsibilities, developing critical thinking in understanding main contemporary events and history, understanding of social and cultural diversities and how national identities contribute to the European identity, an ability and willingness to constructively communicate and engage with others in common or public interest and in decision-making, as well as supporting equality and diversity, culture of peace and non-violence.
The aim of this topic is twofold. First, to understand and enhance – through innovative methodologies tested and measured by successful projects – young people’s civic knowledge (understanding of democratic institutions and processes) and democratic citizenship attitudes, as well as their experiences, willingness, and opportunities to engage in their communities and participate in civic life, fostering a culture of dialogue, democratic debate, and tolerance. Second, to assess the effectiveness of the teaching methods used to promote civic knowledge, attitudes, and engagement, ensuring they contribute to the development of informed and active citizens.
Proposals are expected to consider learning in formal educational settings and can also examine non-formal educational settings (e.g. extra-curricular activities, community service projects, youth clubs etc.). While both formal and non-formal learning are relevant and interesting for the purpose of the topic, they are very different in nature, with some overlap, and would require different research methods and approaches, which can be costly. The focus of research should be on formal education, while research on non-formal education would bring an added value because of the interplay: whether and how formal education actors collaborate with non-formal education actors, for example.
Proposals should address both young people from disadvantaged and from non-disadvantaged backgrounds and should also consider the gendered aspects of young people’s engagement, looking at the different barriers and opportunities for young women and men. Proposals should cover ages 15 to 29.
Proposals should also address the following aspects:
- Design, pilot and test methodologies in formal learning, or in formal and non-formal learning, such as pedagogical approaches on transformational and action-oriented learning, aimed at helping to create critically engaged participants in society, civic learning opportunities, measures related to open classroom climate or student co-creation of education institution related policies and processes (democracy-in-action learning environments). Proposals are encouraged to use mixed methods approaches combining qualitative and quantitative (e.g. small, randomized control trials to test the effectiveness of specific interventions) methods. They may include methodologies for direct youth participation in decisions that concern them, for example in school, sport, cultural activities, public space, any policies in the remit of local administrations. Proposals are expected to pilot innovative methodologies, and not simply to test existing protocols. They are encouraged to include young people in the design of these innovative methodologies and may develop digital gamified pedagogical tools.
- Produce step-by-step explanations for education and training institutions, educators, national education authorities, and policymakers to roll out innovative methodologies in formal and possibly also non-formal learning, designed to create positive effects on levels of civic engagement, a culture of democratic debate, tolerance, and understanding of democratic institutions and processes. To help improve the supply and quality of democratic citizenship education, proposals are expected to develop guidelines on methodology, content and teacher training, a toolbox of pedagogical materials for teachers, and assessment tools to help identify implementation gaps.
The proposed research should also examine what educational tools and approaches need to be in place in formal, or formal and non-formal education, to equip young people for constructive participation in democratic decision-making, understanding of social and cultural diversity, readiness to support inclusive societies, and peaceful conflict resolution. Proposals may also devise (and run) ways to measure the extent to which extending the right to vote to young people aged 16 and 17 has increased their political participation (e.g. voting in elections), and what specific awareness-raising educational accompanying measures were put in place, in those countries where such measures have recently been put in place, focusing on the varying effects across different genders and intersectional demographics.
Proposals may also study where existing models and practices of civic and citizenship education may have failed (could have a negative impact or are simply insufficient) and led to a paucity of civic engagement, and a culture of polarisation rather than debate. This could include, for example, an analysis of large-scale assessments of young people's knowledge and understanding of concepts and issues related to civics and citizenship, in order to build on previous findings in the tested methodologies.
For their contributions to the outcomes of this topic to be successful, applicants must include in their consortia public authorities with the capacity to roll out curricula or institutions in charge of teacher education and training, and/or education and training institutions, in order to better understand the realities faced by those with the capacity to implement the project’s findings and design adapted pilots and methodologies, and to facilitate the roll-out of the methodologies successfully tested by the project. There must also be active engagement of civil society in projects as partners, e.g. youth clubs, sports clubs, community projects, or arts and culture organisations. Testing and innovation work packages should be led or co-led by public authorities with the authority to roll out curricula or education methodologies, and/or education and training institutions, and/or educators in formal and non-formal learning.
