On this page

1. Policy Framework

2. Formal learning

3. Non-formal and informal learning

4. Quality assurance/quality guidelines for non-formal learning

5. Educators' support

Policy Framework

Denmark does not have a designated national strategy on social and civic competences. Social and civic competences are an integrated component of the Danish education acts, the national curriculum and non-formal general education.

The framework of reference for social and civic competences in formal education:

• Act on Primary and Lower Secondary Education (Bekendtgørelse af lov om folkeskolen, LBK nr 989 af 27/08/2024 ) (ISCED 1-2)
• Act on General Upper Secondary Education (Bekendtgørelse af lov om de gymnasiale uddannelser, LBK nr 1003 af 28/08/2024)  (ISCED 3)
• Act on Vocational Upper Secondary Education (Bekendtgørelse af lov om erhvervsuddannelser,  LBK nr 961 af 16/08/2024)
• Ministerial order on VET (Bekendtgørelse om erhvervsuddannelser,  BEK nr 953 af 22/06/2023)
• Ministerial order on core subjects in VET, appendix 28 and 32 (Bekendtgørelse om grundfag, erhvervsfag og erhvervsrettet andetsprogsdansk i erhvervsuddannelserne, BEK nr 555 af 27/04/2022) 

In formal education, the target group is children and youth in primary (ISCED 1), lower (ISCED 2), and upper secondary (ISCED 3) education.

The legal framework in non-formal education:

• Act on Receipts from the national lottery and football pools (Udlodningsloven,  LOV nr 1532 af 19/12/2017)
• The Act on Social Services, § 18 (Bekendtgørelse af lov om social service, LBK nr 170 af 24/01/2022)
• The Act on Non-Formal General Adult Education (Folkeoplysningsloven, LBK nr 1115 af 31/08/2018)

Non-formal general education targets all people living in Denmark.

Furthermore, social and civic competences are one of the supplementary requirements for citizens from countries outside the EU/EEA countries and Switzerland when they apply for a permanent residence permit. 

When it comes to integration and residence permits for non-Danish citizens, the framework of reference for social and civic competences is the Act on Integration (Integrationsloven, LBK nr 1146 af 22/06/2020).

The target groups are non-Danish citizens from third countries who wish to apply for a permanent residence permit.

Formal learning

In general and vocational upper secondary education programmes, social and civic competences are integrated into other compulsory subjects as well as being a cross-curricular theme.
 

General upper secondary education

The Act on General Upper Secondary Education (Lov om de gymnasiale uddannelser) establishes the objectives of the four general upper secondary education programmes (stx, hhx, htx and hf). Hf is a two-year general upper education programme, the rest are three-year education programmes.

The act determines that the education programmes and the very culture at the education institutions must prepare the students for living in a participatory democracy and the responsibility, rights and duties that this entails. Both the teaching and the everyday processes at the institution must be based on freedom, equal status, respect and democracy. The students thereby achieve the qualifications to participate actively in a democratic society.

In the Act on General Upper Secondary Education Programmes, the preamble highlights the importance of social and civic competences. Section 1, subsection 4 states that: ‘education programmes and the general education culture at the education institutions must prepare the students for participatory democracy, co-responsibility, and rights and obligations in a society based on freedom and democracy. The teaching and life at the education institutions must be built on intellectual freedom, equal status and democracy and strengthen the students’ knowledge of and respect for basic constitutional and human rights, including gender equality. Thereby, the students must achieve competences for active participation in a democratic society and an understanding of the opportunities for contributing to development and change, individually and in unison.’

Furthermore, citizenship education is integrated in the subject Social Sciences (samfundsfag). Social Sciences at c-level is obligatory for all students in stx, hhx and htx. The teaching time is 75 lessons of 60 minutes in a school year, but the school decides how to allocate the lessons.

One of the core themes of the subject is ‘political participation, rights and duties in a democratic society and gender equality’. During this theme, students learn about different ways to engage in politics, the decision-making process and how to influence it. Furthermore, the students gain knowledge of citizenship and its rights and duties. At the final examination, the student must be able to use knowledge from the core themes to explain and discuss societal problems.

In HF, the subject Social Science is obligatory at c-level and is integrated in the subject group Culture and Society. The objective of the subject is general education, and the teaching should prepare the pupil to make autonomous decisions and participate actively in a modern, multi-cultural, democratic society. One of the core themes in social science c-level is: ‘The political rights and duties in a democratic society, political decision-making and participation, equal rights and gender equality.’ At the final examination, the student must be able to use knowledge from the core themes to explain and discuss societal problems.

