Contact:
melina.rauhala@visitedufinn.com
ATTENTION TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS! It is now time to apply for Teachers’ Summer School HEAT2023 in Helsinki, Finland on August 21-25, 2023.
What is HEAT2023?
The Summer School is organized by VisitEDUfinn , Hostel Suomenlinna and The Organization for Outdoor Education in Finland. The school lessons will be taught in the interesting educational venues and in the historical Suomenlinna Sea Fortress, a World Heritage Site. Suomenlinna World Heritage Site has a unique learning surrounding full of history and with beautiful archipelago landscape. During your summer school week, you will also get to know Helsinki and its cool sights, for example, Oodi city library, Löyly, Temppeliaukio Church…
There is also a possibility to visit a Finnish public school and see the students in action. The students will also join the workshops with you in Suomenlinna and other learning environments outside the school. Each day teachers/educators will have different tasks to follow and aims to achieve! The objective is to give you new tools to apply phenomenon-based, student-centred methods in your own work. With participants from all over the world, this is a real multicultural opportunity to share and gain pedagogical knowhow and strengthen your professional self-esteem and growth. Finnish renowned curriculum is in the center, but each participant brings their valuable perspective and the outcome will be more than the sum of its parts.
Our course can now be tailored for private groups to fit your specific needs and schedule. To get a quote, Contact us at info@visitedufinn.com. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to develop your skills!
What will you learn?
The Summer School curriculum bases on Finnish national core curriculum. The pedagogical approach is holistic and student-centered. You will take a part to the interactive and inspiring learning sessions. We will focus on phenomenon-based teaching and learning, a move away from subjects and towards inter-disciplinary topics. HEAT Summer School is like a typical Finnish Camp School which aim is also to strengthen co-operational and communicational skills in the classroom. You will be able to learn by doing and sharing not only with the students but also with the local experienced teachers.
The Summer School opens for you an opportunity to share ideas, knowledge and local practices, which are ethically sustainable and culturally sensitive, and could be transferred from culture to another.
Tentative program for HEAT2023 – Please note that minor changes are possible!
Time | ARRIVAL DAY Monday /in town |
Tuesday / in Suomenlinna |
Wednesday/ in Suomenlinna |
Thursday /at school | FAREWELL DAY Friday / in town |
9:00 | Helsinki sights on foot | With group 1 students Engaging students, thinking and learning to learn workshop Secrets of Suomenlinna fortress history | With group 2 students Engaging students, thinking and learning to learn workshop Secrets of Suomenlinna fortress history | Finnish learning culture in practise – daily shores at Finnish public school A school visit (a same school than from where group 1 and 2 students come from) | Learning and school collaboration outside the classroom: Visit to the educational art and culture venue (learning center TBC) |
11:30 | LUNCH in town | LUNCH in hostel Suomenlinna | LUNCH in hostel Suomenlinna | LUNCH at school | LUNCH in town |
12:30 | Finnish school values and learning conception Overview of the Finnish basic education system by Aulis Pitkälä | With group 1 students Learning by doing – a holistic pedagogical approach: Secrets of archipelago nature workshop | With group 2 students Learning by doing -a holistic pedagogical approach: Secrets of archipelago nature workshop | Daily shores at school: A visit continues with pedagogical teachers’ in-service workshop | Learning and school collaboration outside the classroom continues educational projects with museums, (visiting museum TBC) |
14.30 | After coffee break Teacher talk – teacher training and collaboration Sharing pedagogical knowledge and expertise | After coffee break New national curriculum: What is phenomenon-based learning all about? How is teaching and learning in the 21st century? | After coffee break Finnish school team spirit activities: Camp Olympics Wrap-up of today | After coffee break A visit to Arabia Design center Wrap-up of today | After coffee break Joy of learning and sharing together: Wrap up workshop and farewell party |
17:00 | The full Finnish Experience including swim and sauna | A visit to Helsinki University library and Think Corner |
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19:00 | DINNER in town |
How can I participate?
The registration deadline for this course is July 31, 2023!
