The Influence of Global Citizenship Education Among European Youth

Global Citizenship Education (GCE) seeks to empower learners of all ages to actively contribute to peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, and sustainable societies. It integrates both curricular content and experiential learning to foster a mindset that prioritizes human dignity and environmental stewardship. Organizations such as UNESCO advocate for GCE to equip individuals with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to address global challenges and promote a just and sustainable world. Despite this optimistic vision, critics question whether GCE truly reflects universal values and whether it is feasible to implement across diverse educational systems. Research highlights the significance of context in shaping learning opportunities, drawing attention to persistent gender and socioeconomic inequalities that hinder the effective implementation of GCE globally. This chapter examines the opportunities for learning GCE among European youth, with a particular focus on how beliefs about GCE intersect with gender and socioeconomic status. Drawing on data from the IEA International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) 2022, which encompasses a wide range of educational contexts and student populations across Europe, we argue that schools are moderately successful in fostering GCE. We further contend that future research should explore the complex interplay of factors, particularly those related to socioeconomic background and gender, that influence access to GCE.