PROGRAM

Your journey begins in Helsinki (April 20-25) and continues in Tallinn (April 26, and optional job shadowgin April 27-29), spanning a total of seven to ten days. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in school visits, job shadowing, lectures, and workshops, each highlighting the unique strengths of the local education systems.

In Finland, the focus is on student well-being, inclusivity, and student-centered learning. The Finnish education system is globally recognized for its commitment to the holistic well-being of students, ensuring that each individual’s needs are met and fostering personalized learning pathways.

As your journey continues to Tallinn, you’ll explore the strengths of the Estonian education system. Estonia is renowned for its innovation in digital education, fostering creativity, and promoting a forward-thinking approach to learning. The Estonian system excels in integrating technology into the classroom, supporting both students and teachers in developing digital literacy and creative problem-solving skills.

In addition to the educational experiences, the program includes an exclusive social agenda that promises unforgettable moments in both cities. In Finland, you’ll have the chance to relax in a traditional sauna followed by a refreshing dip in the water, experience the magic of cuddling reindeer, and rejuvenate in the serene embrace of the Finnish forest.

In Tallinn, the social program features a visit to the medieval old town of Tallinn providing a unique historical backdrop for the final farewell dinner, where we’ll celebrate with a medieval-themed banquet, marking the end of our journey and the beginning of lasting (professional) friendships.

DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

Monday 12:00-17:00

• Brunch with welcome words & introduction to Finland
• Helsinki Walking Tour
• Unwind at the Allas Sea Pool: Get ready to sweat it out in the sauna and then freeze in the Baltic—an ultimate Finnish initiation

Tuesday 8:30-16:00

Morning (8:30-12:00)

• School visit 1. Choose your focus (daycare, primary school, middle school,
  high school, or vocational education and training). Immerse yourself in the daily life of a local school.

Afternoon (13:00-16:00)

• Seminar: The basics of Finnish education, Mr. Petri Ilmonen
• Workshops in smaller groups. Participate in the session of your choice.

Evening

• Enjoy a free evening for networking and informal discussions with fellow
  participants.

Wednesday 8:30-15:30, Finnish dinner at 19

Morning (8:30-12:00) 

• School visit 2: Experience a second educational setting of your choice

Afternoon (13:00-15:30)

• Cultural Excursion: Visit the Suomenlinna sea fortress, a UNESCO World
  Heritage site. Engage in hands-on activities (from the student’s perspective) 

Evening

• Taste of Finland:  dinner at a local restaurant

Thursday 8:00-15:00

Morning (8:00-12:00)

• Nuuksio National Park Excursion: Discover the natural beauty of Finland through
  hiking in the forest and exploring Haltia’s exhibitions.
• Optional extra activity: Reindeer park 

Afternoon (13:00-15:00)

• Interactive seminar: key takeaways from Finland

Friday 8:30-16:00

Morning (08:30-12:00)

• Third School visit

Afternoon (13:00-16:00)

• Workshop/Guest Speaker.
• Workshop: Personal or team time for notes, diaries, and discussions.

Friday 9:30-16:00, Medieval Feast at 21:00 

Morning (9:30-13:00)

• Workshop

Afternoon (13:00-16:00)

• Departing for the excursion to Tallinn

Evening (21:00-)

• Medieval Feast at Olde Hansa restaurant in Tallinn.

Saturday 9:30-14:00

Morning (9:30-12:00)

• Meeting with Mart in the lobby of Tallinn University

• A guided tour of Tallinn University

• Presentation on education system in Estonia (Mart Laanpere)

• Coffee break

• What are the factors of Estonias PISA success (Mart Laanpere)

Afternoon (13:00-14:00)

• Feedback and evaluation session

REGISTRATION AND PRICE

How can I participate?

All registrations must be done using the online registration form. 

Discount 10% is available for groups (Schools/organizations) of 5 or more participants! Contact courses@euneos.eu for more information.

If you want to send a group but don’t know yet all participants’ names, it is possible to add them to the registration form like this:

participant 1, participant 2, etc.   

If you have problems or questions about completing the online form, please contact courses@euneos.eu

REGISTER

Prices
(Read more about grants and other options for financial support.) 

