Offer Description
CITADEL - CITizenship And DEmocracy through policy Labs: Transitions for Participation, Trust and Fair Governance aims to empower youth, educators, and policymakers to co‑create democratic solutions for urgent societal challenges like climate change, public health, and environmental transitions. Through regional Policy Labs, youth (ages 15–29) work with local stakeholders to design, test, and prototype policy solutions, fostering democratic participation and civic knowledge.
The project focuses on inclusive democratic co‑creation, engaging marginalized and disadvantaged youth to develop civic competences, political agency, and intercultural understanding. CITADEL integrates formal and non‑formal learning, utilizing citizen science, participatory governance, and action‑oriented pedagogies.
CITADEL transforms input from youth, local authorities, and educators into tangible democratic innovations, addressing barriers faced by marginalized groups (gender, ethnicity, socio‑economic status). Ethical oversight ensures fairness, transparency, and equal opportunities for all participants. Additionally, The project ensures that spaces for dialogue and co‑creation are “safe‑to‑brave,” where youth can take risks, express diverse opinions, and engage in difficult conversations without fear of discrimination or retaliation.
By engaging local governments, CITADEL pilots policies in real‑world contexts, refines strategies for scaling democratic innovations, and fosters more participatory and resilient democratic systems, ultimately rebuilding trust in institutions.
Requirements
Research Field: Economics — Education Level: PhD or equivalent
Research Field: Educational sciences — Education Level: PhD or equivalent
Research Field: Political sciences — Education Level: PhD or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications: Established researcher, knowledge in project field
Specific Requirements
- Level of education: Doctoral studies (Ph.D.)
- Field of study: Economic sciences / Educational sciences / Social sciences
- Other specific conditions:
- 10 years professional experience in HEIs or HRD fields;
- Ability to work with H5P and other SCORM-compatible LMS packages;
- Experience working within culturally diverse teams and with working procedures specific to externally funded projects, demonstrated by at least:
- 3 projects with explicit pedagogical innovation activities and outcomes (implemented by consortia with international partners, with public or private funding other than structural funding);
- 2 projects or activities relevant to the higher education curriculum;
- 2 two formal continuing professional development activities in a European context;
- 1 research project or activity involving responsibility for collecting primary data;
- 1 specific project or activity in which the candidate has managed training sessions;
- Holding a certificate of authorized trainer is considered an asset.
Interview topics
Service-learning (SL) in Higher Education
- Theoretical foundations and historical evolution of SL pedagogy.
- Conceptual models (experiential learning, critical service-learning).
- The role of service-learning in developing civic, social, and democratic competences.
- Methodologies for designing SL activities: co-creation, community partnerships, reflective evaluation.
- Service-learning in Europe—strategic framework, trends, best practices (SLiDE, Europe Engage, UNICORN projects, etc.,).
Competences for Democratic Culture (CDC)
- The 4-dimension model: values, attitudes, skills, knowledge & critical understanding.
- Integration of CDC into university curricula through service-learning.
- Assessment strategies for democratic competences in authentic learning contexts.
Democratic literacy, civic education, and social responsibility
- Fundamental concepts in contemporary civic education.
- The university as an actor in community development.
- University Social Responsibility (USR) and social change.
- Civic participation, solidarity, inclusion.
Research methodologies in educational sciences and social sciences
- Qualitative methods: interview, observation, photovoice, case studies, thematic analysis.
- Quantitative methods: psychometric scales, experimental/quasi-experimental design.
- Ethics in research, participatory research, co-creation with the community.
- Development of digital educational resources, online learning, and innovative pedagogies.
Bibliography:
- Adarlo, G. M. (2020). Service-learning as global citizenship education: Acting locally on global challenges and concerns. IAFOR Journal of Education, 8(3), 7–23. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.8.3.01
- Boyte, H. C. (Ed.). (2015). Democracy’s Education: Public Work, Citizenship, and the Future of Colleges and Universities. Vanderbilt University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv1675bg2
- Cahnmann-Taylor, M. ; S., R. (2008). Arts-Based Research in Education: Foundations for Practice. Routledge.
- Ciolan, L., & Manasia, L. (2017). Reframing Photovoice to Boost Its Potential for Learning Research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1), 160940691770290. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917702909
- Ciolan, L., & Manasia, L. (2025). From Photos to Performances: Exploring the Digital Transformation of Photovoice through Velfies. British Journal of Educational Technology, 56(1), 45–61.
- Council of Europe (2018). Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (vol. 1–3). https://www.coe.int/en/web/reference-framework-of-competences-for-democratic-culture/rfcdc-volumes
- Culcasi, I., Cinque, M., Manasia, L., & Ianos, M. G. (2023). e-Service-Learning for more digital and inclusive EU Higher Education systems: A new e-SL Design Framework. RIDAS, Revista Iberoamericana de Aprendizaje-Servicio, 16(2), 159–182. https://doi.org/10.1344/RIDAS2023.16.10
- ECSA (European Citizen Science Association). 2015. Ten Principles of Citizen Science. Berlin. http://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/XPR2N
- Eyler, J., & Giles, D. E. (1999). Where’s the Learning in Service-Learning? Jossey-Bass.
- Furco, A. (1996). Service-Learning: A Balanced Approach to Experiential Education. In Expanding Boundaries: Serving and Learning (pp. 2–6). Corporation for National Service. https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/slceslgen/128/
- Manasia, L., & Ianoș, G. (2025). Universitatea în comunitate. Metode de facilitare a service-learning în învățământul superior. Editura Didactică și Pedagogică.
- Manasia, L (coord.). (2025). Collaborative Futures. A Practical Guide to Participatory Community Development. Generis Publishing, ISBN 979-8-89966-018-4
- Manasia, L., Pârvan, A., & Ianoș, G. (2023). Voicing green learning in rural areas through service-learning: A participatory action research study. Journal of Educational Sciences & Psychology, 13 (75)(2), 101–124. https://doi.org/10.51865/JESP.2023.2.09
- Mitchell, T. D. (2007). Critical Service-Learning as Social Justice Education: A Case Study of the Citizen Scholars Program. Equity & Excellence in Education, 40(2), 101–112. https://doi.org/10.1080/10665680701228797
- Roos, V. (2016). Introducing the Mmogo-method as a Visual Data-Collection Method. In V. Roos (Ed.), Understanding Relational and Group Experiences through the Mmogo-Method® (pp. 3–17). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31224-8_1
- United Nations. (2007). Civic engagement in public policies: A toolkit.
- Wang, C. (1999). Photovoice: A Participatory Action Research Strategy Applied to Women’s Health. Journal of Women’s Health, 8(2), 185–192. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.1999.8.185
- Westheimer, J., & Kahne, J. (2004) What Kind of Citizen? The Politics of Educating for Democracy. American Educational Research Journal, 41(2), 237–269. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312041002237
Languages: ENGLISH — Level: Excellent
Research Field: Economics, Educational sciences, Political sciences — Years of Research Experience: More than 10
Additional Information
Benefits: Work in a dynamic group.
Eligibility criteria: Good command of English. Knowledge in project field
Selection process: There will be an interview in person with a committee that contains research project members. The interview will take place in the Bucharest University of Economic Studies location.
Additional comments: Requires field work.
Work Location(s)
Number of offers available: 1
Company/Institute: Bucharest University of Economic Studies
Country: Romania
State/Province: Bucharest
City: Bucharest
Street: Piata Romana no 6
Contact
State/Province: Bucharest
City: Bucharest
Street: Piata Romana nr.6 sect.1
Postal Code: 010374
E-Mail: andrei.parvan@csie.ase.ro
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