The fifth in a new series of Guides on Citizen Engagement for Parliaments has been published, created by the International Parliament Engagement Network in partnership with INTER PARES.
Parliaments are fundamental to democracy, but it is often difficult to understand how they work. Parliaments have a responsibility to provide opportunities for citizens across different groups in society to learn about what their parliament is, what it does, and how to get involved.
Education programmes are widely offered by parliaments across the world, and there are various approaches for different (age and other) groups.
This Guide provides an overview of different approaches and considerations to help parliaments deliver meaningful and effective education programmes.
Read the Guide on Education Programmes.
About the series
Published on 14 August 2025, the Guide on Education Programmes is the fifth in a new eight part series focusing on a range of public engagement topics to help build parliaments’ capacity to engage members of the public in their work.
The series is being created through a project collaboration between the International Parliament Engagement Network (IPEN) and INTER PARES. The Guides are produced with the financial support of the European Union as part of the INTER PARES I Parliaments in Partnership project, implemented by International IDEA.
The Guides have been developed by Cristina Leston-Bandeira (Professor of Politics at the University of Leeds and Chair of IPEN) and Juliet Ollard, (Senior Research and Engagement Officer, IPEN) in partnership with INTER PARES.
The project team have drawn from extensive academic research and parliamentary practice from across the world – including many interviews with parliamentary officials and academics, and the expert advice of our International Advisory Group and the IPEN Executive Team.
The remaining three Guides will be launched over the coming months.
Image created by Research Retold