We are delighted to share that our Latvian colleagues have decided to emphasise, as part of their celebration of 20 years of EU membership, the role of Global Education – and to launch the Latvian GENE Peer Review in the context of this celebration.

The event will take place this Thursday (7 November) and is entitled “Latvia’s 20 years in the European Union: Think Globally, Act Locally”. 

The event aims to highlight the significance of Latvia's membership in the EU focusing on the role of global education, civic engagement, sustainable development, and intercultural dialogue—motivating young people to actively participate in society and will bring together youth, NGO representatives, educators, and education experts to discuss the current challenges in education. Learn more about GENE Peer Reviews here.

Two years ago today, GENE convened and Ireland hosted the Dublin Congress on Global Education to 2050. The Congress brought together Member States, stakeholders and other international organisations for the adoption of the European Declaration on Global Education in Europe to 2050 – the Dublin Declaration. The Declaration drafting was chaired by Ireland and co-chaired by Luxembourg. Since then, we have witnessed significant progress and achievements in the field of Global Education – needed now more than ever. On this second anniversary of the Dublin Declaration, we celebrate all those who contributed to the development of the Dublin Declaration, and those – teachers, youth workers, vocational educators, community activists, curriculum developers, teacher educators, school inspectors, civil society organisations, local authorities, and policymakers from Ministries and Agencies across Europe, working to translate the vision of the Dublin Declaration into a reality. Watch this summary of what has been achieved since the adoption of the declaration and hear from those involved in the Declaration drafting process in our video with testimonials. Read the Dublin Declaration here.

17-18 October 2024 | Virtual

GENE Roundtable 51 gathered virtually over 50 policymakers from Ministries and Agencies of Foreign Affairs and Education across 21 European countries, fostering collaboration on the evolving landscape of Global Education. The Roundtable began with an opening by GENE Chairperson Prof. Annette Scheunpflug, who emphasised, "Education can never be thought without a reflection on the future." This thought guided discussions as participants shared national reports and engaged in policy networking. Throughout the Roundtable, participants engaged in working groups that explored critical topics such as the UN Summit of the Future and its implications for Global Education, the evolving EU context for policymakers, and the importance of making a case for Global Education in both Foreign and Development Policy. Discussions also focused on national strategy development, the role of the private sector in Global Education, and the vital connection between Global Education and youth, as well as teacher education and coordination. Read more.

1 December 2024 | Deadline for submissions

The Academic Network on Global Education and Learning (ANGEL) Conference 2025 will take place at the Humboldt Forum in Berlin from 4-6 June 2025. The conference will focus on research in Global Education and Learning, providing crucial evidence for the field, and offering a unique opportunity to connect with leading scholars, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. The call for proposals is open until 1 December 2024. All submissions should clearly demonstrate their relevance to addressing societal issues, particularly in relation to the conference's main focus areas: Global Education and democracy, peace, human rights, sustainability and global social justice. Submissions that explore the impact of international policy frameworks, such as the Dublin Declaration, on global education are also strongly encouraged. Learn more and submit your proposal here. ANGEL is partnering with the University of Bamberg, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Engagement Global, and GENE for this event. Follow the conversation with #ANGELconference2025.

28-29 November 2024 | European Youth Centre in Budapest, Hungary

Excited to announce the upcoming international conference, "Shaping Tomorrow through Global Education," organised by HAND, the International Civilian Association for Humanitarian and Development, in partnership with GENE, the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe and Concord Europe. Discussions will center on the 2022 Dublin Declaration on Global Education (GE2050), focusing on government and civil society collaboration, emerging topics, innovative methodologies in Global Education, educator training, and funding opportunities at various levels. Gathering policymakers, civil society organisations, youth representatives, and experts in Global Education, this conference will provide a platform to explore best practices and research findings related to the implementation of national and European strategies. Read more.

Launched on 17 July at the UN High-level Political Forum in New York, the report focuses on tackling global poverty, inequality and a just green transition. GENE has been glad to contribute to the report in a chapter focused on public opinion research, public support, public engagement and the need for global education. Read GENE's chapter here (full report here).

10 October 2024 | Ambrela Development Forum (ADF) in Bratislava, Slovakia

The Slovak Platform for development organisations – Ambrela responded to the current humanitarian challenges in an inter-connected world with a one-day international conference: ‘Ambrela Development Forum (ADF) – Building Bridges, Building Solutions’ on 10 October in Bratislava. ADF brought together a diverse range of stakeholders — including government officials, civil society leaders, international organisations, and private sector representatives — to foster collaboration between them in order to build stronger development solutions. GENE representatives took part in the conference as speakers in the panel discussions and workshops. Read more.

On 18 July 2024, more than 30 UK educational centres united to call for the UK government to take swift and meaningful action to promote and support the use of Global Learning approaches in UK schools and universities. Professor Doug Bourn, a lead member of the coalition from the IOE, Faculty of Education and Society, said: “With the increased interest and demand from many young people for learning about global and sustainability issues, there is an urgent need for a new approach that embeds Global Learning within the lives of all schools across the UK.” Liam Wegimont, GENE Director, added: “There is a strong community of global educators across the UK, working in the different jurisdictions, ready to act in favour of this agenda. But the sector needs resourcing, and the government needs a strategy, developed in consultation with stakeholders.” Read more.

The evolution of Global Education in Europe is chronicled in the newly released book "Global Education in Europe: National Histories". While research in Global Education has been flourishing in recent years, including through networks like ANGEL - the Academic Network on Global Education & Learning, publications such as the database GEL - Global Education and Learning and the GENE-EERA partnership, there is little research on the history of Global Education at national level in European countries. This publication marks a significant contribution to the importance of history in this field, while positioning Global Education at the forefront of discussions on education policy and provision, international cooperation and solidarity, and foreign policy. Since its inception, GENE has focused on fostering progress and policy learning across borders. Policy learning can only happen if we refuse to pretend that our current configurations are the only possible configurations; and learn from past experiences along with current comparative policy and practice. Download the book here.