Religious Education Systems in the European Union SzD-DNT>sysnau
Topics and content of individual teaching blocks
1. Basic concepts: catechesis, religious instruction, religious education, religious education, religious literacy. The state of research and the main research centres in Europe. Methodology of comparative research in religious pedagogy.
2. Typologies of religious education systems. Classification criteria (responsible body, purpose, status of the pupil, confessionality).
3. Legal framework I. Models of state–church relations in the EU (separation, cooperation, state church) and their impact on the shape of religious education. Concordats and agreements with churches and religious associations.
4. Legal framework II. European law: Art. 17 TFEU, Art. 2 of Protocol No. 1 to the ECHR, Art. 14 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. ECtHR case law: Kjeldsen, Folgerø v. Norway, Zengin v. Turkey, Lautsi v. Italy, Grzelak v. Poland.
5. Standards of international organisations. Toledo Guiding Principles (OSCE/ODIHR 2007), Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec(2008)12, Signposts (2014); REDCo and other EU research projects.
6. The cooperative confessional model: Germany and Austria. Res mixta, Art. 7(3) of the Basic Law, differences between the Länder, Islamic religious education, models of confessional cooperation (konfessionell-kooperativer RU), Ethics/LER as an alternative.
7. The confessional model in countries with a strong Catholic tradition: Italy, Spain, Portugal, Malta, Croatia. The role of the concordat, optional status, relation to minority religions.
8. The Polish model in a European perspective. The history of the return of religion to schools (1990), legal foundations, the Catechetical Directory and the Core Curriculum for Catechesis, current disputes and changes (ethics, number of hours, grading). Comparative analysis with neighbouring countries: Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania.
9. The non-confessional (religious studies) model: Sweden, Denmark, Estonia. Religionskunskap, kristendomskundskab; the transition from confessional teaching to teaching about religions; the role of the Evangelical Lutheran churches.
10. Mixed models and the "third way": England and Wales (a non-EU perspective as a point of reference), Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium. Multiple confessional streams.
11. No religious education in public schools: France and Slovenia. Laïcité, enseignement du fait religieux (the Debray Report, 2002), Alsace-Moselle as an exception; Catholic schools sous contrat.
12. Religious education in the face of pluralism. Islamic, Jewish and Orthodox religious education in EU Member States; interreligious education and dialogue; the competence-based model (e.g. Kompetenzorientierung in Germany and Austria).
13. The religion teacher in European systems. Training, missio canonica / vocatio, professional status, academic background (theology at state universities). Research on the identity of religion teachers.
14. Methodology of comparative research on religious education. Designing a comparative study.
15. Presentation of doctoral students' projects and papers and a concluding discussion. Prospects for the development of religious education in Europe; conclusions for Poland; possibilities of knowledge transfer to educational and ecclesial practice.
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Term 2025/2026-L:
Topics and content of individual teaching blocks Basic concepts: catechesis, religious instruction, religious education, religious education, religious literacy. The state of research and the main research centres in Europe. Methodology of comparative research in religious pedagogy. |
Course coordinators
(in Polish) Tryb zajęć
Learning outcomes
Learning outcomes
Knowledge – the doctoral student knows and understands:
K_W01 – the scholarly achievements of religious pedagogy and catechetics concerning religious education systems in Europe (research schools, major comparative projects, key publications) and their implications for school and church practice
K_W02 – the theoretical foundations and typologies of religious education models (confessional, supra-confessional/cooperative, non-confessional – religious studies, mixed, no religious education), their anthropological and theological assumptions, as well as the methodology of comparative research in religious pedagogy to a degree that allows for the revision of existing paradigms
K_W03 – the main development trends in European religious education (secularisation, pluralism, migration, the competence-based approach to teaching, interreligious education, digitalisation)
K_W04 – the legal conditions of religious education: models of state–church relations, concordats and agreements, the education law of the Member States, Council of Europe and OSCE standards, and ECtHR case law; the conditions of comparative research in this field
K_W05 – the fundamental dilemmas of contemporary European societies related to the presence of religion in the public sphere and in schools (religious freedom, state neutrality, parental rights, social integration)
Skills – the doctoral student is able to:
K_U01 – analyse and creatively synthesise the literature on the religious education system of a selected EU Member State, identify a research gap and formulate a research problem and hypothesis
K_U03 and K_U06 – participate in the exchange of ideas and experiences concerning religious education, including in an international environment, using foreign-language terminology and understanding its semantic contexts (e.g. Religionsunterricht, religious education, enseignement du fait religieux)
K_U07 – plan an individual or team research undertaking of a comparative nature (e.g. a case study of two systems), taking into account its methodological and organisational conditions
Social competences – the doctoral student is ready to:
K_K02 – critically evaluate the achievements of catechetics and religious pedagogy as well as their own contribution to research on religious education
K_K04 – fulfil the social obligations of a researcher-theologian: initiating and conducting substantive public debate on religious education in the public interest, with respect for differing positions
K_K05 – think and act innovatively when designing solutions for religious education in Poland, drawing on the experience of other EU Member States
K_K06 – cite foreign-language sources reliably, respect intellectual property and conduct research independent of ideological and institutional pressures
Assessment criteria
Teaching methods
problem-based and conversational lecture with multimedia presentation,
analysis of source texts (legal acts, ECtHR judgments, Council of Europe documents, curricula),
case studies of selected countries,
moderated discussion,
short presentations by doctoral students,
individual consultations
Methods of verifying learning outcomes
Multimedia presentation (approx. 20 slides) or written paper (approx. 15,000 characters): a comparative analysis of the religious education system of a selected EU Member State (other than Poland) set against the Polish model, drawing on at least 5 foreign-language publications and concluding with the formulation of a research problem
Presentation of the completed project (10–20 min) in the final class, together with participation in the discussion
Active participation in the analysis of source texts and in discussions during lectures
Assessment criteria
1. Multimedia presentation or written paper (50 pts)
Research problem – clearly formulated, situated within a research gap, researchable – 10 pts
Comparative analysis – appropriate selection of comparison criteria; consideration of the legal, confessional and social conditions of both systems – 15 pts
Literature and sources – at least 5 foreign-language publications; use of primary sources (legal acts, curricula, judgments) – 10 pts
Critical thinking and independence – the student's own assessment rather than a summary; awareness of the limitations of typologies and data – 10 pts
Scholarly craft – structure, language, correct referencing, respect for intellectual property – 5 pts
2. Project presentation (30 pts)
Content – a logical line of argument from problem to conclusions; a realistic research plan – 15 pts
Communication – precise terminology (including foreign-language terms), legible slides, keeping to the time limit – 10 pts
Discussion – substantive answers, consideration of counterarguments, meaningful questions to others – 10 pts
3. Active participation in lectures (20 pts)
Work with source texts – preparation for classes, accurate interpretation of documents – 10 pts
Participation in discussion – regularity, knowledge-based argumentation, respect for differing positions – 10 pts
Grading scale
Points Grade
91–100 5.0
81–90 4.5
71–80 4.0
61–70 3.5
51–60 3.0
≤ 50 2.0
Additional requirements: attendance at a minimum of 80% of classes; the final assignment (presentation or written paper) and the project presentation are compulsory (failure to submit either = no credit); confirmed plagiarism results in a grade of 2.0 with no possibility of resubmission within the given examination period.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: