Vocational education and training, 23-24.11.2003, Tallinn

Over the past few years, a great number of VET oriented projects have been organised between Finland and Estonia. The human and financial resources spent on these efforts have been considerable. In a recent study concerning its Estonian Neighbouring Area project activity, the National Board of Education Finland came to the dubious conclusion that even if the outcomes have been overtly positive, there seems to be a lack of a coordinated, target-oriented plan on how the VET systems on either side should have benefited from this activity.

As the administrator of educational Neighbouring Area projects the Finnish National Board of Education (NBE) is subordinate to the Ministry of Education and thus this dilemma was brought up in the negotiations between the Ministry and the NBE. The NBE suggested a high-level conference to be arranged in 2003 to discuss the situation openly with the Estonian side. Simultaneously, the Helsinki-Tallinn Euregio had contacted the NBE to present its interests for a round table meeting Estonia-Finland with similar interests as indicated above. At the regional level, the Euregio had come to realise that a push towards a national and regional cooperation and a harmonisation within the VET sector was necessary.

At a higher level still, the Governments of Finland and Estonia assigned two Wise Men in the autumn of 2002, Mr Esko Ollila from Finland and Mr Jaak Jõerüüt from Estonia, to give their views on how the cooperation between the two countries should be targeted after Estonia’s EU accession. The Wise Men’s report was submitted to the new Prime Ministers of Finland and Estonia on their first encounter in Tallinn on 7 May, 2003. The synergies to be obtained through a joint development of the VET sector, is mentioned among the recommendations of this document.

Under the auspices of the Finnish and Estonian Ministries of Education, the NBE has set up an organising committee to launch the high-level conference on VET cooperation on 23-24 October 2003 in Tallinn, Estonia.

CONFERENCE ON FINNISH-ESTONIAN COOPERATION WITHIN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING: PAST EXPERIENCES AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

DATES: 23-24 October 2003

VENUE: TEACHERS’ HOUSE, TALLINN, Raekoja Square 14

DAY ONE, 23rd OCTOBER:

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (VET) COOPERATION IN FINNISH-ESTONIAN RELATIONSHIPS

Chair: Ms Heli Kuusi, Director of Vocational Education Division, National Board of Education (=NBE), Finland

A high-level group of rapporteurs has been set to draw up the Statement of the Conference

11.30 Registration begins

12.30 Opening remarks

Mr Toivo Maimets, Minister of Education and Science, Estonia

Mr Jaakko Blomberg, Finnish Ambassador to Estonia

Ms Maret Maripuu, Chairperson of Tallinn City Council and Helsinki-

Tallinn Euregio Management Committee

13.00 Old synergies in the new light of Estonia’s EU membership:

Education and the world of work in the Wise Men’s report

Mr Esko Ollila, Rapporteur to the Prime Minister of Finland

13.20 Influence of EU integration to Estonian Labour Market: opportunities and threats

Mr Ivar Raig, Professor, Audentes University, Estonia

13.40 European perspectives of VET: the Brugge – Copenhagen process

Mr Timo Lankinen, Government Counsellor, Ministry of Education, Finland

14.15 Coffee

14.45 Cross-border challenges to VET development;

curriculum design, competence profiles, recognition of qualifications

Ms Sirje Murre, Director, Estonian Qualifications Authority

Ms Sirkka-Liisa Kärki, Head of Vocational Education Unit, NBE, Finland

Dr Marketta Saarinen, Head of Recognitions Unit, NBE, Finland

15.45 Towards shared EU education programs: What can we learn from the past

Ms Lea Orro, Director, VET Reform Foundation, Estonia

Mr Mikko Nupponen, Director, Finnish Leonardo Centre

16.20 Do we need closer VET cooperation? Reflections from the world of work

and research

Ms Tiia Randma, Vocational Reform Counsellor,

Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Mr Asko Miettinen, Professor, Tampere University of Technology, Finland

17.00-17.15 Summing up for the first day

19.30 Reception hosted by the City of Tallinn

Venue: Old Town Hall, Raekoja Square 1

DAY TWO, 24th OCTOBER:

VET AS AN ENGINE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Chair: Mr Paavo Puusepp, Head of Division, Harju County Government, Estonia

9.00 Opening of the Contact Point with morning coffee available

9.30 Role of VET cooperation in regional development

Mr Georg Aher, Head of Education Department of Tartu City, Estonia

Dr Rauno Jarnila, Head of Helsinki City Education Department, Finland

10.15 Making visions work: Highlights of Estonian – Finnish project activity within VET

Jobline – a Leonardo Project. Ms Sirje Laanamäe,

Responsible for Jobline Estonian Team, Pärnu Vocational Training Centre, Estonia & Ms Pirkko Hatara, Co-ordinator for International Affairs, Mikkeli Vocational College, Finland

Baltic – Nordic Animation Network. Ms Tuula Leinonen, Project Coordinator, City of Helsinki Education Department Apprenticeship Training Centre, Finland

Kusti – an Interreg III A Project. Ms Anu Ylläsjärvi, Project Manager, Uusimaa Regional Council, Finland

Launching Kopli Vocational School – Visions for Cooperation. Ms Viivi Lokk, Head of Development Unit, Tallinn City Government, Education Department, Estonia

11.30 Time reserved for visiting the Contact Point

The Contact point will serve as a forum for sharing information on existing

and new projects as well as a clinic for support mechanisms for successful

project activity

Coffee and snacks available

12.30 Commentary of the Latvian and Lithuanian Observers

12.50 EU Education Cooperation through Estonian and Finnish eyes

Mr Jari Jokinen, Counsellor, Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU

Mr Kalmar Kurs, Youth Policy Adviser, Youth Affairs Department,

Ministry of Education and Research, Estonia

13.30 Presentation of the Conference Statement

Closing words

13.45 Lunch, restaurant Troika, address: Raekoja Square 15

NB: The audience is requested to share the dialogue of the conference by presenting questions and comments following the presentations.

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