The European Democratic Education Community (EUDEC) 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[1] as a project of the United Kingdom-based Phoenix Education Trust, the organisation has been an independently registered non-profit NGO in Germany since 2009.
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About EUDEC
EUDEC's members are individuals, schools and institutions throughout Europe with decades of experience in democratic education. One of the things that make this organisation so unique is the active role played by school students at all levels: e.g. as individual members, on the EUDEC Council, in conference-planning, in the organisation of programmes etc.
EUDEC pools this knowledge and shares it in the form of online information about democratic education in theory and practice, publications, conferences, meetings and seminars, school partnerships and exchanges, opportunities to visit schools, a thriving, mutually supportive network of schools, universities, organisations and start-up groups.
Individuals, schools, school start-up groups and organisations may become members of the Community.[2] As of October 2014 the Community represents about 58,000 people and 53 groups from 29 countries including more than 58,000 school students, 43 schools, 24 start-up groups and 3 organisations including the German National Association of Free Alternative Schools (BFAS), UK-based Phoenix Education Trust and the Swiss Union of Student Organisations (USO), as well as numerous individual members.
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. This year EUDEC employed its first paid staff member who works closely with the Council to run the organisation.
Democratic Education
There are two main pillars of democratic education; Self determined learning and a community based on equality and mutual respect. 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, just like in conventional schools. But there are many ways to learn outside of classrooms, such as independent study, Internet research, playing games, volunteering, doing projects, visiting museums, travel and discussions with friends and teachers. The best setting for learning – or working or living, for that matter – 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 can sit together as equals to discuss and vote on school rules, curricula, projects, the hiring of staff and even budgetary matters.The result: tolerant, open-minded, responsible individuals who know how to express their opinions and listen to those of others; well-educated, active citizens for a modern democratic society.
EUDEC Events
Since the first EUDEC Conference that took place in Leipzig, Germany in 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 Freie Schule Leipzig
2009 - EUDEC Annual General Meeting Cieszyn, Poland
2010 - EUDEC Annual General Meeting Roskilde, Denmark - hosted by Det frie Gymnasium and Den Demokratiske Skole
2011 - IDEC@EUDEC Conference Devon, England. This conference was a combination of the EUDEC Conference and the 2011 International Democratic Education Conference (IDEC)
2012 - EUDEC Conference Freiburg, Germany - hosted by the Kapriole
2013 - EUDEC Conference, Netherlands - [1]
2014 - EUDEC Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark - [2] - Hosted by Det Frie Gymnasium
2015 - EUDEC Conference, Warsaw, Poland - [3] Hosted by Fundacji Bullerbyn
2016 - The IDEC@EUDEC Conference will take place in Finland. - [4]
See also
References
- ^ European Democratic Education Community — Brief History Retrieved March 5, 2009
- ^ European Democratic Education Community — Membership Retrieved March 5, 2009