Program
PROGRAM
The fundamental purpose of LIFE2022 is to see in person how learning takes place in Finnish kindergartens and schools by shadowing Finnish teachers. You can choose the age range to ensure it is suitable for your needs*. If you want to know more about pre-primary education, note that in Finland, it usually takes place in kindergartens. Here are the age ranges for each visit:
- Kindergarten (age 0–6)
- Primary school/Teacher Training School (age 7–12)
- Secondary school (age 13–15)
- High School/Vocational college (age 16–18)
During the shadowing, you will observe teachers in their activities and talk about their daily teaching practices. On the last day, you will have a chance to teach together with other LIFE2022 participants. Planning this session will offer you an excellent opportunity to share and elicit ideas inspired by the school visits.
LIFE2022 offers engaging expert presentations and workshops focusing on different aspects of the Finnish education system. Last but not least, you will hear testimonies from earlier participants about what they have changed in their school after visiting Finnish schools and how it worked out.
Tentative program for LIFE2022 – Please note that changes are possible.
Fri 28th
10:00 – 19:00 Participating in Educa event (English program)
IMPORTANT! Educa-program will be streamed so you can also fly directly to Rovaniemi without missing the presentations.
Sat 29th
09:00 – 12:00 Educa continues (English program)
12:00 – 18:00 Traveling to Rovaniemi (according to individual flight options). Recommended visit before going to Rovaniemi: Oodi Library.
19:00 – 22:00 Ice Restaurant Dinner Experience (optional). IMPORTANT! New time for Ice Restaurant Dinner Experience: Tue 1st, 19:00 – 22:00.
19:00 – 21:30 Excursion to Aurora Borealis Camp (optional)
Sun 30th
08:00 – 09:00 Registration, coffee available at Scandic Pohjanhovi
09:00 – 10:00 Opening, getting to know each other
10:00 – 12:00 Kristiina Volmari and Aulis Pitkälä: National and municipal level co-operation with schools and teachers
12:00 – 13:00 Jussi Kainulainen: Local implementations of the national curriculum – case Rovaniemi.
13:00 – 13:45 Lunch
13:45 – 17:00 Learning outside the classroom: Visiting Santa Claus Village; includes an optional visit and ride to Husky Park
Mon 31st
09:00 – 12:30 Kindergarten/School visits (incl. lunch)*
13:00 – 14:00 Socratic walk & wrap up of the school visit (Learning diary)
14:00 – 15:00 Jussi-Pekka Järvinen: The role of digital learning and teaching in exceptional circumstances. What did we learn in 2020 and 2021?
15:00 – 15:30 Coffee break
15:30 – 17:30 Optional Workshop: It’s the pedagogy, not the technology.
19:00 – 21:00 Rovaniemi City Reception
Tue 1st
09:00 – 12:30 Kindergarten/School visits (incl. lunch)*
13:00 – 14:00 Outdoor activities or after lunch quiet time
15:00 – 17:00 Learning and teaching together workshop 1
19:00 – 21:30 Excursion to Aurora Borealis Camp (optional) IMPORTANT: New time for Excursion to Aurora Borealis Camp: Sat 29th 19:00 – 21:30.
19:00 – 22:00 Ice Restaurant Dinner Experience (optional).
Wed 2nd
09:00 – 12:30 School visits (incl. lunch)*
13:00 – 14:00 Socratic walk & wrap up of the school visit (Learning diary)
14:00 – 16:00 VisitEDUfinn- & Euneos-Alumni stories: How have the insights from Finnish education been applied? Panel discussion with Marjaana Sall, Ambassador for Education in Finland.
19:00 – 21:00 Farewell Dinner at Scandic Pohjanhovi
Thu 3rd
09:00 – 11:30 Learning and teaching together workshop 2
11:30 – 12:00 Reflection & feedback, food for thought, closing
12:00 – 13:00 Lunch
14:00 – 17:00 Snowmobile Safari to Reindeer Farm (optional)
*There is a minimum number of participants per group, so unfortunately we cannot guarantee that you are able to join each day in your preferred age group.
IMPORTANT! If there are differences between the brochure and the website, you can count on the website as it has updated information.
