On January 28, 2019, IFES and 12 Ukrainian universities signed the Protocol on Cooperation on the Implementation of the IFES Intercultural Education Course on «Democracy: From Theory to Practice». Teaching courses at these universities will begin in the 2019-2020 academic year.

These educational institutions will join 8 universities that have already started cooperating with IFES and have already begun teaching the course in the current academic year.

The following universities that have signed the Cooperation Protocol are Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman, National Aerospace Universitry named after M. Zhukovsky Kharkiv Aviation Institute, National University «Odessa Maritime Academy», Poltava University of Economics and Trade,  Poltava Law Institute of Yaroslav the Wise National Law University, Sumy State University, Ternopil National Technical University named after Ivan Puluj, Uzhhorod National University, Kharkiv Regional Institute State Administration of the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine, Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics, Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University.

Teachers will have undergone special training and training on interactive methods of teaching civic education by the beginning of the course. In addition, during the course students will develop their own projects designed to solve problems inside and outside of their communities. All of this will help to ensure better development of students’ knowledge and skills, as well as contribute to the formation of their democratic values and attitudes.

Training will take place on specially designed educational materials that are dedicated to democratic principles, good governance, civil society, civic participation and human rights.

Gender equality, elections, minority rights, inclusiveness and accessibility for persons with disabilities, voting rights, good governance, the rule of law, media literacy, civic participation through the use of information technologies, diversity, the role of money in politics, the role of youth and corruption are among the cross-cutting themes of the course.

The course «Democracy: From Theory to Practice» was developed by the international and Ukrainian experts taking into account the Ukrainian context based on a methodology for civic education called «Strengthening Engagement through Education for Democracy or SEED». The developed methodology is designed to create educational materials around the world.

This event was made possible by the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and British aid from the UK government.