Proposals should detail how they will develop close involvement of education bodies and practitioners in the field of democracy promotion, and in particular those involved in relevant projects that received support from other EU programmes, e.g. Erasmus+, European Solidarity Corps, CERV, or Global Europe. Proposals should explain how they will establish connections, find synergies, and build on the work of projects funded under previous Horizon Europe Calls as, for instance: HORIZON-CL2-2022-DEMOCRACY-01-04: Education for democracy; HORIZON-CL2-2024-DEMOCRACY-01-08: Culture, the arts, and cultural spaces for democratic participation and political expression, online and offline; HORIZON-CL2-2022-DEMOCRACY-02-01: Network for innovative solutions for the future of democracy; HORIZON-CL2-2022-DEMOCRACY-01-03: The impact of inequalities on democracy; HORIZON-CL2-2022-DEMOCRACY-01-08: Representative democracy in flux; and HORIZON-CL2-2022-DEMOCRACY-01-02: The future of democracy and civic participation.
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Expected results
Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- Policymakers, education and training institutions, and educators have a better understanding of the impactful learning, teaching and assessment of citizenship education (underpinned by SSH research and evidence), including formal or formal and non-formal learning.
- Policymakers, education and training institutions, and educators gain a sound understanding of the impact of citizenship education related formal or non-formal learning on young people’s (aged 15-29) civic and democratic engagement (through different forms of community and political engagement), including young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and considering gender-specific barriers and opportunities.
- Policymakers, education and training institutions, and educators gain a sound understanding of effective collaborative mechanisms between different actors in formal and/or non-formal education sectors in delivering effective citizenship education.
- Policymakers, education and training institutions, and educators are more aware of and can roll out competence-based, transformational (fostering critical thinking and personal development) and action-oriented (fostering active civic engagement and democratic participation) pedagogical approaches to citizenship education, including innovative learning methodologies.
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Eligibility Criteria
Regions / countries for funding
Moldova (Moldova), Albania (Shqipëria), Armenia (Հայաստան), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина), Canada, Faeroes (Føroyar / Færøerne), Georgia (საქართველო), Iceland (Ísland), Israel (ישראל / إِسْرَائِيل), Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово), Montenegro (Црна Гора), New Zealand (Aotearoa), North Macedonia (Северна Македонија), Norway (Norge), Serbia (Srbija/Сpбија), Tunisia (تونس /Tūnis), Türkiye, Ukraine (Україна), United Kingdom
eligible entities
EU Body, Education and training institution, Natural Person, Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Other, Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs), Research Institution incl. University, Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)
Mandatory partnership
Yes
Project Partnership
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
- the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions
- the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States
- countries associated to Horizon Europe - see list of particpating countries
Only legal entities forming a consortium are eligible to participate in actions provided that the consortium includes, as beneficiaries, three legal entities independent from each other and each established in a different country as follows:
- at least one independent legal entity established in a Member State; and
- at least two other independent legal entities, each established in different Member States or Associated Countries.
In order to achieve the expected outcomes, consortia must include, as beneficiaries or affiliated entities, (i) at least one secondary or higher education establishment, or public body with the capacity to roll out curricula, or public body in charge of teacher education and training; and (ii) at least one civil society organisation.
Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment, including legal entities from non-associated third countries or international organisations (including international European research organisations) is eligible to participate (whether it is eligible for funding or not), provided that the conditions laid down in the Horizon Europe Regulation have been met, along with any other conditions laid down in the specific call topic.
A ‘legal entity’ means any natural or legal person created and recognised as such under national law, EU law or international law, which has legal personality and which may, acting in its own name, exercise rights and be subject to obligations, or an entity without legal personality.
other eligibility criteria
Specific cases:
- Affiliated entities (i.e. entities with a legal or capital link to a beneficiary which participate in the action with similar rights and obligations to the beneficiaries, but which do not sign the grant agreement and therefore do not become beneficiaries themselves) are allowed, if they are eligible for participation and funding.
- Associated partners (i.e. entities which participate in the action without signing the grant agreement, and without the right to charge costs or claim contributions) are allowed, subject to any conditions regarding associated partners set out in the specific call conditions.