Registration and Prices
Registration
All registrations for LIFE2022 must be done using the online registration form. Accepted methods of payment are credit card and bank transfer. Below are also additional links for booking accommodation in Scandic Pohjanhovi and the winter activities with Lapland Safaris.
REGISTER FOR LIFE2022
IMPORTANT UPDATE: LIFE2022 is sold out now, but you can join our waiting list by writing ASAP to info@visitedufinn.com, as there are always some unpaid invoices and we will most likely have soon some seats available again.
REGISTER FOR LIFE2022 (ERASMUS+ GRANT HOLDERS)
REGISTER FOR LIFE2022 ACCOMMODATION (SCANDIC POHJANHOVI)
REGISTER FOR LIFE2022 WINTER ACTIVITIES
Prices
(Read more about grants and other options for financial support.)
All prices exclude Finnish VAT 24%. For VAT exemption, you need to register as a representative/employee of a company or organization and during the registration, attach a tax certificate, trade register extract, or similar from your country.
| Registration categories | Early bird fee (until 31 October 2021) | Standard fee (1 November 2020 – 31 December 2021) | Late/On-site fee (after 31 December 2021) |
| Normal | 650€ | 750€ | 850€ |
| Student* | 550€ | 650€ | 750€ |
| Accompanying person | 150€ | 200€ | 250€ |
*Students: during the registration, you need to attach proof of full-time student status (ID card or letter from your institution or program director)
Prices include (normal or student)
- Free 30-day access to Finnish Education Online Courses
- Admission to all sessions
- Event materials
- School visits
- Visit Santa Claus Village
- Certificate of attendance
- Possibility to participate in the optional workshop for LIFE2022 participants (additional fees apply)
- Possibility to participate in special winter activities designed for LIFE2022 (additional fees apply) – REGISTER
The meal package (130€ EXCL. VAT 14%) is obligatory and it includes:
- Five lunches and coffee/tea with snacks during breaks mentioned in the program
- Rovaniemi City Reception
- Farewell Dinner
Prices include (accompanying person)
- Rovaniemi City Reception
- Visit Santa Claus Village
- Farewell Dinner
- Possibility to participate in special winter activities designed for LIFE2022 (additional fees apply) – REGISTER
Payments
Please choose your payment type on the online registration form. The options are
- Online credit card payment (Visa, MasterCard, American Express)
- Bank transfer (PDF-invoice). The invoice with the necessary information will be sent to you with the confirmation email. The participant should assume all the bank transaction fees.
Please note that all payments must be made in advance and in euros (€).
Cancellation policy
Cancellation by participant
All cancellations must be made by email to sales@rovaniemicongresses.com. If you do not cancel your participation at all, you will be charged the full fee. For cancellations received by 30 September 2021, the paid registration fee will be refunded. No refunds will be made for cancellations made after this date. Please note that a processing fee of 50€ (excl. VAT) will be deducted from all refunds. If unable to attend, the registered person may substitute someone else from the same organization by sending a notification to sales@rovaniemicongresses.com.
If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, please don’t attend the event. Inform us by sending an email ASAP to info@visitedufinn.com. You will get a 100% voucher to attend LIFE2023 or any other VisitEDUfinn’s events or visit programs.
Cancellation by VisitEDUfinn
If the documents attached during the registration process are not valid, and the participant does not deliver proper documents immediately after requested, VisitEDUfinn has the right to cancel the participation without any refunding. However, participation is always possible, paying the normal fee (or the price difference).
In case the event is cancelled due to COVID-19 or a similar situation, all the payments will be refunded without any processing fee. VisitEDUfinn is not responsible for any damage caused by the cancellation and strongly recommends purchasing flexible flight tickets and accommodation.
Invitation letters
VisitEDUfinn will write invitation letters only after the full payment. If the participant cannot get a visa and sends evidence about the rejected visa application, VisitEDUfinn will refund the paid amount. However, 100€ (excl. VAT) will be deducted as an administrative fee.
Any questions about the registration or payments? Please contact sales@rovaniemicongresses.com.
