The European Democratic Education Community is a European non-profit organisation that promotes democratic education as a sensible educational model for all democratic states. EUDEC aims to further democratic education in Europe. Founded in February 2008 as a project of the United Kingdom-based , the organisation has been an independently registered non-profit NGO in Germany since 2009.
About EUDEC
EUDEC's members are individuals, schools and institutions throughout Europe with decades of experience in democratic education. The organisation of EUDEC reflects the democratic education philosophy which advocates that school students should play an active role at all levels of the organisation: e.g. as individual members, in conference-planning, the organisation of programmes and on the EUDEC Council itself. EUDEC facilitates a network of mutually supportive democratic education practitioners and institutions through the exchange of online information about democratic education in theory and practice, publications, conferences, meetings and seminars, school partnerships and exchanges. Individuals, schools, school start-up groups and organisations may become members of the Community. As of November 2018 the Community represents some 8000 people in 72 groups from 29 countries including over 7,800 school students, 44 schools, 26 start-up groups and 2 organisations including the and UK-based , as well as about 400 individual members. EUDEC is mentioned in several publications about inclusion in education. EUDEC seeks collaboration with other European organisations concerned with education such as the Council of Europe, the European Union through its Erasmus Programme, the and the Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions. It seeks dialogue and information exchange with national state education systems through these international activities. In 2016, EUDEC participated in the World Forum for Democracy organized by the Council of Europe. In 2018, a EUDEC member school, the , participated with 10 state schools from many countries in the Council of Europe project conference held at the in Oslo. EUDEC also seeks dialogue with state school systems at the national level through its growing number of national chapters such as EUDEC HUNGARY, EUDEC FRANCE and EUDEC GREECE. In 2008/2009, EUDEC was an official project of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development of the United Nations. The Community was formed in parallel with the European Democratic Education Conference, which is now a part of the Community's regular activities. The conference, which takes place annually, also includes the EUDEC's annual general assembly of members, in which officers of the community are elected and decisions are made about Community policy. Every two years the Community elects a Council of 7 to 11 members who administer its business between assemblies.
Democratic Education
There are two main pillars of democratic education: self directed/managed learning in a community based on democratic process and human rights with equality and mutual respect between adults and children/young people. Students in democratic schools and universities choose how to spend their time in school, pursue their interests and prepare themselves for their lives and chosen careers. Learning can take place in classrooms, as in conventional schools, but also in many ways outside classrooms as informal learning, such as independent study, internet research, internships, playing games, volunteering, doing projects, visiting museums, travel and discussions with friends and teachers. The best setting for living, learning, or indeed working, is one in which our rights and opinions are respected. Democratic schools have school meetings in which all members of the community have an equal vote, regardless of age or status. Students and teachers sit together as equals to discuss and vote on school rules, curricula, projects, the hiring of staff and budgetary matters. This process is one of the ways that democratic schools create an environment in which children can flourish and grow up to be tolerant, open-minded, responsible individuals who know how to express their opinions and listen to those of others and be active citizens of a modern democratic society. They are well equipped to manage their own lives and create their own identities and thus to face the emerging challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
EUDEC Events
The first EUDEC Conference took place in Leipzig, Germany from 25 July – 3 August 2008. Since 2008, there has been an EUDEC annual general meeting or conference each year. The events are listed below in chronological order:
2008 - EUDEC Conference Leipzig, Germany - hosted by the
