The web portal Study in Greece is campaigning for the promotion and international visibility of Greek Universities and the comparative educational advantages of our country. In particular, the campaign focuses on the foreign language study programs that Greek Universities offer to Greek and international students. The initiative is supported by the General Secretariat of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs and the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. In this context, a number of educational programs and actions are presented in detail on a regular basis, such as undergraduate and postgraduate programs, summer schools etc, to inform international students about the many foreign language options offered by Greek Universities.
Study in Greece interviewed Associate Professor Marios Koukounaras-Liagkis about the joint MA program Identity, Education and Competences for Democratic Culture, a 100% online Program organized by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) and the European Wergeland Centre (EWC).
Marios Koukounaras-Liagkis is a graduate of Theology (BA, MA, PhD) of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Greek Literature (BA) of the University of Thessaloniki and Postdoctoral Researcher in Education (PostDoc) at the Postgraduate School of Education of the Hellenic University of Thessaloniki. He was elected to the position of Lecturer of Religious Education Teaching in the Department of Theology at the RCA in 2011 and was appointed in January 2013. He became Assistant Professor after a review in January 2017 and Associate Professor of Pedagogical Science and Religious Education in February 2021. His research interests focus on the educational and teaching methodology of Religious Education and Education. in Curricula for the professional development of teachers, Human Rights, Intercultural Education and Theatre in Education.
Dr Koukounaras – Liagkis, please tell us what the MA Identity, Education and Competences for Democratic Culture deals with and what are its overarching goals?
The online Master Program “Identity, Education and Competences for Democratic Culture” is a Joint, international initiative that marks an important collaboration between 3 Departments of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Theology, Philology and Educational Studies) and the European Wergeland Centre of the Council of Europe and Norway. We aspire to help disseminate Democratic Competences in formal education from kindergarten to Higher Education and in non-formal education. We are interested in training educators coming from various backgrounds -in reality any specialty within the scope of formal, non-formal and informal Education- to use the model of Competences for Democratic Culture in any educational environment while placing human rights at the centre of the educational process. We may be overreaching here but what we have envisioned is creating a network of people who will take scientific initiatives and who will affect educational policies in the future bringing democracy at the forefront of global thinking in Education. In order for this to happen, it is important that we bring people from all over the world together. Our vision is having students from diverse backgrounds (cultural, professional, etc.) who will provide unique perspectives on the MA Program’s fundamental subjects. This is why the MA Program is carried out 100% online and we have already issued a call for applications for the academic year 2025-2026 for our international Program (offered in English), starting on October 2025.
How does the program integrate the concepts of identity and democratic culture into its curriculum?
Identity formation is a key-concept in our MA Program. We have incorporated courses like “Identity and culture, diversity, pluralism and intercultural dialogue in education”, “Language, Society and Identity”, “Hate speech and hate crimes in Democratic Culture” in our Curriculum so that students can learn the basics of how identity shapes and is shaped by our context and environment (educational and otherwise), as well as understand the need for intercultural dialogue and understanding diversity. We could talk about the courses on Democratic Culture, but this is beside the point; Democracy is the essence, the cornerstone of all educational processes in our MA Program. It can be found in every course giving new perspectives. We work together with our students to produce knowledge. This way we can train educators that can live up to the needs of modern multicultural classrooms and are able to deal with controversial issues stemming from students’ diverse, overlapping identities (personal/social/religious, etc). Things that we deal with every day.
How does the partnership between the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the European Wergeland Centre benefit students?
This is a unique collaboration providing students with equally unique learning opportunities because each partner, the University’s Departments (Theology, Philology and Educational Studies), and the European Wergeland Centre enrich the project with different but equally important assets: their expertise on Competences for Democratic Culture and insights on their implementation in Education. This can be easily seen in the offered specializations that are a mix of each Department’s expertise and the practical applications provided by the European Wergeland Centre that has been implementing programs about Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education (EDC/HRE) for years. Also, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens was the coordinator of the STEP UP-DC project (Student Teachers’ Practices for Democratic Culture) funded by Erasmus +. So, this is an important experience that we already have. We want our students to work closely with the EWC, that will be offering a full scholarship every year and even have students work as interns in the institution, gaining significant professional experience on EDC/HRE initiatives.
How does the program address the relationship between identity, education, and societal cohesion?
Identity, education and societal cohesion are the fundamental components of the Joint Master Program “Identity, Education, and Competences for Democratic Culture”. This MA program considers education to be a critical instrument for the cultivation of a sense of mutual understanding, respect of diversity, along with a sense of belonging; all these elements are indispensable for the establishment of societal cohesion and unity. Courses such as “Identity and Culture, Diversity, Pluralism, and Intercultural Dialogue in Education” are intended to support students in comprehending how social, cultural, and educational contexts shape and influence individual and collective identities.
The Master’s Program actually underscores the critical role education plays in fostering democratic values and intercultural dialogue, both essential elements to become capable of facing the challenges of diverse and multicultural societies. The program instils in students an understanding to navigate the intricacies of identity by cultivating an environment that prioritizes democratic principles and human rights. This makes for a classroom environment that fosters societal unity by acknowledging as well as bridging differences. Educators who have been trained in these skills can manage intricate issues that arise from the overlapping identities of students, which leads to directly promoting democratic culture and harmonious social integration. That way the program establishes education as a proactive force that can promote unity in the face of diversity, rather than merely be a reflection of societal structures.
What are the key outreach strategies used by the University of Athens to connect with academic institutions, both in Europe and beyond?
We want to build a global research network with people working on the field of Competences for Democratic Culture. So, we will be collaborating with esteemed researchers and academics from foreign institutions in our English-speaking Program. We will both have them as instructors, as well as visiting professors. It is in our plans to also organize conferences and webinars collaboratively. Finally, we hope we will be able to connect with foreign institutions for our annual summer school about Democracy starting in July of 2026, which is being designed at the moment and will be announced soon. It will be a unique opportunity for students to come to Greece, exchange ideas and explore the culture that is the cradle of Democracy.
How does the Joint Master’s Program in “Identity, Education and Competences for Democratic Culture” connect students with international organizations or networks focused on democratic education?
The European Wergeland Centre and the University of Athens have established extensive global networks and collaborations. Students are embraced by a diverse community of organisations and individuals dedicated to the advancement of human rights and democracy from the moment they commence their studies. Initially, the students establish a connection with the EWC and the Council of Europe, as they are our collaborators. They will also have the opportunity to participate in seminars led by experts, such as Dr. Felisa Tibbits, a pioneer in the field of Human Rights Education and Education for Democratic Citizenship, and to complete an optional internship at the European Wergeland Centre, the Council of Europe, in international and Greek institutes and organisations that specialise in human and children’s rights, as well as public entities like the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Migration and Asylum.
Find out more information about the Curriculum and the application process on the Master Program’s website
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