Finland University Developing English Teachers' Continuing Education in Oman
The Faculty of Education of the University of Turku is developing English teachers' continuing education in Oman. Finland University and the Ministry of Education of the Sultanate of Oman have made a contract worth of 900,000 euros for the following 2.5 years.
The project is implemented in collaboration with the Specialised Centre for Professional Training of Teachers founded under the Faculty of Education of the University of Turku and Ministry of Education of the Sultanate of Oman in 2014. The mission of the Centre is to support the reform of basic education that is expected to strengthen the competitiveness of Oman in the future.
Experts from Turku travel to Oman for their first planning session in mid-May, and the project will be introduced in June 2016. The project will finish in November 2018. According to Coordinator Anna Alasuutari from the Faculty of Education of the University of Turku, one expert from Turku will move to Oman for the duration of the project and will be in charge of the project's progress there. During the project, the contents of the continuing education will be renewed together with Omani experts, and quality control and follow-up of education effectiveness will be conducted.
– Our expert is in charge of content production and education follow-up, and guides Omanis in developing their teaching. This expert has continuous support from our Faculty throughout the project, says Alasuutari.
The co-operation on education development between Finland and Oman started last year, when the Specialised Centre for Professional Training of Teachers bought a continuing education package from Finland University for the evaluation of training effectiveness and for initiating research activities. The University of Turku produced the service back then as well.
– The first contract clearly has had an impact on the fact that we got a new contract. We have a good reputation in Oman and they like our methods, tells Alasuutari.
The 2.5 year contract strengthens and increases transnational education expertise of the Faculty of Education and strengthens export business of Finland University in the Persian Gulf area.
— Oman has been a good partner for us and in addition to renewing basic education, we aim at co-operating in higher education development. We are also scanning for possibilities in other countries in the Persian Gulf area, says Training Manager Ari Koski who is in charge of the operations in Oman.
Finland University Oy (FinUni), founded by the Universities of Eastern Finland, Tampere and Turku, is a transnational education company through which the partner Universities channel their transnational education outside Finland. FinUni has research-based export projects in Southeast Asia, China and Oman. These projects provide employment for teaching and research personnel and other experts in the partner Universities.
Text: Erja Hyytiäinen
Translation: Saara Yli-Kauhaluoma
Kuva: Hanna Oksanen