UzhNU joins the IFES’ interactive civic education course "Democracy: From Theory to Practice"
On January 28, 2019, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and 12 Ukrainian universities signed the Protocol of Cooperation on the introduction of the IFES’ interactive civic education course “Democracy: From Theory to Practice”. The course will be launched at the universities in 2019-2020 academic year.
The universities that have signed the Protocol of Cooperation include Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman, National Aerospace University named after M.Zhukovsky "Kharkiv Aviation Institute", National University "Odessa Maritime Academy", Poltava University of Economics and Trade, Poltava Law Institute of Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, Sumy State University, Ternopil Ivan Puluj National Technical University, Uzhhorod National University, Kharkiv Regional Institute of Public Administration of the National Academy for Public Administration under the President of Ukraine, Kharkiv National University of Radioelectronics, Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, and Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University.
The course teachers will receive continuous training on interactive teaching methodology to strengthen their students’ sense of civic responsibility, as well as develop skills such as critical and abstract thinking, team work, media literacy, consensus building, and fact-based argumentation. Moreover, during the course students will develop their own student action projects, wherein they will identify, analyze, and address issues in and beyond their communities. The goal of the course is to strengthen students’ knowledge and skills associated with effective and mindful democratic citizenship. At UzhNU the course will be taught by the teachers of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration.
Cross-cutting course themes include gender equality, elections, minority rights, inclusion of and accessibility for persons with disabilities, enfranchisement, good governance, rule of law, media literacy, digital participation, diversity, the role of money in politics, the role of youth, and corruption.
IFES’ civic education course was developed by Ukrainian and international experts, is tailored for Ukraine, and is based on IFES’ global university-level civic education methodology, Strengthening Engagement through Education for Democracy (SEED). This methodology was developed by IFES experts and is used to create educational materials around the world.
This initiative was developed through the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Global Affairs Canada and UK aid.
