Partner Institutions

The teaching project „Kasuistische Demokratiebildung im Lehramt“ will launch in April 2026. It focuses on working with case studies drawn from school practice, particularly on topics related to religion and politics. The project builds on existing approaches from Dresden, where casuistic methods are already established in the teaching of history, politics, and philosophy/ethics. The teaching concepts for case work will be further developed in the spirit of participatory Design-Based Research (DBR) and deepened in a subject-specific manner. In doing so, tried-and-tested learning environments will be iteratively revised, tested and evaluated in order to involve students more closely in research-based, reflective learning processes. The design of the cases is based on the Harvard Case Studies “Justice in School” and comprises three key steps: the cases are brought to life through storytelling and multimedia presentation; the perspectives of civil society actors such as parents or school management are systematically incorporated; and structured discussion protocols facilitate a multi-perspective analysis of conflict. Through this work with realistic cases, students learn to recognise the dynamics of religious radicalisation or discrimination, to analyse the diversity of underlying values and perspectives, and to constructively moderate the resulting controversies – a contribution to practice-oriented democracy education in teacher training. The Institute of Didactics of Democracy acts as a point of contact in this regard, particularly in discussions relating to democracy education.

The Institute for Civil Civic Engagement (ICCE) was established as a partnership between Mesa, City and Miramar Colleges in San Diego and the University of San Diego to promote and improve civil discourse between citizens and public officials, both in person and through the media. In this context, the Institute works on innovative approaches to the respectful resolution of differences of opinion and the effective handling of pressing political challenges. This includes the promotion of community initiatives and the development of educational resources and models for effective civic engagement, both in San Diego and beyond. The ICCE collaborates with the Institute for the Didactics of Democracy on research into civic education and exchange processes, as well as the development of political education programmes.

Demokratiezentrum Wien is an independent academic institution dedicated to research into democracy and democratic education. Its empirical and theoretical research contributes to academic understanding, democratic policy discourse and the integration of these findings into educational programmes. The Institute’s development is driven by projects focusing on various aspects of democratic science and didactics, as well as the dissemination of these topics across different knowledge domains, such as youth and adult education, and the school and university sectors. With its thematic focus (e.g. historical and political iconography, media and democracy, e-democracy, migration) and the development of multimedia and online teaching resources for political education, the Democracy Centre has been a pioneer since its inception. The Democracy Centre Vienna cooperates with the Institute of Didactics of Democracy on various research and knowledge transfer projects.

Arbeitsbereich der Didaktik der Politischen Bildung was established in March 2017 at the Centre for Teacher Education at the University of Vienna with the aim of embedding civic education more firmly within the teacher training programme at the University of Vienna. The research priorities of the research group are the didactics of democracy, civic awareness research, global citizenship education, inclusive civic education and human rights education. "Arbeitsbereich der Didaktik der Politischen Bildung" at the University of Vienna collaborates with the Institute of Didactics of Democracy on various research projects relating to civic education.

Leonore-Goldschmidt-Schule is an integrated secondary school (IGS) founded in 1974 and offering all-day schooling in Hanover, where around 1,850 pupils in Years 5 to 13 are currently taught by approximately 180 teachers. As the first IGS among Lower Saxony’s European Schools and a certified environmental school in Europe, intercultural education, sustainability and European partnership form an important part of the school’s culture. In this context, the Leonore Goldschmidt School collaborates with the Institute of Didactics of Democracy on various aspects of teaching and learning research, as well as within the framework of an Erasmus+ project (REACT).

The Landesjugendring Niedersachsen, in which 19 youth organisations active across the state have joined forces to form a working group, shapes and secures the framework conditions for youth work, takes a stand on issues, launches initiatives, organises specialist conferences, publishes materials and serves as an information and service centre for youth work in Lower Saxony. It is backed by over 80 independent youth associations with around 500,000 members, whose activities reach approximately 70 per cent of all children and young people in Lower Saxony. The Landesjugendring is thus the largest and, in its kind, the only interest group for children and young people in Lower Saxony. The Landesjugendring Niedersachsen cooperates with the Institute of Didactics of Democracy on project development and funding in the education sector.

The Ada-und-Theodor-Lessing-Volkshochschule Hannover is the municipal adult education centre of the state capital, Hanover. Founded in 1919 by Ada Lessing, who was also its first director, our mission and guiding principle is to provide a range of programmes tailored to the diverse needs of everyone in Hanover. Our educational and participatory programmes support people in developing their skills, interests and perspectives in a self-directed manner.

Our education and office complex is situated among historic ‘Fachwerk’ buildings in the idyllic old town, on the banks of the River Leine and between the beautiful Ballhofplatz and Hanover’s oldest town house, built in 1566. The Volkshochschule Hannover stands for contemporary, real-life-oriented and accessible learning. Yet it is not merely a place of learning, but also a meeting place. We believe that lifelong learning is a vital component of political, societal, social and economic participation.

As the largest provider of adult education in the town and district of Celle, vhs Celle is committed to the concept of lifelong learning. Its aim is to enable all sections of the population to participate actively in society and, through its wide range of educational programmes, to enhance individuals’ practical and decision-making skills – both in their professional and private lives. vhs Celle sees itself as a place of learning, a cultural meeting place and a forum for discussion.