HEAT2023 is a very unique opportunity for only 40 participants, so be quick and register for this special event today! All registration must be done using the following online registration form. Reservations will be handled on a “first come – first served” basis, so early registration is the only way to secure your place. Accepted methods of payment are credit card and bank transfer. If you have problems or questions about completing the online form, please contact info@visitedufinn.com
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 course price excludes Finnish VAT 24%. For VAT exemption, you need to register as a representative/employee of a school or organization and during the registration, attach your school’s tax certificate, OID code, or similar document. A screenshot/picture of a VAT-number or Erasmus-related OID (Organization ID) are also acceptable.
Course fee 500€
Obligatory meal package 140€
Prices include
Other expenses
Airline tickets, accommodation, and local travel tickets to be bought separately.
Payments
Please choose your payment type on the online registration form. The options are
Please note that all payments must be made in advance and in euros (€).
Cancellation policy
Pre-registration
We can confirm this course once we have received 10 registrations. Note that also pre-registration is binding; as there is a minimum and maximum number of participants, every registration counts.
Cancellation by participant
All cancellations must be made by email to info@visitedufinn.com at least a month before the course starts. If you do not cancel your participation at all, you will be charged the full fee. 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 info@visitedufinn.com.
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 canceled 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.
Who is in charge of HEAT2023?
Ms. Suvi Krista 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).
Other experts in HEAT2023
AULIS PITKÄLÄ 
Mr. 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.
VisitEDUfinn (OID CODE: E10020922 / PIC CODE: 899855324) organises 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: HEAT2023 – Helsinki Education in Action for Teachers
Audience
Working Methods
Outcomes
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.
Where to stay?
Summer School participants will have the option to stay overnight in an old elementary school, Hostel Suomenlinna. The Finnish Hostel Association has designated Hostel Suomenlinna as the Hostel of the Year 2018. The hostel, owned by The Organization for Outdoor Education in Finland, is located on one of the Suomenlinna islands, just 15-20 minutes from the city center by ferry. If you are interested in this option, for more information and booking, please contact hostel@suokki.fi. If the Hostel is fully booked or you prefer to stay in a hotel, there are plenty of good options within walking distance from where the ferry service runs in the Market Square. Check out the ferry schedule.
How do I get there?
Suomenlinna is accessible only by water. A ferry service runs from the Market Square to Suomenlinna throughout the year. The trip to Suomenlinna takes 15–20 minutes and offers magnificent views of Helsinki and the surrounding area from the sea.
How to get from the airport to the hotels
Several Taxi companies are offering their services in the airport. The price to the city center is approximately 50€. There are also public transportation options; both the railway and bus station are located in the airport. The price is around 5€, depending on whether you pay cash or use an application or ticket machine.
Weather in Helsinki
Depending on the time of the year, the temperature can be anything between -30 and +30 Celsius. Please visit the Finnish Meteorological Institute’s website for updated news on weather in Helsinki.
Language
The official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish, but practically everyone knows basic English, and especially the people involved in tourism speak very good 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 GMT/UTC+2 (During Daylight Saving Time +3)
What you can do in Helsinki, Finland
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.
How is the education in Finland?
During our events and courses, you will get familiar with all the characteristics of Finnish education:
For additional information about HEAT2023, please contact:
VisitEDUfinn Ltd.
c/o Eira High School for Adults
Iso Roobertinkatu 20-22 A
00120 HELSINKI
Tel. +358 407 516 478
Email: info@visitedufinn.com
Unique educational conference setup – Visit Finnish schools and job shadow teachers by the Arctic Circle.
Ms. Rauhala (B.A.) is an educational sciences student at the University of Turku with studies also in the fields of psychology, business and HR, and sociology. As an education major, she is passionate about lifelong learning and the Finnish education system. She believes in change through education. In addition, Ms. Rauhala loves to learn new languages. She completed an Erasmus + university exchange in Spain as a part of her studies and wants to work toward everyone getting international learning opportunities. Ms. Rauhala is working for VisitEDUfinn part-time while finishing her studies.
Contact:
melina.rauhala@visitedufinn.com
