La Valencia The Ministry of Education, Culture and Universities is preparing to take another step in integrating European realities into post-compulsory secondary education classrooms. The Ministry is finalizing the procedures for this to be implemented. Consell approve the incorporation of the optional subject "European Union" in the Baccalaureate curriculum from the 2026-27 academic year.
With this new subject, the Valencian education system aims to go beyond the traditional content of History or Geography and offer students a broad, applied and close vision of the European project, its institutions and the democratic values that underpin it, with special attention to the role that young people can play.
A new elective to better understand the European Union
As explained by the Minister of Education, Culture and Universities, Carmen OrtíThe future subject is conceived as a optional subject in Baccalaureate aligned with current social needs. It is expected to become part of the official curriculum starting in the [year/year]. 2026 - 27, once it receives the final approval of the Consell.
The subject matter is designed to offer a global and multidisciplinary vision of the European projectConnecting the history of integration with its current functioning and its impact on daily life. It's not just about memorizing dates or treaties, but about understanding what the European Union is, how decisions are made, and how they influence areas such as the economy and climate. Mobility or the rights of individuals.
The Catalan government emphasizes that the central objective is to bring students closer to European institutions and valuesStrengthening democratic awareness and civic participation. The regional minister emphasized that this training aims to make students aware that the European Union is not something distant, but rather a political and legal framework that directly shapes their present and future.
The subject will be integrated into the optional Baccalaureate offerings in Valencian schools, so the institutes will be able to schedule it to complement the other core and specialized subjects, offering students who wish to do so an itinerary more focused on understanding European reality.
Key content and practical approach of the subject
Ortí explained that the design of the material is based on a competency and practical approachIn line with current educational regulations, the syllabus will cover the historical construction of the European Union, from its origins after the Second World War to the current configuration, including the major milestones of European integration.
In addition, the students will work on the institutional architecture and regulations The EU: European Parliament, Commission, Council, Court of Justice, European Central Bank, and other bodies, as well as the division of powers between the Union and the Member States. The aim is for students to understand who decides what, how European laws are made, and what role the different levels of government play.
One of the featured sections will be the common policiesThat is, those areas in which EU action is most visible: internal market, agricultural policy, territorial cohesion, climate action, digitalizationmigration and security, among other topics. The course will allow students to connect these topics with current issues, transforming the classroom into a space for critically analyzing events in Europe.
The new subject will also dedicate a significant portion to the study of the Rights and duties of European citizenshipThis includes freedom of movement, data protection, equal treatment, electoral participation, and the defense of fundamental rights. In this sense, the aim is for students to understand what rights protect them within the EU framework and what responsibilities come with exercising citizenship.
Another central focus will be the opportunities that Europe offers to young people, such as mobility programs (Erasmus+ and other initiatives), European volunteering, scholarships and youth networksCollaborative projects between centers or internships in community institutions. The idea is for students to learn firsthand about the opportunities available to them for training, travel, and participation in international projects.
An educational response to current democratic challenges
During her speech, the minister stressed that in the current context, in which Democratic values and the European project are under pressure.Education about the European Union ceases to be a simple complement and becomes a strategic element of the curriculum.
Ortí has argued that so-called “European education” cannot be treated as a decorative addition: It is a democratic necessity.In their opinion, educating students about the institutions, rights and functioning of the EU is essential to preserving fundamental principles such as peace, political pluralism and human dignity.
This commitment to a specific subject on the European Union is part of a broader vision that understands the education system as a key space for prevent misinformationthe rise of extremist rhetoric and political apathyIf students understand from a young age how European parliamentary democracy works and how they can make their voices heard, they will be more likely to participate critically and constructively in public life.
For the Regional Ministry, reinforcing this type of content in Baccalaureate also means giving continuity to initiatives already being developed in previous stages, so that knowledge about Europe is not scattered in small blocks of other subjects, but is structure in its own subject with a defined identity.
In this context, the new subject is presented as a tool for young people to understand that being a citizen of the European Union implies rights, but also shared responsibilities in defending common values and building fairer and more inclusive societies.
The First Meeting of Ambassador Schools of the European Parliament as the setting for the announcement
The announcement of the implementation of this optional course was made during the closing ceremony of the First Meeting of European Parliament Ambassador Schools (EPAS) in the Valencian Community, held in the Main Theatre of ValenciaThe event has brought together more than 300 students from 18 centers which are part of the EPAS network in the provinces of Valencia, Alicante and Castellón.
The meeting has been organized by the Regional Secretariat for Representation to the European Union and the office Europe Direct Valencian Community, in collaboration with Europe Direct of the Castellón Provincial Council, which demonstrates the coordination between administrations to bring the European project closer to the educational field.
