International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS 2027)
International Civic and Citizenship Education Study 2027ICCS 2027
Overview
The International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) is an international large-scale assessment (ISLA) on civic and citizenship education. It examines the extent to which eighth-grade students are prepared for their role as politically mature citizens in democratic societies. It assesses not only students’ conceptual political knowledge and argumentative skills, but also their attitudes, sense of belonging, and willingness to participate politically. The assessment of students’ literacy takes place in the context of individual preconditions as well as school and out of school constraints. In addition to students and education system data, the survey also includes the perspectives of teachers and school principals. Several education systems worldwide participate in the study, including a large number of European countries. Overall, ICCS covers more than two-thirds of education systems in the EU. Through its cyclical implementation (previous cycles: 2009, 2016, 2022), ICCS enables both international cross-sectional comparisons and longitudinal analyses of developments and trends in civic education. The study is therefore a data source and empirical reference for policy making, curriculum reform, and the development of civic and citizenship education. In addition, the more recent cycles focus on particular areas in depth such as the digitalization of the political sphere, sustainability, political polarization, and controversy in the classroom.
Schedule
- 2025: Pilot testing and preparation of the field test
- 2026: Conducting and evaluating the field test, preparing the main study
- 2027: Survey phase of the main study
- 2028: Compiling the data set, analysis, and reporting
- 2029: Publishing, providing feedback to schools, making the data set available
National Implementation in Germany
In Germany, the study is carried out by a consortium of the University of Münster, the Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education (DIPF) and the University of Duisburg-Essen. They are responsible for the scientific concept, coordination and implementation of the study in Germany. Based on a decision of the Conference of Ministers of Education (KMK) Germany will participate in 2027 with a representative sample. While the international part of the study is predominantly funded by the EU, the national implementation is funded by the the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).
Development of measurement instruments
The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) coordinates the development of the survey instruments in cooperation with the national study centers. These include:
- A test of students' conceptual political knowledge
- Questionnaires for students, teachers, and school administrators that assess attitudes, experiences, and contextual factors
- A European and Latin American supplementary module that highlights specific aspects of political education in Europe and Latin America
The instruments are developed in a multi-stage process that includes concept development, adaptations to national contexts, cognitive pre-tests, translations, piloting, and field testing. For this cycle, the University of Duisburg-Essen (Prof. Hermann Josef Abs) and the University of Münster (Prof. Katrin Hahn-Laudenberg) is also involved in the framework and instrument development on the international level (for more information: University of Bath: ICCS 2027).
Sample
Germany is participating in ICCS 2027 with a nationally representative sample. The sample is selected using an internationally standardized procedure involving a multi-stage random selection process:
- First, schools are selected using stratification to reflect regional, social, and school type diversity.
- A random eighth-grade class is then selected from each school.
- All students in this class participate in the study.
In addition to students, teachers and school administrators from the participating schools are also included in the survey. The corresponding questionnaires cover school conditions, pedagogical attitudes, and institutional characteristics. The aim of the sampling is to obtain a statistically representative picture of civic and citizenship education and school socialization among students in grade 8.
Contact at the university of Duisburg-Essen
Prof. Dr. Hermann Josef Abs
Phone: +49 201 183-6397
Email: abs@uni-due.de
Merve Uyar, M.Ed.
Phone: +49 201 183-6396
Email: merve.uyar@uni-due.de