Frequently Asked Questions about Registration and Fees
Educational Experts
EDUCATIONAL EXPERTS IN ROVANIEMI
AULIS PITKÄLÄ
Aulis Pitkälä has an exceptional career in the field of education. During the years 2012-2016, Aulis responded to a valued task of Director General in the Finnish National Agency for Education. Afterward, he worked as a Deputy Mayor of Education and Cultural Services in the city of Espoo. In 2017, he was awarded the honorary title for his distinguished career in education by the President of the Republic of Finland.
KRISTIINA VOLMARI
Kristiina Volmari, Ph.D, worked for many years as Counsellor of Education and Head of Statistics and International Affairs at the Finnish National Board of Education. She has also worked as a teacher for 20 years at most levels of education and in vocational teacher education. Kristiina’s special interest and expertise areas are comparative international education data, teachers and trainers in vocational education, and training and leadership. In addition, she has a thorough knowledge and understanding of European and global education and training issues, having worked closely with European networks and working groups as well as participating in OECD studies and data collection.
JUSSI KAINULAINEN
Jussi Kainulainen has extensive experience in the Finnish education system. He has working experience from primary and secondary education as a class teacher, SEN teacher, and vice-principal. Jussi has also been engaged with school administration as a Development Manager in the City of Kokkola and currently as Pedagogical Director here in Rovaniemi, supporting education in local schools from early childhood education until secondary education. In addition, Jussi has international working experience from, e.g., Namibia and Laos, where he worked for two years within United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). After Laos, he acted as Programme Manager with EduCluster Finland’s leading Education Partnership Program (EPA) in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Before relocating back to Finland and Rovaniemi, Jussi worked in Malaysia to improve education in Malaysian government schools.
JUSSI-PEKKA JÄRVINEN
Jussi-Pekka Järvinen (M.Ed) currently works as a university teacher at the University of Turku. He teaches a minor subject (60 ECTS) in digital learning and teaching offered for both pre-service students at the department of teacher education and in-service teachers as a professional development program. Jussi-Pekka has previously worked in the field of technology and possesses a strong knowledge of pedagogy, technology, and the combination of these two for pedagogically relevant use of educational technology in teaching and learning. Jussi-Pekka was awarded as the teacher of the year in 2019 at the University of Turku alongside his colleague Aleksi Lahti.
MARJAANA SALL
Marjaana Sall has been an Ambassador for Education at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland since September 2019. Marjaana Sall has extensive experience in Africa, having served 12 years at diplomatic positions in Africa. She recently served as the European Union Ambassador to the Republic of Mauritius and the Republic of Seychelles. Ms. Sall was also responsible for the cooperation between the European Union and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC). She was the first Finnish female EU Ambassador appointed by the Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in 2015. Ms. Sall has also worked as Deputy Ambassador of the European Union to Kenya and as Deputy Ambassador of the Finnish Embassy to South Africa and Indonesia. She has also held a position at the Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations in New York.
LIFE2022 COORDINATOR AND FACILITATOR
SUVI KRISTA WESTLING
Suvi K. Westling is an expert on educational psychology with a broad view of education and a deep understanding of the human mind. She has graduated from and later taught students in an innovative program of educational psychology at the University of Helsinki. Her teaching has included lecturing, supervising pre-service teachers’ practice, and facilitating group processes and phenomenon-based group studies. In her research, she has studied the quality of regulation of students’ learning and activity both at school and at teacher education. She has worked as an expert in educational program design at an academic level as well as in few international organizations.
Suvi has also gained grassroots experience with children and teenagers while working as a classroom teacher, youth worker, and camp supervisor in various places at earlier phases of her life. She has developed an international mindset and understanding of different cultures by participating and working in different international communities and networks, living and studying in Latin America (Chile).
Optional Workshop
OPTIONAL WORKSHOP
Want to learn pedagogically appropriate ways for remote teaching? Would you like to be able to teach like Finnish teachers during the lockdown? Then, join this special workshop uniquely designed for LIFE2022 participants.
