Sustainability and Global Citizenship

Global Citizenship and European Values

Educating citizens who think beyond borders.

Participation in Democratic LifeInclusion and DiversityErasmus+ KA1 Eligible

About This Course

Democracy is not self-sustaining. It requires citizens who understand it, value it, participate in it and defend it. Across Europe, surveys show declining trust in democratic institutions and growing civic disengagement among young people. The stakes for global citizenship education have never been higher.

This course gives education professionals a thorough, nuanced and practically focused grounding in global citizenship and European values education. Participants explore what it means to be an active European and global citizen in 2026, develop practical approaches to teaching democratic values and human rights, and design learning experiences that develop genuine civic competences.

The course is aligned with the Council of Europe CDC framework, the Erasmus+ Participation in Democratic Life priority and the EU's European Education Area commitment to education for democratic values.

Who Should Attend

  • Citizenship, social studies, history and geography teachers
  • PSHE and values education teachers
  • School leaders developing European dimension approaches
  • Erasmus+ coordinators who want to deepen the civic purpose of their projects
  • Teachers interested in human rights education

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course participants will be able to:

  • Explain the key concepts of global citizenship education and connect them to EU and Council of Europe frameworks.

    You will know the major frameworks including the Council of Europe CDC, UNESCO's Global Citizenship Education approach and the EU's European Education Area citizenship agenda, and be able to connect your teaching to all of them in Erasmus+ reporting.

  • Design learning activities that develop genuine civic competences: values, attitudes, skills and knowledge for democratic participation.

    Citizenship education that consists only of information about democratic institutions produces civic knowledge but not civic competence. You will design activities using the CDC framework that develop all four dimensions simultaneously.

  • Teach controversial issues and value conflicts in ways that are balanced, educationally productive and age-appropriate.

    Many of the most important topics in citizenship education are genuinely controversial: migration, national identity, the limits of free speech. You will have pedagogical approaches for handling controversy that develop critical thinking rather than indoctrinating.

  • Connect global citizenship education to Erasmus+ goals and demonstrate its contribution to democratic resilience.

    Every Erasmus+ project is an act of global citizenship education. You will know how to make this connection explicit, design mobility activities that develop specific CDC competences and document this in Erasmus+ reporting.

    Participation in Democratic LifeCouncil of Europe CDC Framework

A 7-Day Professional Development Experience

Five days of intensive training combined with a structured arrival day and a cultural excursion. We are always open to tailoring the programme to your institution's needs.

Day 1
Sunday - Arrival and Welcome

Participants arrive and are welcomed by the Sude Nexus local team. Welcome dinner and orientation walk.

Day 2
Monday - What Is Global Citizenship?
MorningMapping the landscape: global, European and human rights education. The Council of Europe CDC framework in depth.
AfternoonSelf-assessment and curriculum audit against the CDC competences.
Day 3
Tuesday - Teaching Democratic Values
MorningHuman rights education: approaches, challenges and age-appropriate activities.
AfternoonTeaching controversial issues: pedagogical approaches for handling value conflicts productively.
Day 4
Wednesday - Intercultural Dialogue
MorningIntercultural dialogue and respect for diversity. Moving beyond tolerance to genuine intercultural competence.
AfternoonGlobal interdependence and sustainability: connecting local and global civic responsibility.
Day 5
Thursday - Designing Your Citizenship Education Unit
MorningParticipants design a citizenship education unit using the CDC framework as a planning tool. Peer review.
AfternoonConnecting to EU frameworks, action planning and farewell dinner.
Day 6
Friday - Action Planning and Sharing
MorningPersonal and institutional action planning. Structured peer review.
AfternoonPresentations, certificates and farewell dinner.
Day 7
Saturday - Cultural Excursion and Departure

Guided cultural excursion. Participants travelling home are free to depart after breakfast.

This outline is a starting point, not a fixed schedule. Contact us to discuss how we can tailor this programme for your institution.

EU Policy Alignment

Erasmus+ 2026 Horizontal Priorities

EU Competence Frameworks

LifeCompCouncil of Europe CDC Framework

EU Policy Initiatives

Council of Europe CDC FrameworkEuropean Education Area 2021 to 2030UNESCO Global Citizenship EducationEU Democracy Action Plan
← Back to Sustainability and Global Citizenship

Available Locations and Dates

Check the dates page for current availability across all 13 destinations.

Check Dates and Availability

Ready to Join This Course?