If you have Erasmus+ KA1 funding, it should cover the fees. For those who come from outside the EU countries, there are other professional development grants for teachers. We have tried to keep the costs so low that self-funded participation is also a real option.

The price excludes Finnish VAT 25,5%. For VAT exemption, you need to register as a representative/employee of a company, school or other organization, and during the registration, provide a VAT-number or Erasmus-related OID (Organization ID) number. If you don’t have those, please send a tax certificate, trade register extract, or similar from your country to courses@euneos.eu

Option A: Course fee 660€ + Meal and transportation package 330€

Course fee includes

• Free 30-day access to Finnish Education Online Courses
• Course program
• Materials
• Certificates of attendance 

The meal and transportation package 330€ is obligatory, and it includes:

• • Welcome brunch
  • 5 Lunches (including a School lunch)
  • 2 Dinners
  • Refreshments
  • Entrance fees (on the planned excursions)
  • Transportation during the program (note: flights and ferry tickets are not included)

Option B: Job shadowing fee 350€ + Meal package 30€

Job shadowing fee includes

• Free 30-day access to Finnish Education Online Courses
• Finding suitable Estonian teachers and schools for your shadowing experience
• Assistance for visitors when needed (timetables, transportation, cultural program, etc.)

Meal package 30€ is obligatory, and it includes:

• 3 Lunches

Option C: Combination Course and Job Shadowing 950€ + Meal and transportation package 360€

TRAINER

Euneos has an international team of trainers who are the most experienced in the field of their expertise. Meet Euneos’ trainers for the Education in Finland and/or Estonia – Original Best Practices Benchmarking courses

All trainers 

Mart Laanpere, PhD

• Professor at Tallinn University, Estonia

• Head of the R&D Centre for Educational Technology in Tallinn University
• Former mathematics and physics teacher and school principal

• Member of board of course provider Euneos, Finland

After working as a mathematics & physics teacher and school principal, he has been involved in teacher education and educational technology research for last 20 years. Mart has been contributing to international research projects focusing on the use of mobile technology and social software in teaching and learning. He is coordinating the training of school teams in the project “Digital Turn towards 1:1 Computing” funded by Samsung (www.samsungdigipoore.ee); and expert in school digital innovation and change.

Petri Ilmonen

• Chair of Board at Language High School of Helsinki
• English teacher, principal and owner of TRYcamps

Tuovi Ronkainen

• Former principal of Akaa Secondary School 
• Student in University of Turku (futures studies), future coach 
• Biology and geography teacher 
• Project Ambassador of ESHA (European School Heads Association)  
• Coordinator of Comenius and Erasmus+ projects in many schools 
• Former network coordinator of Baltic sea Project (National Board of Education) 

She has been working on many ecological projects both at the national and international levels. Her special area is future education: how to get a positive approach to the future and how to get the skills to solve wicked problems like climate change.

Spasia Neshkoska Tsutsuleska 

• International project coordinator 
• Former external expert evaluator for Erasmus+ projects 
• Former eTwinning ambassador 
• Member of the international jury of Eumind projects 
• Former principal of a vocational school in North Macedonia
• Master studies in Education and Globalization, Oulu University, Finland

ERASMUS+

VisitEDUfinn (OID CODE: E10020922 / PIC CODE: 899855324) and Euneos Corporation (OID CODE:E10124150 / PIC CODE 950782555) organise ERASMUS+ Staff Mobility job shadowing and  professional courses designed for teachers at all levels. Our programs are organized in different parts of Finland in cooperation with other stakeholders in the field of education (schools, universities, municipalities). 

All the courses are designed following the Quality Standards for courses under Key Action 1 and participants are provided with certificates that meet the Europass criteria.

Course title: Benchmarking Educators’ Success and Training in Finland and Estonia

Audience (for instance)

• Kindergarten, primary, and secondary school teachers
• Special education teachers
• School management and leadership
• All other non-teaching experts

Working Methods (for instance)

• Exploration of pre-assumptions
• Workshops
• Facilitated discussions / shared brainstorming
• Teamwork and Presentations
• Field visits   
• Personal learning diary

Outcomes (for instance)

• Gain insight into Finnish schools and education
• Facilitate team-building activities
• Implement teaching sessions by utilizing participatory methods
• Create a concrete development plan for your own school

European/ International dimension

We wait participants from many European countries as well as from outside Europe. Sharing ideas together with colleagues from different countries offers a broader perspective on the topic. The course is also a great opportunity for networking for future collaboration.