IT’S THE PEDAGOGY, NOT THE TECHNOLOGY
Date and time: Monday 31st, 15:30 – 17:30
Place: Scandic Pohjanhovi
Group size: 10 – 50 persons
Price: 190€ (EXCL. VAT 24%) per participant
Trainer: Jussi-Pekka Järvinen
Booking: as part of the LIFE2022 online registration process
Introduction
During this 2-hour workshop we will look at a few examples of how Finnish teachers transferred to remote teaching in the course of just a few days during the spring of 2020, and how the pandemic changed their teaching in 2021. Focus will be on how innovative and experienced teachers were able to harness their pedagogical expertise to work with the tools they were given and successfully provide the essence of the Finnish education system to students in difficult circumstances. Through these cases we will focus on how some schools have tackled the issue of digitalization and providing teachers with the skills and tools needed to harness their pedagogical abilities for the 21st century. The attendees will get a glimpse at how in-service teacher training, digital tutoring and school-wide digital competency monitoring work together in practice and provide teachers, school leaders and students a clear picture of their strengths and needs for development.
JUSSI-PEKKA JÄRVINEN
Jussi-Pekka Järvinen (M.Ed) currently works as a university teacher at the University of Turku where he teaches a minor subject (60 ECTS) in the subject digital learning and teaching offered for both pre-service students at the department of teacher education, as well as in-service teachers as a professional development program. Jussi-Pekka has previously worked in the field of technology and possesses a strong knowledge of pedagogy, technology and the combination of these two for pedagogically relevant use of educational technology in teaching and learning. Jussi-Pekka was awarded as the teacher of the year in 2019 at the University of Turku alongside his colleague Aleksi Lahti.
Social Program
SOCIAL PROGRAM
Visit to the Santa Claus Village
Sunday 30 January at 14:00 – 17:00.
The bus will pick up avecs/accompanying persons from Scandic Pohjanhovi at 13:45.
Price: Included in the registration fee for all attendees. Optional visit and ride in Husky Park for an additional fee of 30€ – 40€.
Rovaniemi City Reception and light dinner
Monday 31 January at 19:00 – 21:00
Rovaniemi City Reception in Rovaniemi City Hall (Hallituskatu 7). There is a 10-minute walk from the Scandic Pohjanhovi. LIFE2022 organizers will lead the participants to the City Hall and back to the hotel.
Price: Included in the registration fee for all attendees.
Farewell Dinner
Wednesday 2 February at 19:00 – 21:00
The farewell dinner is organized at the LIFE2022 venue Scandic Pohjanhovi in the city center.
Price: Included in the registration fee for all attendees.
Winter Activities
Saturday 29 January at 19:00 – 22:00
Tuesday 1 February at 19:00 – 21:30
Thursday 3 February at 14:00 – 17:00.
For both LIFE2022 participants and avecs/accompanying persons, we have organized an exclusive winter activity program in the surrounding areas of Rovaniemi. More information is in Winter Activities -tab.
Price: NOT Included in the registration fee for all attendees.
Winter Activities
WINTER ACTIVITIES
To get inspired, you can have a look at www.laplandsafaris.com. For both LIFE2022 participants and avecs/accompanying persons, we have organized an exclusive winter activity program. To participate in these activities, please register before January 21st, 2022, using the following link:
REGISTER FOR LIFE2022 WINTER ACTIVITIES
SATURDAY 29th EVENING
19:00 – 21:30 Excursion to Aurora Borealis Camp
Discover the phenomena of the northern sky at our Northern Lights base. At the resort, you’ll find the Aurora Borealis theatre built inside a massive snow igloo, where a film and spectacular photos of the Northern Lights are presented. You’ll also have time to roam around the resort, take a brisk snowmobile sleigh ride, or can just lay back by an open fire admiring the northern sky. And don’t forget to enjoy the traditional reindeer burgers in the Kota teepee! With a little luck, the sky is clear and the moon, stars, and even the Northern Lights may show up. Transfer to the camp and back by bus.
