Education, Democracy and the Digital Age: MFHEA at the Council of Europe’s CDEDU Meeting in Strasbourg

In March 2026, the MFHEA CEO, Mr James Perry Maia, represented Malta at the 9th Plenary Session of the Steering Committee for Education (CDEDU) of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, whose aim is to “support member States in developing their policies, legislation and practice in view of promoting democratic, quality, inclusive and corruption-free education systems”.

The meeting brought together education representatives from across Europe to move forward with the Council of Europe Education Strategy 2024–2030 “Learners First”.  with a strong focus on democracy, digital transformation (including artificial intelligence) and preparations for the next Conference of Ministers of Education.

As Mr Perry Maia noted, the discussions showed “a clear strategic shift towards strengthening the democratic and societal role of education systems, with increasing emphasis on resilience, governance and values-based frameworks”. This change has direct implications for Malta, for MFHEA, and for everyone interested in how education shapes our society.

Why this meeting matters for Malta

The CDEDU meeting was more than a technical event. For Malta, it addressed several areas that are already important at the national level:

1. Academic freedom and student rights
2. Recognition of qualifications and mobility
3. Digital citizenship and artificial intelligence in education
4. Gender equality and inclusion in classrooms
5. Language policy and the growing dominance of English

These topics impact students, educators, families, employers and policymakers. They influence how degrees are recognised, how teaching will change in the digital age, and how education can continue to support a healthy democracy.

Academic freedom, student rights and recognition are top priorities for higher education

One of the most relevant parts of the meeting for MFHEA was the talk about academic freedom, student rights and automatic recognition of qualifications.

Academic freedom was recognised as a priority for Europe. At the same time, member states agreed that moving immediately to a legally binding international instrument would be premature. There is still work to do to clearly distinguish between academic freedom (the freedom of teaching, research and expression) and institutional autonomy (the independence of institutions in their internal governance). As Mr Perry Maia notes, “a more gradual and consultative approach is advisable”, with further political guidance expected at the upcoming Ministerial Conference in 2026.

For Malta, this means:

1. Clarifying the national position on academic freedom and institutional autonomy
2. Playing an active role in the ongoing Council of Europe work, including a drafting group in which Malta participates

Alongside this, the Committee welcomed work on a Student Rights Charter as a tool to strengthen learners’ participation and democratic governance in higher education. Discussions are still ongoing on whether this Charter should remain a soft, non‑binding instrument or take a more formal legal form. Either way, it will shape how student rights are defined and protected across Europe.

Another important decision was to proceed with drafting a Convention on the automatic recognition of higher education qualifications, where Malta will be represented in the intergovernmental drafting group. This initiative aims to make it easier for learners to move across borders, build trust between systems, and increase transparency in how qualifications are recognised.

For MFHEA and for Maltese learners, this could mean clearer, smoother recognition procedures and stronger links with other European systems.

Digital citizenship, artificial intelligence and the teaching profession

One major topic tackled during the meeting was the digital transformation of education, in particular digital citizenship and artificial intelligence (AI).

Under the European Year of Digital Citizenship Education 2025, more than 100 initiatives have already taken place across Europe to raise awareness, train teachers and support policy development. Work is now underway on a Roadmap for 2027–2031, which will structure future efforts around:

1. Policy development
2. Education and training
3. Communication
4. Learning environments

For Malta, this is an opportunity to connect national work on online safety, digital skills and democratic participation with a broader European framework.

On AI in education, the newly established EDU‑IA Committee is leading a comprehensive work programme that includes:

1. A Policy Toolbox for AI in education
2. A European framework to evaluate educational technologies
3. Guidelines on education data and analytics
4. A possible legal instrument on AI in education

This work is based on a human‑rights‑based approach to digital transformation and aims to avoid overly rigid rules that would quickly become outdated. As stressed by the members, it is essential that AI remains “strictly as a tool supporting human decision‑making”, and that we avoid any over‑reliance that might undermine professional judgement and accountability.

The Committee also adopted a Draft Recommendation on AI Literacy, which presents AI literacy as essential for:

• Democratic participation
• Critical thinking
• Protection of human rights in AI‑mediated environments

The primary follow-up for Malta is to examine the implications of the Recommendation and to ensure that AI in education consistently prioritizes human oversight and serves the interests of students and educators.

Finally, the Committee endorsed the outline of a White Paper on the Teaching Profession in the Digital Age, to be developed with international partners and based on a large‑scale survey of teachers. This work will provide evidence on how digitalisation and AI are changing the everyday lives of teachers, and what support they need.

Democracy, equality and history: strengthening education’s societal role

Several additional initiatives discussed in Strasbourg are directly related to the role of education in supporting democracy, equality and social cohesion.

1. The Committee endorsed the European Space for Citizenship Education (ESCE), a major new framework designed to strengthen education for democratic citizenship across Europe. ESCE is built on 10 key principles, a quality framework for system‑level self‑evaluation and a co‑operation pillar for peer learning and innovation. It is due to be formally launched at the Ministerial Conference in December 2026and offers a useful reference for Maltese work on civic and citizenship education.
2. The Committee continued to develop the Gender Equality in Education Scorecard, a voluntary and anonymous self‑evaluation tool for ministries and education institutions. The Scorecard focuses on what happens in classrooms and is explicitly designed for reflection and improvement, not ranking. Malta is invited to consider joining the pilot phase starting in September, which would allow schools and institutions to better understand and address gender dynamics in their own contexts.
3. The Committee approved the draft Recommendation on History Education in the Digital Age for transmission to the Committee of Ministers. This recommendation reaffirms history education as a cornerstone of democratic culture, but adapts it to a world of social media, AI, misinformation and disinformation. The next phase of the programme will focus on implementation and on cooperation between schools, higher education, cultural institutions and civil society,

These collaborative initiatives highlight the importance of Malta’s active participation within the Council of Europe framework. As education systems adapt to democratic and digital challenges, Malta is well positioned to influence reforms that protect fundamental values and prepare learners for future demands. Ongoing engagement at both policy and implementation levels will help ensure that education continues to underpin democracy and inclusive progress.

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