{"id":131,"date":"2026-09-29T13:45:14","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T13:45:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dc4democracy.uom.gr\/?page_id=131"},"modified":"2026-09-29T13:45:34","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T13:45:34","slug":"project-overview","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dc4democracy.uom.gr\/?page_id=131","title":{"rendered":"Project Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Project Overview<\/p>

Why Europe needs digital competences for safe and democratic deliberations<\/h2><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

DC4Democracy empowers young citizens across Europe by co-creating a validated assessment framework and classroom-ready digital tools to build resilience against online disinformation and foster active civic engagement.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Background & context<\/a><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Main challenges
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Our approach
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Expected impact
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Funding & timeline
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Background & Context<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Democratic systems across Europe are facing unprecedented challenges. Trust in public institutions is declining\u2014only 11% of young Europeans believe democracy functions effectively today. Simultaneously, civic and political dialogue has shifted into digital spaces, where youth are constantly exposed to polarization, manipulation, and algorithmic bias. According to European Commission findings, while 63% of young people regularly encounter online disinformation, a mere 9% have received formal training to recognize and counter it.
While digital democracy topics are gradually being introduced into educational curricula, schools lack reliable, standardized tools to evaluate these essential skills. DC4Democracy addresses this critical gap by advancing the assessment of digital deliberation competences aligned with the European Digital Competence Framework (DigComp).<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Main Challenges<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n

1. Vulnerability to Disinformation:<\/strong> The rapid spread of online fake news, bias, and polarized echo chambers targeting young learners without sufficient critical evaluation mechanisms.

2. Lack of Assessment Standards:<\/strong> The absence of concrete indicators, rubrics, and diagnostic tools to measure students’ civic and deliberative digital skills.

3. The Implementation Gap:<\/strong> Translating high-level European frameworks (such as DigComp and DEAP 2021\u20132027) into practical, everyday classroom activities for secondary and VET educators.

4. Teacher Preparedness:<\/strong> Providing accessible pedagogical guidance and interactive materials so educators can assess competences seamlessly without overwhelming existing curricula.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Our Approach<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n

1. Competence Mapping & Framework:<\/strong> Developing a clear competence map and assessment rubrics tailored to secondary and VET education.

2. Classroom-Ready Assessment Toolkit:<\/strong> Co-designing an open digital toolkit featuring validated self-assessment scales and interactive branching-scenario videos simulating real-world democratic dilemmas.

3. Multi-Country Pilots:<\/strong> Implementing and validating the tools directly across five pilot school and VET environments involving over 1,600 students and 60 educators.

4. Open & Sustainable Access:<\/strong> Delivering open educational resources (OER) and guidance materials that require no commercial software or paid subscriptions, ensuring lasting post-project use.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Expected Impact<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n

1. Empowered Youth:<\/strong> Enabling young learners to become critical, ethical, and informed participants in democratic dialogue online.

2. Equipped Educators:<\/strong> Training secondary and vocational teachers with practical evaluation instruments and pedagogical guidebooks.

3. Institutional & Policy Adoption:<\/strong> Providing evidence-based policy briefs and recommendations to national ministries, curriculum authorities, and EU working groups (e.g., SELFIE, DigComp).

4. Cross-European Synergy:<\/strong> Establishing an active network among schools, universities, EdTech innovators, and civil society NGOs across Europe.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Funding & Timeline<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n

1. Project Name:<\/strong> DC4Democracy \u2013 Fostering Digital Competences for Safe and Democratic Deliberations in the EU<\/em>
2. Programme:<\/strong> Co-funded by the European Union (Erasmus+ \/ EACEA)
3. Grant Agreement ID:<\/strong> 101259941
4. Duration:<\/strong> 36 Months (01\/05\/2026 \u2013 30\/04\/2029)
5. Consortium:<\/strong> 10 partner organizations across 7 European countries (Greece, Germany, Norway, Luxembourg, Portugal, Croatia, Lithuania)
6. Coordinator:<\/strong> University of Macedonia (Greece)<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n