Skytte Institute coordinates the new Erasmus+ project focusing on strengthening civic competences and EU democratic life

Across Europe, democracy is facing new and profound challenges. How can we ensure that young people feel connected to democratic life and equipped to take part in it? The newly funded Erasmus+ project “Strengthening Civic Competences and EU Democratic Life (EuroConnect)” aims to help students and young citizens strengthen their civic competences – the essential knowledge, skills, and values needed for active and responsible participation in democratic life.

This project is a collaborative effort between the University of Tartu, Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies (leading organization), the University of Göttingen, the University of Siena, and the Centre for Creative Development “Danilo Dolci”. The project kicked off with its first transnational meeting in Tartu on November 27–28, where the consortium partners discussed the detailed plan for implementing project activities. The project will conclude in October 2027.

Within the framework of the EuroConnect project, the Johan Skytte Institute, together with its partners, will:

• Conduct a series of online events focusing on EU issue debates, discussions on curricula, and local issue forums, bringing together students from partner universities to explore how civic competences shape responses to societal challenges.
• Implement workshops for secondary school students in Estonia and Italy, introducing the fundamentals of civic competences and creating links between younger learners, university students, and educators.
• Organise collaborative exchanges with trainee teachers, enabling them to transfer knowledge gained from the workshops into their future classrooms.
• Develop a project-based course in which university students co-create solutions to local issues with European implications, using civic competences as their framework.
• Create a practical toolkit compiling data, experiences, and student insights into clear guidelines and actions for advancing civic competence education in the future.

Together, these activities aim to inspire a new generation of engaged, informed, and confident young citizens ready to contribute to Europe’s democratic future. As the project unfolds, the partners will continue developing new opportunities for students, educators, and communities to get involved. Stay tuned for further updates, announcements, and ways to participate in the next stages of EuroConnect.

Image

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the National Agency of Erasmus+ Programme. Neither the European Union nor the National Agency of Erasmus+ Programme can be held responsible for them.