DURATION: 2,5 hours
PRICE: 122€ (adults) / 61€ (children 4-14 years)
Min. 15 persons – Max. 46 persons
TUESDAY 1st EVENING
19:00 – 22:00 Ice Restaurant Dinner Experience
What could be a more exciting start for your stay in the Arctic than a dinner surrounded by snow and ice?! Ice restaurant is located within the Arctic SnowHotel, a 30-minute drive from Rovaniemi. Before the dinner, ShowHotel’s guide will tell you about the construction, operation and special features of the SnowHotel during the memorable guided tour through beautiful rooms of the hotel and arctic specialities, such as the snow sauna. At the end of the tour, there is a possibility to order a shot from the ice bar for an additional fee, served in a glass made from ice. The Ice Restaurant built of snow and ice provides a unique setting for an unforgettable dinner serving up hot Lappish delicacies savoured around ice tables. Culinary enjoyment commences with a rich mushroom soup served with fresh bread and is finished off with the delicious SnowHotel’s chocolate delight, which in line with the theme, is served on a magnificent ice platter. Guaranteed to taste as good as it looks!
Starter:
Velvety boletus soup with beetroot vinegar
Crispy flat bread, focaccia bread and spruce bud butter
Main course options (please choose one):
Mouth-watering roast elk, cauliflower purée, juniper game sauce, season’s vegetables
***
Braised Arctic Ocean salmon, parsnip purée, bay leaf sauce, season’s vegetables
***
Chicken breast glazed with cloudberry honey, cherry tomato sauce, season’s vegetables
***
White bean terrine, caramelized onion and carrot, parsnip purée, deep fried capers
Note, that this is vegetarian dish. If you need vegan dish, please inform us.
Dessert:
SnowHotel’s soft white chocolate blueberry delight
DURATION: 3 hours
PRICE: 119€ (adults) / 69€ (children 2-12 years)
Min. 10 persons – Max. 70 persons
THURSDAY 3rd AFTERNOON
14:00 – 17:00 Snowmobile Safari to Reindeer Farm
A snowmobile safari to a reindeer farm. First you will learn about our Lappish culture and reindeer husbandry. Everyone who passes a reindeer-driving test will be issued an international reindeer driver’s license and you have the possibility of participating in a special Lapp ceremony of crossing the Arctic Circle. Enjoy a cup of hot coffee or berry juice before returning back to town. NOTE! In this safari two participants share a snowmobile, single driver option available.
DURATION: 3 hours
PRICE: 162€ (adults) / 81€ (children 4-14 years)
Min. 10 persons – Max. 46 persons
IMPORTANT NOTICE: For all Winter Activities, you should be at the Lapland Safaris office located right in the center of Rovaniemi 30 minutes before the activities start.
REGISTER FOR LIFE2022 WINTER ACTIVITIES
Looking for daily activities for avecs/accompanying persons? Please contact directly the well-known operator Lapland Safaris: info@laplandsafaris.fi. They have plenty of amazing options for each day, and you will be taken care of by a very professional team.
Accommodation
ACCOMMODATION
LIFE2022 has two venues. Educa venue is Messukeskus in Helsinki. There are plenty of excellent options for accommodation in the city center or near Messukeskus
In Rovaniemi, the venue is at Scandic Pohjanhovi, and you can reserve a room there on the hotel website. The buses for the school visits also leave from that hotel. The booking for accommodation is separated from the online registration for LIFE2022. For booking in Scandic Pohjanhovi, please use this link: SCANDIC ONLINE RESERVATION, and introduce the dates.
Another highly recommended option is Forenom’s 3-year-old apartment building located only 100 meters from the venue. LIFE2022 participants will get a 10% discount using discount code VISITEDU10.
As January-February is the high season in Rovaniemi, we recommend booking your hotel room
quickly. All bookings directly to the hotel/hostel/apartment/igloos:
Want a unique experience that you will never forget?
Spend the last night of your trip in the SnowHotel or Igloo!
Other accommodation options in the city center
General Information
GENERAL INFORMATION
Rovaniemi is the administrative capital and commercial center of Finland’s Lapland.
The city is about 800 km north of Helsinki, the capital of Finland. In the past few decades, Rovaniemi has grown into a busy and active town with now more than 63.000 inhabitants. Rovaniemi is also the educational center of Lapland, and there are two universities located in Rovaniemi. The University of Lapland is the northernmost university in Finland and the European Union. Lapland University for Applied Sciences has its home base in Rovaniemi. The unique location of Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle has attracted more than 400.000 tourists each year from all over the world. Visit Rovaniemi‘s website for more information.
