Primary Teachers, Secondary Teachers, VET Teachers and Trainers.Read more
The listed audiences are those for whom the course is especially recommended, but courses are not exclusive to them and are open to everyone. In fact, most of our workshops are built around the collective sharing of participants’ experiences and having a variety of profiles enriches the learning process and is highly encouraged!
Description
Estonia has built one of Europe’s strongest education systems by combining ambitious national goals with extensive professional autonomy at the school level.
In recent years, Estonia has been ranking among the top in Europe in international assessments, PISA, in mathematics, science, reading, and computational problem solving.
These results are achieved alongside a comparatively equitable system, strong student growth mindset, and substantial national initiatives on innovative education.
At the same time, Estonia is openly confronting challenges including digital distraction, teacher shortages, and the transition to complete Estonian-language education.
This course offers an opportunity to explore how the Estonian education system works in practice and continues to evolve.
Participants will review the key qualities of Estonian education, such as equal access, teacher autonomy, digital solutions in everyday school life, etc.
Participants will also explore the current developments in Estonian education, based on the Education Strategy 2021–2035.
These include the transition to Estonian-language education, AI Leap: Estonia’s nationwide approach to responsible and critical use of artificial intelligence in education, and the national entrepreneurship education program Edu ja Tegu, which is not simply about business creation, but a broad competence where growth mindset, creativity, financial literacy, career awareness, and real-world problem solving can be embedded across subjects and educational levels.
Two study visits bring understanding into contact with everyday practice. Through observation, dialogue with Estonian educators and learners, and structured reflection, participants reflect on their observations about learning environments, student support, school culture, curriculum innovation and implementation, and the use of technology.
By the end of the week, participants will conclude with a workshop to discuss and adapt relevant insights to their own educational context.
The aim is not to copy a national model, but to understand the conditions behind it and make thoughtful use of what has been learned.
Inspired by the Estonian way of education, participants will transform their insights into practical and meaningful actions that enrich their schools and classrooms.
What is included
Learning outcomes
The course will help the participants to:
- Explain the key qualities of the Estonian education system;
- Interpret the main strengths and challenges revealed by the international assessment PISA and discuss what international assessment data can and cannot explain;
- Familiarize with the current Estonian educational developments, such as AI Leap, the transition to Estonian-language education, and entrepreneurship education;
- Practice structured observation and professional dialogue to identify practices during study visits and visible learning activities and their enabling factors;
- Evaluate which Estonian approaches may be relevant, adaptable, or suitable in their own educational contexts;
- Create a realistic action plan for transferring one or more insights into their school, organization, or professional practice.
Tentative schedule
Day 1 – Course introduction
- Introduction to the course, the school, and the external week activities;
- Icebreaker activities;
- Presentations of the participants’ schools.
Understanding Estonian education excellence and main challenges
- Explore the key Qualities of the Estonian education system: Autonomy, equal access, and digital solutions in everyday use;
- Discuss European-leading performance in PISA results: what does it tell and what doesn’t it?;
- Look beyond rankings: digital distraction, teacher shortage, and language transition challenge.
Day 2 – National initiatives on digital learning and entrepreneurship education
- AI Leap: Equal access, teacher preparation, and responsible use of AI for learning;
- Entrepreneurship competence in Estonia: lessons from Edu ja Tegu, career education and authentic problem solving;
- Hands-on workshop to design entrepreneurship and responsible AI-supported learning activities.
Day 3 – Study visit I
- Visit to an educational institute in Tallinn;
- Observations and conversations with teachers and students of the hosting institute;
- Reflective discussion on participants’ observations.
Day 4 – Study visit II
- Visit to an educational institute in Tallinn;
- Observations and conversations with teachers and students of the hosting institute;
- Reflective discussion on participants’ observations.
Day 5 – Lessons from Estonia: reflection and key takeaways
- Estonian Education Strategy 2021–2035: learner-centredness, wellbeing, inclusion and future skills;
- Reflection Workshop: Discovering the enabling conditions behind Estonian practices;
- Action-planning workshop: adapting one insight to participants’ own contexts;
- Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competences, feedback, and discussion;
- Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance.
Day 6 – Structured cultural activities
- Structured cultural activity(ies) according to the hosting location;
- Learning journal: individual written reflection on the course experience;
- Course reflection: self-reflection and review of course materials and resources.
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