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University of Passau: New laboratory for democracy education founded!
President Bartosch of the University of Passau emphasizes the importance of democracy education. New laboratory and educational offerings planned.
University of Passau: New laboratory for democracy education founded!
In a celebratory ceremony, the University of Passau signed a cooperation agreement to found the “Laboratory for Democracy Education”. President Prof. Dr. In his speech, Ulrich Bartosch expressed his concern about declining trust in parliamentary democracy. He emphasized the need to promote socio-political issues through research and teaching. The newly created laboratory aims to expand educational offerings on human rights and democracy, particularly in teacher training. The first five years of the initiative will be financially supported by the Schwarz Jany Foundation, while follow-up funding will be provided by the Bavarian State Ministry for Science and Art.
The laboratory is also supported by state parliament members Josef Heisl, Stefan Meyer and Roswitha Toso, who provide funds from their parliamentary group reserves. This interdisciplinary laboratory aims to develop political education offerings for future teachers in order to strengthen an open and liberal democracy.
Focus on democratic values and understanding of history
A central component of the lab will be the discussion of dictatorships of the 20th century, in particular the National Socialist dictatorship and the SED dictatorship. What is needed is that future teachers are not only informed about these dark chapters of history, but also understand how such systems can have an impact. In addition, current totalitarian systems are discussed, which should enable comprehensive education for teacher training students.
Developments in school education must face these challenges. According to the Conference of Ministers of Education Education for democracy is a fundamental goal. Recent explanations from the KMK emphasize that all subjects, especially those in the social sciences, should contribute to ensuring that young people are able to competently assess political and social issues.
Educational opportunities for the public
The Democracy Education Laboratory also plans to develop educational offerings aimed at the general public. These include exhibitions and events that are to be presented in a planned exhibition and documentation center in Obernzell-Erlau. A seminar entitled “Experiences of Dictatorship in the GDR” is planned for the summer semester of 2025, which will use Reiner Kunze’s prose volume “The Wonderful Years” as a reference.
Another focus of the lab is conducting interviews with contemporary witnesses in the DiLab at the University of Passau. These projects are an integral part of democratic education, which is important not only for teachers but also for the public. This complements the current initiatives of the Federal Agency for Civic Education to promote democracy education, which emphasizes the value of freedom, justice and tolerance from early childhood.
The challenges facing democracy in Germany – from extremism to the spread of fake news to a general alienation of young people from political processes – require an increased focus on democracy education. History teaches us that the path to democracy is a continuous process of education and engagement. Therefore, the role of educational institutions like the University of Passau is of central importance for the future of our democracy.