- Entities which do not have legal personality under their national law may exceptionally participate, provided that their representatives have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf, and offer guarantees to protect the EU’s financial interests equivalent to those offered by legal persons.
- Legal entities created under EU law (EU bodies) including decentralised agencies may be part of the consortium, unless provided for otherwise in their basic act.
- International European research organisations are eligible to receive funding. International organisations with headquarters in a Member State or Associated Country are eligible to receive funding for ‘Training and mobility’ actions or when provided for in the specific call/topic conditions. Other international organisations are not eligible to receive funding, unless provided for in the specific call/topic conditions, or if their participation is considered essential for implementing the action by the granting authority.
- Joint Research Centre (JRC)— Where provided for in the specific call conditions, applicants may include in their proposals the possible contribution of the JRC but the JRC will not participate in the preparation and submission of the proposal. Applicants will indicate the contribution that the JRC could bring to the project based on the scope of the topic text. After the evaluation process, the JRC and the consortium selected for funding may come to an agreement on the specific terms of the participation of the JRC. If an agreement is found, the JRC may accede to the grant agreement as beneficiary requesting zero funding or participate as an associated partner, and would accede to the consortium as a member.
- Associations and interest groupings — Entities composed of members (e.g. European research infrastructure consortia (ERICs)) may participate as ‘sole beneficiaries’ or ‘beneficiaries without legal personality’. However, if the action is in practice implemented by the individual members, those members should also participate (either as beneficiaries or as affiliated entities, otherwise their costs will NOT be eligible.
- EU restrictive measures — Entities subject to EU restrictive measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) as well as Article 75 TFEU, are not eligible to participate in any capacity, including as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any).
- Legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine — Given the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the involvement of Belarus, there is currently no appropriate context allowing the implementation of the actions foreseen in this programme with legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine. Therefore, even where such entities are not subject to EU restrictive measures, such legal entities are not eligible to participate in any capacity. This includes participation as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any). Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis for justified reasons.
With specific regard to measures addressed to Russia, following the adoption of the Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1745 of 24 June 2024 (amending Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 of 31 July 2014) concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine, legal entities established outside Russia but whose proprietary rights are directly or indirectly owned for more than 50% by a legal person, entity or body established in Russia are also not eligible to participate in any capacity. - Measures for the protection of the Union budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary — Following the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2506, as of 16 December 2022, no legal commitments can be entered into with Hungarian public interest trusts established under the Hungarian Act IX of 2021 or any entity they maintain. Affected entities may continue to apply to calls for proposals and can participate without receiving EU funding, as associated partners, if allowed by the call conditions. However, as long as the Council measures are not lifted, such entities are not eligible to participate in any funded role (beneficiaries, affiliated entities, subcontractors, recipients of financial support to third parties, etc.).In case of multi-beneficiary grant calls, applicants will be invited to remove or replace that entity in any funded role and/or to change its status into associated partner. Tasks and budget may be redistributed accordingly.
Additional information
Topics
Relevance for EU Macro-Region
EUSAIR - EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region, EUSALP - EU Strategy for the Alpine Space, EUSBSR - EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, EUSDR - EU Strategy for the Danube Region
UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)
Additional Information
Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funders & Tenders Portal electronic submission system (accessible via the topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section). Paper submissions are NOT possible.
Applications must be submitted using the forms provided inside the electronic submission system (not the templates available on the topic page, which are only for information). The structure and presentation must correspond to the instructions given in the forms.
Applications must be complete and contain all parts and mandatory annexes and supporting documents.
The application form will have two parts:
- Part A (to be filled in directly online) contains administrative information about the applicant organisations (future coordinator and beneficiaries and affiliated entities), the summarised budget for the proposal and call-specific questions;
- Part B (to be downloaded from the Portal submission system, completed and then assembled and re-uploaded as a PDF in the system) contains the technical description of the project.
Annexes and supporting documents will be directly available in the submission system and must be uploaded as PDF files (or other formats allowed by the system).
The limit for a full application (Part B) is 50 pages.
Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025). It is mandatory to submit a detailed budget table using the template available in the Submission system.
Call documents
Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025 Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive SocietyHorizon Europe Work Programme 2025 Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society(1200kB)
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