Program
PROGRAM
Helsinki
Sunday
Meeting place: Helsinki Central Railway Station
(indoors, the main doors towards Rautatientori, by the flower shop)
WELCOME TO HELSINKI & EUNEOS
12:00 Independent work- Prepare your Europasses and the send them to courses@euneos.eu
13:00 Independent work- Make a little pan of introduction: what you will tell about your own school, curriculum and the way you teach (pedagogical approach) in 10 minutes.
15.30 A little sightseeing tour of Helsinki (a walking tour, optional)
18:00 Welcome Dinner
Monday
Meeting place and venue
9:30 WELCOME TO FINLAND: Introduction to Finland & the course
/ Mr. Petri IImonen, Principal of TRYcamps Language School and your host
A Get to know each other!
/ Mr. Petri IImonen, Principal
The Pisa studies
/ Mr. Petri IImonen, Principal
12:00 Lunch break
13:00 The basics of the Finnish School System
/ Mr. Petri IImonen, Principal
Coffee break
14:30 Guest Speaker
15:30 Get to know the school (guided tour)
16:30 Workshop: Personal or team time for notes, diaries, and talks
Tuesday
Meeting place and venue
9:30 School visit
How to transform a 40-year-old school into a new one
12:00 Lunch break
13:00 Workshop: Mr Petri Ilmonen, Principal
14:30 Guest Speaker
15:30 Get to know the school (guided tour)
16:30 Workshop: Personal or team time for notes, diaries, and talks
Wednesday
Meeting place and venue
9:30 School visit
Reflection, evaluation, certification
13:00 Participants take a ferry to Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn
Euneos ErasmusPlus Teacher training course
Venue: Tallinn University, Narva Road 29, room A-440 (Astra building)
Contacts: James Sunney Quaicoe, +372 5550 9768, paasanni@tlu.ee
Wednesday
Arrival at Tallinn passenger harbor, accommodation in the hotel
Dinner on your own (see our recommendation)
Thursday
9:30 Meeting with Mart Laanpere in the lobby of Tallinn University (Narva Rd.25)
9:40 A guided tour of Tallinn University campus
10:00 Presentation on education system in Estonia (Mart Laanpere)
11:00 Coffee Break
11:30 What are the factors of Estonian’s PISA success? (Mart, Room)
12:00 Lunch at the University cafeteria (pay on your own, vegetarian options)
13:00 School visit
15:30 Break
16:00 Workshop
17:00 Walking back to hotel
Friday
9:30 School visit
12:00 Lunch
13:00 School visit
15:00 Break
15:30 Evaluation and feedback session
17:00 Free time
Saturday
10:00 Meeting with James in front of the Old Town Hall (address Rackoja plats)
10:10 Guided tour in the Old Town
12:00 Final reflections
13:00 Suggested visits to museums of Tallinn (optional)
Registration and prices
REGISTRATION AND PRICE
How can I participate?
All registrations must be done using the online registration form.
Discount of 10% is available for groups 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 (Registration takes place on our sister company, Euneos’ website)
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.
Course fee 660€
Price includes
Other expenses
Airline tickets, accommodation, and local travel tickets must be bought separately. Please note that we will recommend nice lunch places and public transportation for the trips, but participants will be responsible for the lunch and transportation costs during the program.
Insurance
Acquiring travel insurance and social security are obligatory and at one’s own responsibility. The European Health Insurance Card, EHIC is an option for EU citizens.
Payments
We will send an invoice to make a bank transfer for all the registered participants when we confirm the course. The reference number of the bill(s) should be mentioned when paying. If you don’t mention the reference number you might get a reminder for the bill as the payment will not be recognised. The participant should assume all the bank transfer fees. If you need to make the payment using a credit card (Visa, MasterCard), please contact courses@euneos.eu and we will send you a link for the payment.
Please note that all payments must be made in advance and in euros (€).
Cancellation policy
Binding registrations
We can confirm this course once we have received 10 registrations. Note that registration before the confirmation 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 courses@euneos.eu at least a month before the course starts. You will be charged the full fee if you do not cancel your participation. Please note that a processing fee of 160€ (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 courses@euneos.eu.
