Early Intercultural Education in the Danube Region: A Comparative Analysis of the Preschool Curriculum in Five Riparian States

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: The study analyses how the intercultural dimension is integrated into the early childhood education curriculum of five states riparian to the Danube — Romania, the Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Serbia — and identifies the convergences and divergences among these systems, an issue of growing relevance for the cohesion of the region’s multi-ethnic communities. Prior Work: The paper builds on the Romanian and Danubian tradition of intercultural pedagogy and on international policy frameworks, addressing a gap in comparative research on the preschool level. Approach: A qualitative-comparative analysis of the curricular documents adopted during the reform generation of 2016–2022 and of related legislation in force in 2026, applying a grid of six dimensions of analysis. Results: The findings reveal a convergence at the level of declared principles and a marked divergence at the level of concrete solutions, especially regarding linguistic diversity; a typology of three integration models is proposed. Implications: The conclusions are relevant for academics, curriculum designers and educational administrators in the Danube states. Value: The originality lies in the comparative typology and in identifying two transferable examples of good practice in early intercultural education.