University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW)

Democracy Goes to School

The programme highly values the transfer of knowledge regarding democracy in its different forms and practices beyond the gates of the university, both towards decision-makers, interest groups and the general public. In order to encourage these activities focusing on the practice of democracy, the Doctoral Programme Democracy Studies organises a "Democracy goes to school" workshop in collaboration with the ZDA and the School of Education of the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland PH/FHNW.

Pupils of today are active citizens of tomorrow. Yet political education in schools has received little attention in the Swiss educational system. The Center for Democracy Aarau (ZDA) has been committed to promoting civic education through extracurricular programs and teacher training. This workshop wants to give insight into democracy learning and teaching political values to younger generations.

Day 1
The first day of the workshop will be held at the Institute of Political Science UZH with a seminar by Monika Waldis (ZDA and PH/FHNW) on the current state and challenges of civic education in the Swiss school system.

Day 2
On the second day of the workshop, participants will have the chance to engage directly and will get involved in the «SpielPolitik!» Schulen nach Bern // Die Politiksimulation im Bundeshaus simulation game. "SpielPolitik!" aims to promote students' political education and offer them insights into the functioning of national politics and the active discussion of their concerns. In their classes, pupils in 8th or 9th grade prepare initiatives to be proposed. Then the debate on these initiatives takes place in Berne for two days. Pupils take on the role of national politicians debating in commission meetings and party meetings. The final debate is held in the Swiss parliament in the federal building.

1 ECTS

A high level of commitment on the part of many actors, but few binding structures - this is the current situation of civic education in schools and outside schools in Switzerland. It includes democracy learning and political learning in equal measure. Since the establishment of the Center for Democracy Aarau (ZDA), we have been committed to promoting civic education in schools, extracurricular programs, and teacher training. Within the framework of the program for the promotion of civic education in Switzerland, swissuniversities has now for the second time granted support for the integration of civic education as a topic within the Doctoral Programme Democracy Studies UZH.

Within the framework of the cooperative doctoral program, potential doctoral students with an interest in democracy learning and civic education can join the DPDS and can be co-supervised by Prof. Monika Waldis (PH/FHNW, Head of the Center for Civic Education and History Didactics at the ZDA). The doctoral program is aimed at doctoral candidates who want to deepen their understanding of issues in civic education. A dissertation in civic education leads to academic work on topics of democracy education, civic education, "digital/global citizenship education" as a lecturer in teacher education, adult education, and social work; as well as in management positions in non-profit organizations and in international organizations.
 

The FHNW School of Education is the teacher training institution for the north-western Switzerland educational area and ranks amongst Switzerland's leading teacher education institutions. Through its educational programme and its vocationally oriented research activities focused on teaching, education and systems, it maintains and develops the educational systems deployed in the north-west of Switzerland. With over 3000 students attending its regular courses of study and in excess of 30,000 people attending its continuing education programmes, the School is one of the largest of its kind in German-speaking Switzerland.

FHNW School of Education