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 refund. However, participation is always possible, paying the VAT (or other price difference).
If 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.
Frequently Asked Questions about Registration and Fees
Trainer
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 course:
Main organiser / trainer
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.
Erasmus+
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 and Estonia 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: Original Best Practices Benchmarking course – only for teachers of grades 1-9 (age 6-15 yrs.)
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.
Accommodation
ACCOMODATION
Helsinki, Finland
The participants can freely choose their accommodation. Below you will find our recommendations for different categories. After your purchase, we will give you the necessary codes.
Apartments: Forenom (10% discount)
Hotel: Omenahotels (special rate)
Hostel: 20 Rooms (special rate)
Airbnb: 1-bedroom apartment (special rate)
We have also negotiated special discounts with the hotels below.
Scandic Hotels (12% discount)
Hotel Arthur (10% discount)
For most or our clients, being located close to Senate Square is a good choice as the most interesting sights, restaurants and leisure options are within walking distance from the Square. 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
General Information
How to get from the airport to the hotels
Connections Helsinki Airport
Helsinki Airport/Lentosaema is the major international airport in Finland. It is located in Vantaa municipality, part of the inner core of the Finnish Capital Region along with Helsinki, Espoo, and Kauniainen. You can get to Helsinki Airport with just one train ticket from anywhere in Finland. Another feasible option for international flights is Turku airport, which is approximately about 2 hour driving distance from Helsinki.
Once at the Helsinki Airport, you may purchase a multi-day ( 1 to 7 days) ABC ZONES ticket for public transport valid for Helsinki capital city area, Vantaa and Espoo for buses, trains, trams and boats to some of the islands (like Soumenlinna). Therefore, we warmly recommend purchasing a Regional Ticket.
You can purchase the ticket from the airport (arrival terminal, luggage lines, using the machine, or from R-kiosk (yellow shops) from Terminal 1 or from the train departure station from the machine. Prices may differ depending on the vendor so we recommend you the HSL app for the cheapest easiest way. You can also purchase it on the mobile HSL application.
Train (from Airport/Lentoasema –Helsinki region)& from Helsinki towards Vantaa Region –Hiekkaharju or Tikkurila
The train from airport to central railway station in Helsinki will be a ride of approx.20 min, you can pick the train via Tikkurila(otherwise you will have a longer ride)-train P.
From Helsinki Railway station towards Varia Vocational College, stop Hiekkaharju
The train from Helsinki railway station to Hiekkaharju station takes about 20 min, direction Airport (symbol I for the train and train K towards Kerava). You can easily follow the names of the train stops in the train monitors, and listen to English information.
You can also check the route planner.
Also, several Taxi companies are offering their services in the airport. The price to the city center is approximately 50€.
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)
Catering options
You have your KA1 grant budget for your accommodation including meals. There are school restaurants in some venues providing school lunch. You may also bring your own lunch boxes with you to the venue if you prefer so, we will make sure you will enjoy it. Most of the schools offer vegetarian or lacto/gluten free meals. The courses will include time for relaxing coffee breaks, tea and special moments for cultural exchange. You are welcome to share something from your country and culture.
To see …
Trainings in Helsinki will include practical hands on learning opportunities, school visits in Helsinki area and cultural situated places that would help grasp on social innovation: libraries as social innovation in Finnish education, interactive museums, the islands around Helsinki, sauna and other locally situated sensorial experiences, allowing participants to design their own learning experience and complete it. Moreover, there are many more attractions that promise unforgettable experience in Helsinki such as the interesting Helsinki architecture including Alvar Aalto’s studio, Helsinki Cathedral by Carl Ludvig Engel, Senate Square, Old Market Hall, Löyly sauna and restaurant. While there, make the best of this unique opportunity and take a bite of the Finnish delicacies such as smoked salmon soup lohikeitto and dried reindeer meet kuivaliha. Do not forget to learn more about the famous Finnish culture of drinking coffee with a soft, toasty and aromatic pulla cardamom bread. Tervetuloa!