During the day, the participating students, belonging to Compulsory Secondary Education, Baccalaureate, Special Education and Vocational TrainingIt has shared experiences, projects, and activities developed in its centers to disseminate knowledge about the European Union and its democratic system. Information campaigns, celebrations of Europe DayParliamentary simulations or collaborative work between schools have been part of the program.
The minister wanted to emphasize that these types of meetings allow students to move from being mere recipients of information to becoming active participants. active protagonists of projects linked to democratic participation and understanding of European reality.
Also present at the event was European Parliament Office in Madrid, represented by Barbara QuílezThis has reinforced the institutional dimension of the event and allowed students to have more direct contact with the representation of the Parliament in Spain.
EPAS: from information to active citizenship
The program European Parliament Ambassador Schools (EPAS) It occupies a central place in the strategy to bring the European Union closer to young people. This initiative, aimed at secondary schools, high schools, special education centers, and vocational training centers, seeks to disseminate knowledge about European parliamentary democracy through meaningful experiences inside and outside the classroom.
The activities carried out by the participating schools include awareness campaigns Activities include the European Parliament, commemorative events for Europe Day, meetings between schools from different regions, networking projects, and simulations of parliamentary processes. All of this is designed to help students move beyond the abstract perception of European institutions and connect them to real-world debates that affect them.
Councilor Ortí has highlighted that EPAS “It transforms information into active citizenship and knowledge into the ability to understand, deliberate, and participate.”According to him, this is a network that already includes thousands of centers throughout Europe and continues to grow even in complex political contexts, precisely because it demonstrates that democracy is strengthened when it is cultivated from the classroom.
The Generalitat emphasizes that the Valencian Community has more than a decade Integrated into this program, EPAS has helped consolidate a group of centers particularly committed to promoting European values. The Consell has reiterated its commitment to EPAS, considering it a valuable educational tool with significant added value for the Valencian education system.
La Regional Secretary for Representation to the European Union, Ruth Merino, has emphasized that the program's success lies in its ability to to bring Europe closer to young people and strengthen their involvement in a democracy based on shared values and principlesIn his opinion, the fact that students can experience in a practical way how the EU works is crucial to generating interest and a sense of belonging.
Teachers, Junior Ambassadors and Mentor Schools
At the closing of the meeting, Carmen Ortí wanted to highlight the work behind these projects. She acknowledged the work of Miguel Tafalla, coordinator of the EPAS program in the Valencian Community, for his drive and dedication over the years, as well as the role of the teacher Laia Fos, responsible for organizing the event held in Valencia.
The councilor also had words of gratitude for the participating faculty, known online as “senior ambassadors”, and for the students involvedwho act as “junior ambassadors” of the European Parliament in their respective centers. They are the ones who, on a daily basis, energize activities, promote projects and keep the link between the institute and the EU institutions alive.
Another highlight of the program is the role of the Mentor SchoolsCenters with a solid track record in EPAS (Adult Education Programs) support those joining for the first time. These more experienced schools help to coordinate networks, promote meetings and share best practicesfacilitating the transfer of accumulated knowledge to new teaching teams and new generations of students.
In this way, a structure of mutual support is generated within the EPAS network, in which more established centers serve as a reference and guide for newcomers. The Regional Ministry believes that this collaborative model strengthens the program's sustainability and helps ensure that European education does not depend solely on isolated initiatives, but rather on a... long-term collective work.
The presence of institutional representatives, teachers, and students at the same event demonstrates that building a European democratic culture in classrooms is a shared effort, in which each educational agent contributes a different piece of the puzzle.
A strategic commitment to European education in the Valencian Baccalaureate
The incorporation of the optional subject “European Union” into the Baccalaureate of the Valencian Community is interpreted as a a step consistent with the trajectory which the regional government has followed in recent years in the field of European education. Programs such as EPAS, the activities of Europe Direct, and collaborative projects between schools have created fertile ground on which a specific curricular subject is now intended to be established.
With this decision, the Generalitat seeks to ensure that knowledge about the European Union no longer depends exclusively on voluntary initiatives or specific projects and integrate permanently into the school timetable from the institutes. In this way, more students will be able to access systematic training on how the EU works, its values, and the tools for participation available to them as citizens.
The new subject can also serve as a bridge to later studies in areas such as Political Science, Law, International Relations, Economics, or CommunicationAmong others, but the Ministry insists that its main purpose is not to professionalize the students, but to provide them with civic skills and an understanding of the political environment in which they live.
In a world where decisions made at the European level increasingly influence issues as diverse as youth employment, the energy transition, social protection, and technology regulation, bringing these debates into the high school classroom is presented as a way to reducing the distance between institutions and young citizens.
The combination of an optional subject focused on the European Union with the continuation of the EPAS program and the Mentor Schools networks creates a scenario in which Valencian students can have multiple ways to learn about, discuss and experience the European project firsthand, making education one of the pillars of a more informed, critical and participatory citizenry.
