Multiregional projects
Restructuring of vet school networks in Russia 2004 – 2006
Overall objective
The project objective is to develop the regional action programmes (RAPs) in the 3-5 selected pilot regions into VET school network restructuring strategies and pilot these strategies at the municipality and school levels by preparing concrete action plans for school network optimisation.
Project purpose
The project purpose is for the 3-5 pilot regions being able to design a comprehensive two-year VET school network restructuring programme in line with the needs of the regional labour markets, economy and society.
Expected results
1. Regional teams familiar with school network optimisation models and approaches and modus operandi to merge, enlarge, close and re-modify vocational schools, their intraregional networks and profiles;
2. Regional teams able to collect and assess the necessary background information and to evaluate risks and constraints related to restructuring with a view to taking informed decisions on their own needs (including anticipation of VET) for the benefit of the regional economy and society;
3. Regional VET strategies developed to intensify underused capacity of vocational schools and their human resources in order to better serve the emerging needs of diversified clientele in the regions;
4. Action plans prepared for school network optimisation at the levels of pilot municipalities and VET schools;
5. Outcomes of the regional pilot projects consolidated and disseminated through a publication and presentation events to other regions.
300 000 Euro Finnish contribution
30 000 Euro Russian contribution
Implementing organisation:Intermunicipal Federation for Education in East Uusimaa/Edupoli consortium
Project Manager: Ms. Raija Vuorenmaa, tel. +358-400-875 289, 
Supervisory Board: Ms. Galina Borisova (NWAIP), Ms. Svetlana Argangelskaya (North-West Agency for International Projects), Ms. Marjut Kuokkanen (Finnish National Board of Education), Mr. Harri Laine (Finnish National Board of Education), Ms. Raija Vuorenmaa (Federation for Education in East Uusimaa/Edupoli), Ms. Marja Suomaa (Aike International Ltd).
St. Petersburg
Quality provision of general education in st. Petersburg. Self-evaluation of schools 2005 – 2006
Overall objective
The overall objective of the project is to contribute to the improvement of the education administrators’ management capacity and school autonomy by creating the new system of independent quality assessment improving.
Project purpose
The Purpose of the project is to create and introduce self-evaluation system as a mechanism of quality provision in school.
Expected results
1. Methods and technologies of self-assessment are elaborated and tested in the pilot schools
2. Project participants are trained to use self-assessment methods
3. Methods and technologies of self-assessment are acquired and used by project participants
4. Materials of the project are published and disseminated to the education community
114 700 Euro Finnish contribution
12 585 Euro Russian contribution
Implementing organisation: Efeko Ltd.
Project Manager: Mr. Arto Laamanen, tel. +358 10 409 2561, 
Steering Committee: Mr. Leonid Iliushin (St. Petersburg Education Committee), Ms. Kirsti Stenvall (Finnish National Board of Education), Finland, Ms. Marjut Kuokkanen (Finnish National Board of Education), Ms. Monika Mott (KulturKontakt, Austria), Ms. Ursula Mauric (KulturKontakt Austria)
Leningrad region
Improvement of education quality management in leningrad region 2005-2007
Overall objective:
The overall objective of the project is to contribute to the development of the education management system aiming to achieve new up-to-date quality of education of the Leningrad region.
Project purpose:
The purpose of the project is to create and introduce the model of education quality management of the Leningrad region developing its quality assurance and quality control mechanisms relevant to the regional, municipal and school levels.
Expected results:
1. Regional experience in the development of quality control indicators and tools summarized and further elaborated on the base of common understanding of European tendencies and coordination of the activities of all the parties involved.
2. Regional education authorities, school principles and local experts’ management capacity being built and their awareness of the independent quality assessment system raised.
3. Practical tools and mechanisms to ensure education quality developed and piloted by the schools and the municipalities that participating in the project.
4. New regional instructions in the field of quality management system finalized, published and disseminated.
180 000 Euro Finnish contribution
14 000 Euro Russian contribution
Implementing Organisation: University of Jyväskylä in consortium with University of Joensuu
Project Manager: Ms. Pirkko Ohvo tel +358 (0)44 7853036 
Steering Committee: Ms. Marina Yakovleva, Regional Education Committee, LR, Ms. Kirsti Stenvall (Finnish National Board of Education), Finland, Ms. Marjut Kuokkanen (Finnish National Board of Education), Ms. Monika Mott (KulturKontakt, Austria), Ms. Ursula Mauric, (KulturKontakt Austria), Ms. Galina Borisova (North-West Agency for International Projects), Ms. Pirkko Ohvo (University Consortium Jyväskylä/Joensuu).
