The project coordinated by the University of Eastern Finland fosters the teacher educators and student teachers’ competence and best practices in sustainability in Finland, Namibia and Tanzania.
In 2024–2026, the higher education cooperation of Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs will prioritise teacher education, climate change and the circular economy, and food security. The Foreign Ministry grants just over EUR 6 million to the seven projects approved for the partnership programme.
The Higher Education Partnership (HEP) programme supports collaboration projects between higher education institutions (HEIs) in Finland and in developing countries. Teacher education, climate change and the circular economy, and food security have been chosen as the priorities of the HEP programme during the funding period 2024–2026.
“Many developing countries see Finland as a country with a high level of expertise and they are particularly interested in everything related to education and training. Higher education institutions are the engines of Finnish expertise. This cooperation between higher education institutions complements Finland’s efforts in areas where we have strong expertise,” says Juha Savolainen, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Ministry's Department for Development Policy.
Five Finnish higher education institutions act as project coordinators. The University of Helsinki and the JAMK University of Applied Sciences coordinate two projects each. The Tampere University, the Novia University of Applied Sciences and the University of Eastern Finland coordinate one project each. The Finnish National Agency for Education is responsible for programme management. Its support services also receive financing from the Foreign Ministry.
The University of Eastern Finland coordinates the Future Teacher Education for Sustainable Development – FUTE Project. The project fosters the teacher educators and student teachers’ competence and best practices in sustainability in Finland, Namibia and Tanzania. Partners of the project are the Hifikepunye Pohamba Campus of the University of Namibia, Dar es Salaam University College of Education in Tanzania, and University of Turku. Total funding for the project is 754,997 euros.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Finnish National Agency for Education