Vocational education

The Act on Vocational Education (Erhvervsuddannelsesloven) establishes the objectives of the vocational education programmes at upper secondary level.

In section 1, subsection 3 states that vocational education programmes must contribute to developing the students’ interest in and ability to participate actively in a democratic society.

In the ministerial order (bekendtgørelse om erhvervsuddannelser), for the vocational education programmes, the objectives of the vocational programmes are specified in section 1, subsection 2. Vocational education programmes must contribute to the development of the pupil’s ability for vocational and social problem solving, the ability to take initiative, be flexible and develop a sense of quality, as well as basic skills. 

Preparatory basic education (FGU)

In preparatory basic education (FGU), the students can follow courses in Identity and citizenship (Identitet og medborgerskab) and Personal finance, workplace education, cooperation education and business education (PASE: Privatøkonomi, arbejdspladslære, samarbejdslære og erhvervslære)

In Identity and Citizenship, the student learns amongst other things about democratic processes, critical thinking and understanding their own and other peoples outlook on life. 

In PASE the student learns about their personal finances and how to participate as a coworker and employee in a workplace. 

Read more about plans for the various courses in FGU here.

Non-formal and informal learning

Participative structures within formal education settings in Denmark

As described in section 5.3, students in primary, lower secondary, as well as students in general and vocational upper secondary education programmes have the right to establish student councils.

The legal framework for student councils are statutory instruments and acts by the Ministry of Children and Education. (See section 5.3)

In higher education programmes, students can also unite in student associations. (See section 5.3)

Furthermore, the Act on Universities (Universitetsloven, LBK nr 778 af 07/08/2019) obliges principals at the Danish universities to include students in:

• Study boards
• Academic councils
• The university board

The principal of the university must set up study boards (studienævn) with equal student and teacher representatives. Students elect student representatives, and fellow teachers elect teacher representatives. Often, each education programme has its own study board. The study board is responsible for the planning, completion and development of the education and teaching.

Furthermore, the principal must set up academic councils with student representation. Student representatives are elected among fellow students. The academic councils make statements about academic affairs, for instance research funding and strategic affairs.

Lastly, students are represented in the universities’ boards. The student representatives are elected among fellow students. The boards are the highest authority of the universities.
 

Top-level programmes aimed at training school staff and students to participate in decision-making

Denmark does not have a national top-level programme aimed at training school staff and students to enhance their skills to participate in decision-making structures. However, all upper secondary educational institutions are required to have a student council. 

Instead research projects focus on the field of students participation in school democracy, some of which are publicly financed. These research projects often evolve new techniques or teaching resources tested in selected classes. Some of the projects explore the upgrading of skills and competences of the teachers. Key actors include Denmark’s Evaluation Institute (EVA), which works to improve quality and evaluation in day-care centres, schools and educational programmes, and the Centre for Youth Research (CeFU), which conducts research on young people’s lives and participation in Danish society.

In addition, a wide range of free teaching and learning resources related to democratic participation and school life are made available by public institutions. These include the Centre for Teaching Resources (CFU), the Danish National Repository of Learning Resources (Materialeplatformen), and the Pedagogical Learning Centre (Pædagogisk læringscenter). The national education portal EMU serves as a central access point for teachers, pupils, parents and other stakeholders, providing extensive resources and guidance related to education and teaching practices. Public service media also contribute to this area, notably DR school, operated by the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR), which offers educational content and materials supporting learning, civic understanding and participation.

Measures to encourage student participation in the local community and wider society in Denmark

There is no part of the national curriculum that obliges pupils in upper secondary education to take part in activities serving the local community.

However, with the school reform of 2013, the municipal primary and lower secondary schools (folkeskole) are obliged to establish partnerships with the local community. The legal framework is the Act on Primary and Lower Secondary Education (Lov om folkeskole), and the initiative is called Open School.

The objective of the Open School is to increase the social cohesion locally and to enhance the pupils’ knowledge of society and local associational life, which may also include youth organisations. Activities are linked to the national curriculum but may take place outside the school institution. Pupils are not obliged to participate in activities that serve the local community outside of school hours.

Furthermore, municipal primary and lower secondary schools (folkeskole) are obliged to enter into partnerships with municipal music schools and with municipal youth schools.