How to get there
Despite its northern location, Rovaniemi is well connected to the rest of the world. From abroad, the town is easiest to get to by about one hour flight via Helsinki. Daily flights between Rovaniemi and Helsinki are operated by Finnair throughout the year. In addition, more and more airlines offer direct flights to Rovaniemi.
Finnair
Norwegian
Train
Having problems finding proper flights between Helsinki and Rovaniemi? Night train and sleeping compartment can be an interesting, exotic, economical, and sustainable option for those who don’t want to stay an extra night in Helsinki or Rovaniemi. There are two night trains available every day, and the trains during the daylight offer a good opportunity to see more of Finland. Visit VR for more information.
How to get from the airport/railway station to the hotels
Airport Express – bus from the airport to the city center and back – drives to all the central hotels and bus station in, approx.. 15 minutes for price 7-12€ per person. Airport Express departs from the airport after every flight arrival. Check your hotel reception about the pickup time from your hotel back to the airport. For further information call +358 (0)16 – 362 222.
Normal Taxi: Price from the airport to the city center is approx.. 20€.
The railway station is located about 1.5 kilometers from the city center. There is no direct bus connection. The easiest way to get to the hotel is to either walk or take a taxi.
Taxi
Finnish taxis are reliable and accept credit cards. The following taxi companies operate in Rovaniemi:
Rovaniemi Taxi Service
Lähitaksi Rovaniemi
Menevä
Car rentals
All major car rentals have an office in Rovaniemi for those interested in traveling around the surrounding areas and Lapland by themselves.
Weather in Rovaniemi
In January-February, the average temperatures are around -11 degrees (Celsius). So have that in mind when choosing your clothing. For the winter activities, however, there is always proper clothing available for the participants. Please visit the Finnish Meteorological Institute’s website for updated news on weather in Rovaniemi.
Language
The official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish, but practically everyone knows basic English; especially the people involved in tourism speak excellent English. LIFE2022 language is English.
Currency
The Finnish currency unit is the Euro. There are numerous cash machines (ATMs) open around the clock and accepting all major credit cards. Besides, Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted almost everywhere (hotels, restaurants, shops, taxis, cafeterias, bars, etc.).
Voltage
The electric current in Finland is 230V, 50Hz. Plugs are two-pin continental size.
Time
The time in Finland is UTC/GMT+2
Contact Information
For additional information about REGISTRATION AND PAYMENTS (WITHOUT ERASMUS+ FUNDING), please contact:
Visit Rovaniemi
Maakuntakatu 29-31
96200 Rovaniemi
Tel: +358 16 346 270
E-mail: sales@rovaniemicongresses.com
For additional information about REGISTRATION AND PAYMENTS (WITH ERASMUS+ FUNDING), please contact:
Euneos Corporation
Vaijeritie 12
01640 Vantaa
Email: courses@euneos.eu
OID code E10124150/PIC code 950782555
REGISTRATION FOR GRANT HOLDERS
For additional information about LIFE2022, please contact:
VisitEDUfinn Ltd.
Ensi Linja 1
00530 Helsinki, Finland
Tel. +358 409 684 987
Email: info@visitedufinn.com
For additional information about the WINTER ACTIVITIES, please contact:
Lapland Safaris
Koskikatu 1
96200 Rovaniemi
Tel: +358 16 33 11 200
E-mail: info@laplandsafaris.fi
For additional information about the hotel bookings in SCANDIC POHJANHOVI, please contact:
Scandic Rovaniemi
Pohjanpuistikko 2
96200 Rovaniemi
Tel. +358 16 465 4014
E-mail: pohjanhovi@scandichotels.com
Suvi K. Westling is an expert on educational psychology with a broad view of education and a deep understanding of the human mind. She has graduated from and later taught students in an innovative program of educational psychology at the University of Helsinki. Her teaching has included lecturing, supervising pre-service teachers’ practice, and facilitating group processes and phenomenon-based group studies. In her research, she has studied the quality of regulation of students’ learning and activity both at school and at teacher education. She has worked as an expert in educational program design at an academic level as well as in few international organizations.
