The Dicastery for Culture and Education fulfils the mandate of the Holy Father, as expressed in the Apostolic Constitution *Praedicate Evangelium* of 19 March 2022, through the promotion of culture, intercultural dialogue, the enhancement of cultural heritage, and the development of the fundamental principles of education, with reference to schools, ecclesiastical institutions of study and research, and Catholic universities (cf. nos. 153-162).
The structure of the Dicastery is organised into the Culture Section and the Education Section, which work in an integrated and coordinated manner within their respective areas of competence. It should be noted that, in accordance with Pope Francis' wishes, the Dicastery for Education and Culture not only actively supports the cultural and educational efforts of diocesan/eparchial bishops, episcopal conferences, and Eastern hierarchical structures, but also collaborates diligently with other Dicasteries and Bodies of the Roman Curia to achieve the aforementioned objectives and to promote human values within the horizon of Christian anthropology.
The Education Section promotes the implementation of the fundamental principles of Catholic education, the Catholic identity of schools and institutions of higher education, and the teaching of Catholic religion in schools of all levels. It safeguards the integrity of Catholic faith in doctrinal teaching. Moreover, it supports and regulates the establishment and collaboration of Catholic and ecclesiastical schools and higher education institutions, as well as their associations, to further the study of sacred disciplines, and humanistic and scientific studies, in accordance with Christian truth.
The Education Section is also responsible for the academic formation of clerics, members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, and laypeople preparing for service in the Church. It is also responsible for the necessary procedures to ensure that academic degrees awarded in the name of the Holy See are recognised by States, and for the issuing of the *nulla osta* required for teachers to be able to teach theological disciplines.
The Culture Section promotes and supports relations between the Holy See and the world of culture, engaging with emerging issues and fostering intercultural dialogue as an essential tool for encounter, interaction, and enrichment. It seeks to ensure that those working in the arts, literature, sciences, technology, and sport may both identify with and feel acknowledged by the Church as serving the sincere pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty.
The Culture Section also supports processes for the protection, conservation, and public enjoyment of the historical, artistic, and cultural heritage of ecclesial entities, and for the appreciation and protection of local cultures. It coordinates the activities of the Pontifical Academies, whose members include some of the most prominent international figures in theological and humanistic sciences, both believers and non-believers. Specifically, the Dicastery oversees the Pontifical Academy of Fine Arts and Letters of the Virtuosi at the Pantheon, the Pontifical Roman Academy of Archaeology, the Pontifical Academy of Theology, the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas, the Pontifical International Marian Academy, the Pontifical Academy of Martyrs, and the Pontifical Academy for Latin.
Furthermore, in matters of both culture and education, the Dicastery, in agreement with the Secretariat of State, monitors the action programmes undertaken by the relevant national and supranational institutions, through participation in international bodies and meetings, and the organisation of specialised congresse.