Namibia Buys Teacher Education from the Rauma Unit of the University of Turku
Namibian NSFAF foundation has bought Bachelor's level teacher education from Finland University for 25 students. The Rauma unit of the Department of Teacher Education at the University of Turku will be providing the education. The teacher education begins in the beginning of 2017 and takes three years.
This recently signed agreement is Finland University's first transnational education project that provides complete Bachelor's level degree education. The national Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) is buying the education.
– NSFAF buys Finnish teacher education in order to further develop the level of Namibian teacher education. This is also a sign of the high quality of Finnish teacher education, says Programme Manager Päivi Granö from the University of Turku.
The education is based on the Finnish teacher education system, but it has been tailored for Namibian needs.
– In Namibia, teacher education is part of the Bachelor's degree, whereas in Finland, it is part of the Master's degree. In other words, this education does not qualify these Namibian students to act as teachers in Finland, explains Coordinator Anna Alasuutari.
The first two years of the education are organised in Rauma and the third year including practical training periods and distance learning is organised in Namibia. The education is carried out in close collaboration with the Namibian main partner, NSFAF, and the Finnish partners in co-operation, such as the City of Rauma.
The University of Turku has previously sold short-term continuing education packages as transnational education. The education of the Namibian teachers is also on a national level one of the first transnational education projects providing a qualification. Finland University has also previously sold a Master’s level transnational education project that was carried out by the University of Tampere.
– This new education improves our knowledge of international operations and works as a basis for improving transnational education further. It also provides our experts a chance for professional development, says Alasuutari.
Transnational education opens new possibilities and also expands the international and multicultural education of the teacher education in Rauma.
Both the Embassy of Namibia in Helsinki and the Embassy of Finland in Namibia have strongly supported this agreement.
Finland University is a transnational education company co-owned by the Universities of Turku, Tampere and Eastern Finland. It was founded in 2013 and started its operations in 2014.
Text: Erja Hyytiäinen
Translation: Saara Yli-Kauhaluoma
Photo: Hanna Oksanen