Finally, in 2018 a national campaign, Democracy under Development (Demokrati under udvikling), run by the Ministry of Children and Education focused on community, democracy and citizenship. The campaign aimed to enhance students' democratic competences and critical thinking. The campaign provides a series of free educational resources targeted at different levels of education, from primary to upper secondary. One of the initiatives, Leave a Mark, seeks to strengthen the pupils’ active citizenship by encouraging the pupils to participate in their local community on a voluntary basis. 

Non-formal learning initiatives focusing on social and civic competences for young people in Denmark

There are no national programmes encouraging or supporting education projects related to the promotion of civic and social competences.

However, there is a national legal framework for supporting non-formal learning on civic and social competences. The legal framework is the Act on Non-Formal General Adult Education (Folkeoplysningsloven, LBK nr 1115 af 31/08/2018), the Act on Social Services, § 18 (Lov om social service,  LBK nr 909 af 03/07/2024). Non-formal general (See section 2.1).

The very objective of non-formal general education (folkeoplysning) is to strengthen the individual’s ability and desire to take responsibility for his/her own life and to play an active and engaged part in society. In section 7 of the Act on Non-Formal General Adult Education (Folkeoplysningsloven), the objective is to advance democratic understanding and active citizenship. 

In 2014, the Ministry of Culture launched a national vision for non-formal general education (folkeoplysning).

The aim of the vision is to develop and re-think non-formal general education into the contemporary society in order to meet present challenges, appeal to new generations and continue to make people meet, learn and become active and engaged citizens through working in common. Society is changing and the globalization and increased competition put pressure on democracy.

According to the vision from 2014, a central aspect of the non-formal general education (folkeoplysning) is the protection of minorities, since the overall objective of the non-formal general education project is to fight for everyone’s right to him/herself define in which direction society should develop.

Through the Act on Non-Formal General Adult Education, minorities have the right to establish associations and unite around common values and interests.

The financial support of non-formal general education (folkeoplysning) is described in section 2.1.

Quality assurance/quality guidelines for non-formal learning

There is no specific system of quality assurance for non-formal learning initiatives in Denmark. The general rule is that the responsible authorities report their main results to the Government when a task is completed. 

Educators in Denmark who wish to integrate youth participation, democratic engagement and civic competences into their teaching can draw on a wide range of public and professional resources. There is no top-level national programme in Denmark, so support for educators is provided through platforms, institutions and networks that offer teaching materials, guidance and professional development related to student participation in democratic processes.

The national education portal EMU, initiated by the Ministry of Children and Education and managed by the National Agency for IT and Learning, serves as a central access point for teaching resources. EMU provides materials specifically addressing social, civic and democratic competences, including themes related to participation, co-determination, citizenship and dialogue. The portal targets teachers and pupils across primary and lower secondary education, upper secondary education, vocational education and teacher training, and includes structured teaching sequences, case examples and best practices relevant to youth participation in school life and society.

Educators are further supported by the Centre for Teaching Resources (Center for undervisningsmidler, CFU), which supplies books, films and digital teaching materials that can be used both within specific subjects and across cross-curricular themes such as democracy, participation and citizenship. CFU also offers professional courses and pedagogical guidance, enabling teachers to strengthen their competences in facilitating participatory learning environments. Similarly, all municipal primary and lower secondary schools are required to operate a Pedagogical Learning Centre (Pædagogisk læringscenter), which supports teachers in planning, implementing and evaluating lessons, including the use of resources related to pupil participation and democratic learning.

Several national institutions contribute directly to democratic education. The Danish Institute for Human Rights (Institut for menneskerettigheder) provides teaching materials on democracy, human rights and participation for primary, lower and upper secondary education, as well as higher education. The Danish Parliament (Folketinget) also offers educational resources and participatory activities for pupils, aimed at increasing understanding of representative democracy and political decision-making (See section 5.4 and section 5.8).

Professional knowledge-sharing among educators is supported through sector-specific platforms and networks. The periodicals and websites Folkeskolen and Folkeskolen.dk, run by the Danish Union of Teachers, and Gymnasieskolen and Gymnasieskolen.dk, operated by the Danish National Union of Upper Secondary School Teachers, provide articles, debates and professional discussions on teaching practices, including pupil involvement and democratic education. In addition, public service media contribute to this area through DR School, which offers educational content and teaching assignments developed in cooperation with teachers and subject advisors, many of which address citizenship, participation and democratic values.

Finally, educators interested specifically in youth participation can engage in professional networks and events such as FALIHOS, an association for teachers of history and social science in primary and lower secondary education, and FALS, which supports social science teachers in upper secondary education. Both associations provide teaching resources, courses and professional exchange focusing on democracy, civic education and student participation.