ACCOMODATION

If not in the Helsinki area, please mofidy: The participants can freely choose their accommodation. However, we highly recommend being located close to Senate Square as the most interesting sights are within walking distance from the Square. We have negotiated special rates or discounts for our clients with the companies below. After your purchase, we will give you the necessary codes.

Scandic Hotels (12% discount)

Omena Hotels (special rate)

Hotel Arthur (10% discount)

Forenom apartments (10% discount)

20 Rooms Hostel (special rate)

Tell us what kind of accommodation you prefer, and we can help to find a place for your stay!

Tallinn, Estonia

Bookings can be made directly to the hotel or through booking sites like booking.com, Tripadvisor, Expedia, Trivago and others. Booking sites offer search for hotels, apartments and bed and breakfast.

Recommended hotels:

City Box Hotel

Park Inn Central

Tallink Express

Metropol Hotel

Hestia Europa

Kalev Sp

Toompea hill with tower Pikk Hermann, Cathedral Church of Saint Mary Toomkirik and Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, view from the tower of St. Olaf church, Tallinn, Estonia

HELSINKI

Is Helsinki the coolest city in the world?

Probably yes! In the capital of Finland, you can find the influence of both our neighbors, Sweden and Russia, but still the city is unique. It’s a modern metropole with over 650, 000 inhabitants (1,5 million in the larger metropolitan area) and yet you are never more than a 10-minute walk from nature. On the same day, you can pick berries in a forest and go to the Opera. Helsinki is a lively big city that never sleeps, but so safe that you can see 7-year-old first graders the take the tram to school on their own. 

Feeling the fresh breeze of the Baltic Sea while wandering around the picturesque streets of this easy-going city, it is not so difficult to imagine why Finns are the happiest nation in the world. After the walk, warm yourself up with a cup of coffee and a cinnamon bun. These coffee breaks with friends and colleagues are almost sacred moments to Finns. 

While in Helsinki, check out the libraries as a social innovation in Finnish education, interactive museums, the islands around Helsinki and the sauna. There are many more attractions that promise unforgettable experience in Helsinki such as  Alvar Aalto’s studio, Helsinki Cathedral by Carl Ludvig Engel, Senate Square, Old Market Hall, Löyly sauna and restaurant, and much more. 

Check out What’s up in Helsinki during your study visit!

TALLINN

Check out what you visit in Tallinn during your study visit!

EDUCATION IN FINLAND

How is education in Finland?

During our events and courses, you will get familiar with all the characteristics of Finnish education:

• One of the basic principles is that everyone must have equal access to high-quality education and training.
• Each student has the right to educational support.
• Special needs education is generally provided within mainstream education.
• The Finnish education system is based on the philosophy of inclusion.
• Educational support and guidance covers support for learning according to the individual capacity of the learners, school attendance, pupil welfare, and guidance and counseling. The learning of gifted pupils and students is supported.
• The education system is based on trust and responsibility.
• Educational autonomy is high at all levels.
• Most education is publicly funded.
• National core curriculum gives space for local variations.
• Learning outside the classroom is common.
• The first national examination is at the end of general upper secondary education.
• Teaching continues to be an attractive profession.
• Finnish schools have highly educated teaching personnel.
• Continuing teacher education is widely encouraged

Read more about Finnish Education. 

EDUCATION IN ESTONIA

How is education in Estonia?

• The national curriculum leaves space for the school to develop their own curriculum.
• All schools can decide on their goals and the focus of studies.
• Teachers decide on the appropriate textbooks and teaching methods they would like to use in their lessons.
• In Estonia, education is free by law unless parents opt for private schools for their children.
• Apart from free services, such as lunch, textbooks, and school transport, students get support services if needed.
• According to the child’s interests, the child may also be enrolled in a hobby school.

Read more about Estonian Education.