Civitas International Programs
The Center for Civic Education’s Civitas International Programs bring exemplary civic education curricula to students worldwide in partnership with organizations in the United States and eighty-four countries. This unique network of educators, civil society organizations, educational institutions, and governmental agencies has worked for more than a decade to develop quality curricular materials and train teachers throughout Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Many countries in the Civitas network collaborate in unique partnerships using model civic education programs from the United States and other countries to develop programs that address their specific civic education needs. The objectives of Civitas International Programs include the following:
EXCHANGE OF IDEAS
- Foster collaboration between educators, government officials, and private-sector leaders from the United States and around the world through networks.
- Provide opportunities for sharing experiences and best practices through workshops, conferences, newsletters, online discussions, exchange visits, and events.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Introduce educators to exemplary curricular materials and teacher training programs that utilize interactive, student-centered methodologies.
CAPACITY BUILDING
- Facilitate the creation, adaptation, and implementation of sustainable civic education programs in participating countries.
- Foster the institutionalization of comprehensive civic education programs by developing standards, curricular frameworks, courses, curricular materials, teacher education programs, leadership training, assessment programs, and teacher credentialing requirements.
RESEARCH & EVALUATION
- Promote independent research and evaluation projects to determine the effects of civic education programs on teacher instruction and student knowledge, skills, and dispositions.
Curricular Programs
Many international partners have also chosen to adapt curricular materials originally developed in the United States. The most widely adapted materials include the Project Citizen and Foundations of Democracy texts developed by the Center for Civic Education.
Funding
Civitas International Programs are directed by the Center for Civic Education and have been funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and other sources. More than seventy percent of Civitas funding is distributed among Civitas partners to support programmatic activities.
Testimonials
Estonia
"The Jaan Tonisson Institute Civic Education Centre would like to thank the Centre for Civic Education for long and most fruitful cooperation during more than a decade of years. Estonian civic education and education in general found this cooperation to be very inspiring and enriching. We value especially the fact that the achievements did not stay only on the theoretical level but they have practical impact to our daily lessons and even national curriculum development."
Sulev Valdmaa
Head of the Jaan Tonisson Institute Civic Education Centre
Senegal
"I will always keep in mind the invaluable tool the Center for Civic Education has given us all with the wonderful Project Citizen. I am always surprised to hear that we have problems to educate our children while we have only solutions thanks to people like all of our Center colleagues."
Boubacar Tall
Director, Civitas Senegal
Thailand
"On behalf of KPI (King Prajadhipok's Institute), all the teachers and students in the civic education program in Thailand, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for all you have done for the Center and for Civitas International. We have learned and grew so much from the Project Citizen, Foundations of Democracy and many other things from you and the Center. Thank also for sharing with us, the wonderful website on 9/11... The Center's outstanding contribution in the field of civic education should continue for many more decades."
Pimon Ruetrakul
Academic Expert, King Prajadhipok's Institute