Murmansk region
Integration of pre-school and primary school-aged children with special needs to mainstream schools and society 2005 - 2008
Overall objective
The overall objective of the project is to strengthen integration of the persons with special needs to the education system and society
Project purpose
The purpose of the project is to develop conditions for integration of children with special needs in preschools and comprehensive schools for their education and upbringing
Expected results
1. Revised regional strategies and practices to support educational integration
2. Multidisciplinary cooperation models developed for specialists of education, health protection and social protection services at regional, municipal and school level in order to improve early identification of children’s developmental problems and provision of early psychological, pedagogical, medical and social assistance to children.
3. Support services developed for children with special needs in regular pre-schools and schools based on individual support plan to ensure integration.
4. In-service training modules developed and organized in close collaboration with Murmansk Regional In Service Teacher Training Institute for teachers and other specialists working with children with special educational needs.
5. Awareness raising and advocacy programme of inclusive education for parents, teachers and other experts.
300 000 Euro Finnish contribution
31 000 Euro Russian contribution
Implementing organisation: University of Jyväskylä in consortium with University of Joensuu
Project Manager: Ms. Pirkko Ohvo tel +358 (0)44 7853036
Steering Committee: Natalia Karpenko (Murmansk Region Education Committee), Ms. Ludmila Gerashenko (Murmansk City Education Committee), Ms. Riitta Radnia (Finnish National Board of Education), Ms. Pirjo Koivula (Finnish National Board of Education), Ms. Pirkko Ohvo (University Consortium Jyväskylä/Joensuu), Ms. Olga Kozlova (Project Manager, Murmansk Regional Centre of Medical, Psychological and Social Assistance).
Development of state and public management bodies in regional, municipal and institutional level of the education system in the Murmansk region 2005 – 2007
Overall objective
The overall objective of the project is to contribute to the improvement of quality of education by enhancing the involvement of the civil society to the education management.
Project purpose
The purpose of the project is to develop and introduction different state and public management models in the municipal and school level to improve quality and effectiveness of the education management.
Expected results
1) Analysis of the current situation of the state and public management in education system in the Murmansk Region. The analysis should include a) the existing forms of state and public management and b) analysis of existing legislation: what kind of requirements and possibilities for models of the public and state management have been placed in the legislation.
2) Studying the best Finnish practices on education management at the municipal and school level.
3) Elaboration of the guidelines how to develop models of state and public management within existing legal framework and utilising best Finnish practices. The guidelines should include rights and duties given to the different types of management bodies in the legislation. The guidelines should be submitted to the approval of Murmansk Region Education Committee in order to achieve a status as part of the committee’s official policy. The guidelines should be fine-tuned based on piloting results and approved as a practical guide for the development of state and public management bodies at the municipal and school level in the Murmansk Region.
4) Development and pilot testing of the new models how to improve and enhance community’s participation into the management of the pilot structures.
5) Elaboration of the guidelines how to develop teacher’s training on education management based on the new education management models developed in the project.
6) Dissemination of the project’s result to beyond the pilot structures
300 000 Euro Finnish contribution
30 000 Euro Russian contribution
Implementing organisation: Rovaniemi Municipal Federation of Education
Project Manager: Mr. Ari-Matti Auvinen, tel. +358-9-6124 9954, 
Steering Committee: Mr. Vasily Kostukevich (Murmansk Region Education Committee), Irina Sergeeva (Murmansk Region Education Committee), Ms. Riitta Radnia (Finnish National Board of Education), Ms. Heidi Peltonen (Finnish National Board of Education), Mr. Arto Ylitalo (Rovaniemi Municipal Federation of Education), Mr. Ari-Matti Auvinen (Rovaniemi Municipal Federation of Education).
Development of education management information system in the Murmansk region 2004 – 2006
Overall objective
To contribute to the enhancement of management capacity within the Murmansk Region education system through the development and use of education management information system (EMIS).
Project purpose
To develop and phase in a comprehensive EMIS Model, which applies an information technology-based multilevel integrated approach.
