Eurodoc Ambassador Programme for Values and Democracy in European Research and Higher Education – 2026 Edition (ValDem 2026)
The aim of the programme is to enable academics in European higher education institutions to understand and explore the role higher education and research play for democracies in Europe and to become ambassadors for democracy within their institutions, their research communities, as well as in society.
ValDem 2026 is the very first of its kind and a unique opportunity to strengthen the understanding and practices of democracy in and by universities in this crucial moment of democratic backsliding and threats to research and higher education.
The course is specifically aimed at early-career researchers from all disciplines and from across Europe, and aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the democratic values of higher education and research in Europe and to provide them with a theoretical and practical basis for their advocacy activities. The lectures will be given by a mixture of key experts and stakeholders.
The programme consists of two parts:
- The Democratic Mission of Research and Higher Education in Europe
- The Role of Democratic Public Authorities for Research in Europe
You can find the program and read more about the goals here. It will be possible to take the course for the certificate (Track 1), but it is equally possible to just join in for (some of) the lectures (Track 2) without any further commitments.
If you are interested, please register here to Track 1 or Track 2 here:
https://eurodoc.net/news/2026/eurodoc-valdem-2026.
And in case of any questions, you can contact the organisers at valdem@eurodoc.net.
Christine Janine Wittlijn