Connections Tallin Airport
Tallinn airport is located only 4 km from the city center. You can get from the airport to the city center and back by bus No.2, tram or taxi.
By tram
Tram line no. 4 stop is located on the city side of the passenger terminal of the airport.
By bus
Airport bus stops are located at the city side of the passenger terminal next to the tram stop.
By taxi
There are official taxi partners of Tallinn Airport whose cars will be waiting for passengers right in front of the terminal doors.
Catering options
You have your KA1 grant budget for your accommodation including meals. At the university venue, there is a cafeteria, so lunch can be provided there. The courses will include time for relaxing coffee breaks, tea and special moments for cultural exchange. You are welcome to share something from your country and culture.
Recommendations for restaurants:
Close to Tallinn University
Villa Thai (Asian food, Vilmsi 6)
Faeton (Azerbaijani food, Köleri 2)
Nop (Estonian fusion/organic cuisine, Köleri 1)
Riis (Asian food, Tina 21)
Faehlmanni cafe (Faehlmanni 18)
Salt (Vase 14)
Asian Fair (Chinese food, Tuukri põik 3)
Close to city center (Park Inn Central & Tallink City Hotel)
Vapiano (pizza & pasta, Hobujaama 10)
Must Puudel (Müürivahe 20)
Pizzeria Basiilik (Hobujaama 5)
Café Moon (modern Russian cuisine, Võrgu
Lee Resto (modern Estonian fusion)
Telliskivi area
F-hoone (modern Estonian fusion)
Kolm sibulat (modern Russian fusion)
Balti jaama turg (a nice farmers market with lots of food stalls)
To see…
You will find many famous sights in the central part of Tallinn, such as the Old Town, Kardiorg Park, Tallinn Port and much more. Whether you have a refined taste of a gourmet or you will rather enjoy a tasty bite of street food, Tallinn is the best place to pleasure your taste buds by taking a culinary excursion at Pärnu Museum, Open Air Museum and many other food festivals. In other words, Tallinn is the best place for food lovers where you can enjoy the best of the culinary world for less. After a nice meal, one can enjoy one of the five seasons in Estonia by roaming in the untouched nature and breeding the cleanest air, enjoying a hike, horseback riding , birdwatching etc. Estonia is proud of its quality labels and it is considered to be the green travelers’ paradise! Tere tulemast!
“How to commute between Helsinki – Tallinn?
1.
https://www.directferries.com/helsinki_tallinn_ferry.htm?&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2Y2a0OOagQMVE9UYCh3Lyg8yEAAYASABEgL06PD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
2.
https://www.eckeroline.com
3.
https://www.sales.vikingline.com
4.
Compare fares at different operators:
https://www.directferries.com/helsinki_tallinn_ferry.htm?&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItvaj9OOagQMVUAuiAx1siAwuEAAYAiAAEgIUVvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
NB.
Prices may vary at different times of each day. You may chosoe any afternoon / evening routes.
Please remember to check how to reach the terminals of each company by public transport on their website.”
Helsinki
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
TALLINN
Tallinn is the capital city of Estonia and a perfect holiday destination if you want to combine the comforts of modern world, versatile nightlife and luxurious adventures with rich cultural scene in the local historical setting.
First established in the early medieval era, today’s Tallinn is an exciting mix of old and new. Here’s the good news: with Tallinn being such a compact, green capital, you can cover a lot in just a weekend and enjoy short scenic strolls while at it.
There are about 170 museums in Estonia displaying everything from local history to international artists. The museums offer inspiring experience both for children and adults.
Explore the untouched forests, hidden bog lakes, and long, winding coastlines of Estonia’s six national parks. Get lost in the wilderness — and then find yourself back in civilization in the blink of an eye.
Estonia boasts more than 1000 castles and manors dating back as far as the 13th century. Once a home to German and Russian landlords, many of these estates now serve as galleries, luxurious spa hotels and gourmet restaurants.
Check out what you visit in Tallinn during your study visit!
Education in Finland
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.
Contact Information
For additional information about this course, please contact:
Euneos Corporation
Mäntyviita 7H
02110 Espoo
Email: courses@euneos.fi