Expected results
The main results of the project include
1) a study of existing practices regarding EMIS
2) analysis and specification of information for EMIS development;
3) an EMIS model developed, tested and phased in in the Murmansk region;
4) dissemination of results and practices of the project
Activities
1. Project start up activities
2. Preparation of baseline study report and updating EMIS strategy
3. Development activities on EMIS design
4. Implementing trainings
5. Dissemination activities
6. Reporting
7. Monitoring and evaluation
280 000 Euro Finnish contribution MFA
31 000 Euro Russian contribution
Implementing organisation: Helsinki Consulting Group Ltd.
Project Manager: Ms. Marjo Somari, tel. +358-10-409 4634, 
Steering Committee: Ms. Angelina Volkova (Murmansk Region Education Committee), Ms. Elena Maslova (Murmansk Regional In-Service Teacher Training Institute), Nina Pustovachenko (City Methodical Centre of IT, Murmansk), Ms. Riitta Radnia (Finnish National Board of Education), Ms. Eeva-Kaisa Linna (Finnish National Board of Education), Ms. Marjo Somari (Helsinki Consulting Group Ltd).
Republic of Karelia
Improvement of co-operation between parents, schools and local education administrations in the republic of karelia 2004 – 2006
Overall objective
The overall objective of the project is to improve quality of education by enhancing the involvement of the parents’ community to the educational process in the Republic of Karelia.
Project purpose
The purpose of the project is to develop a system to integrate public demand of educational services to the education process and education administration. The focus of the project is on developing the models to improve and consolidate co-operation and inter-action between parents, schools and municipality education administrations in the field of general education.
Expected results
1) Analysis of the current situation on the co-operation between parents, schools and municipality education administrations including
2) The current state of the parents’ role
a. Parent’s demands, needs and expectations on their role
b. Readiness and potentiality of the teachers, school management and municipality education administrations to satisfy parent’s needs and expectations and enhance co-operation with parents
c. Assessment of the legal framework
3) Study of the best Finnish and other Russian regions’ practices of co-operation between parents and schools and specification how these can be adopted to the local circumstances.
4) Creation of the guidelines/manual how to develop models of co-operation between parents, schools and municipality education authorities within existing legal framework and utilising best practices of Finland and other Russian regions. This should include parents’ rights and duties in education content (curriculum development) as well as school management.
5) Information and awareness raising among parents, teachers, school management and municipality education authorities on the project as well as activating and training them to develop co-operation. Informing and training parents on consumer culture of educational services.
6) Development and pilot-testing of models to enhance co-operation between parents, schools and municipality education administration in order to improve parents’ possibilities to influence and to be involved in education process and school management in pilot municipalities and schools.
7) Present proposals and recommendations of changes to local and regional level legal acts regulating school management and co-operation between parents, schools and education administrations.
8) Dissemination of the best results of the project beyond the pilot schools and municipalities in Republic of Karelia.
260 000 Euro Finnish contribution
25 000 Euro Russian contribution
Implementing organisation: University of Oulu, Kajaani Consortium
Project Manager: Mr. Matti Nissinen, tel. +358-44-551 4558, e-mail 
Steering Committee: Minister Galina Razbivnaja (Ministry of Education, Republic of Karelia), Mr. Stanislav Nisimov (Ministry of Education, Republic of Karelia), Ms. Marjut Kuokkanen (Finnish National Board of Education), NN (Finnish National Board of Education), Mr. Matti Nissinen (University Consortium Oulu/Kajaani).
Development of Finnish as foreign language education in the Republic of Karelia 2004 – 2007
Overall objective
The overall objective is to enhance the interest in and possibilities of co-operation in the Finnish-Russian border areas within economic and social spheres through modernisation of Finnish language education
Project purpose
The purpose of the project is to promote quality and quantity of opportunities to study Finnish and Finnish culture as a foreign language education in educational institutions in the Republic of Karelia
Expected results
1. To promote collaboration among teachers of Finnish in the Republic of Karelia.
2. To revise the standard and programmes of Finnish as a foreign language education (FFLE).
3. To support learning material development and design for FFLE.
4. To qualify FFLE experts for in-service training and professional development.
300 000 € Finnish funding
30 000 € Russian funding
Implementing organisation: University of Vaasa, Levón Institute
Project Manager: Ms. Hanna Turpeinen, tel. +358 6 3248 352, 
Steering Committee: Minister Galina Razbivnaja (Ministry of Education, Republic of Karelia), Mr. Stanislav Nisimov (Ministry of Education, Republic of Karelia), Ms. Marjut Kuokkanen (Finnish National Board of Education), Ms. Leena Nissilä (Finnish National Board of Education), Ms. Hanna Turpeinen, University of Vaasa/Levón Institute).