Introduction and Description

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Understanding the European Union: Institutions, Values and EU Decision-Making for Educators is a structured professional development course designed to strengthen teachers’ European literacy and their capacity to teach the European Union in an informed, critical, and pedagogically meaningful way. At a time when European societies face democratic challenges, social polarisation, misinformation, and declining civic trust, schools play a crucial role in fostering democratic culture, active citizenship, and shared European values. This course directly responds to these challenges and aligns strongly with the priorities of Erasmus+, particularly those related to citizenship education, inclusion and diversity, democratic participation, and European cooperation.

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The course provides participants with a coherent understanding of the historical development of European integration, the core values underpinning the European project, and the institutional and decision-making structures of the EU. Participants explore how EU institutions function, how laws and policies are developed, and how European-level decisions influence national education systems and everyday school life. Rather than approaching the EU as an abstract political structure, the course emphasises its tangible relevance for teachers, students, and school communities, including mobility opportunities, fundamental rights, educational priorities, and democratic participation.

A strong pedagogical focus ensures that participants move beyond knowledge acquisition toward meaningful classroom and school-level application. The programme supports educators in translating complex EU concepts into age-appropriate, inclusive, and interdisciplinary learning experiences. Special attention is given to developing critical EU literacy, encouraging balanced perspectives, respectful debate, and inquiry-based learning, while avoiding simplistic or prescriptive narratives. This approach is particularly relevant for addressing diversity of opinions, media influence, and Euroscepticism within contemporary classrooms.

The course is suitable for teachers of social sciences, history, geography, citizenship education, and interdisciplinary subjects, as well as school leaders and Erasmus+ coordinators seeking to strengthen the European dimension of their institutions. It contributes to Erasmus+ priorities by promoting democratic values and active citizenship, social inclusion and respect for diversity, participatory learning, and international cooperation in education. Participants also explore how EU priorities—such as sustainability, digital transformation, and social cohesion—can be meaningfully integrated into curricula and school projects.

Both 5-day and 10-day programme formats are available, allowing schools to choose an intensive introduction or a more in-depth exploration with extended pedagogical practice and project development. In all formats, the course empowers educators to embed European values, institutional understanding, and democratic practices into teaching, learning, and school culture in a sustainable and context-sensitive way.