Beginning in February 2026, this four-year project brings together researchers from five European universities, Rhodes University (South Africa) and Deakin University (Australia) to explore how universities can strengthen democracy in times of rapid, societal change.

Through international collaboration and research visits, the project will examine how universities can contribute to democracy through teaching, research, community engagement, institutional governance and policy frameworks.

The findings will result in toolkits, training resources and policy briefings targeted at students, academics, institutional leaders and policymakers.

Key Highlights

Democracy Under Pressure - a Global Challenge
The European Commission and Parliament have identified democracy as increasingly under threat. Within the European Education Area, higher education institutions are expected to play an active role by supporting disadvantaged and migrant students, engaging and strengthening ties with local communities and upholding democratic values in everyday practice. The Democratic Roles of Universities (DRU) project and CHEF’s research on educational futures, democratic participation and institutional transformation, responds directly to this field.

Mutual Learning Across Continents
With partners in post-apartheid South Africa and post-colonial Australia the project creates opportunities for mutual learning across diverse democratic contexts.

By comparing different university models and governance traditions, the project will deepen the understanding of how institutions can cultivate democratic cultures internally and externally.

Three Practical Pathways for Democratic Engagement
The project will investigate three key approaches through which universities, academics and students can strengthen democracy:

1. Local community engagement: building partnerships that support social inclusion and co-creation.
2. Support for disadvantaged and migrant students, including refugees: fostering equitable participation in higher education.
3. Institutional frameworks and governance systems: examining how decision-making structures enable or constrain democratic practices.

CHEF looks forward to contributing to a stronger understanding of how universities can uphold and renew democratic values in a rapidly changing and vulnerable world.

By engaging in collaborative research, sharing insights across continents and developing practical tools for the sector, the DRU project aims to support higher education institutions in becoming active, reflective but also resilient democratic actors. We are really excited to follow, and help shape, the impact of this work in the years to come.

Learn More

For further information about CHEF and for free membership registration, visit the Centre for Higher Education Futures website.

To arrange a visit, offer a seminar or publish in the working-paper series, please contact CHEF’s Co-directors, Professor Susan Wright (suwr@edu.au.dk) and Søren Smedegaard Bengtsen (ssbe@edu.au.dk) at the Danish School of Education (DPU), Aarhus University.