EU 4 Inclusive Teaching | Tampere universities

Credits: Open Society Foundation Albania

EU 4 Inclusive Teaching is an EU-funded project which aims at introducing an inclusive teaching model and a competence-based curricula in the pre-university education system in Albania. It follows the principle of 'leaving no child behind' and supports modernization of Albanian education system.

With a budget of 2.3 million Euros, the project will modernize the professional development curriculum for in-service teachers and help in establishing a pool of teacher-trainers who will conduct the ‘cascade’ training for their peers.

It will also support development of the blueprint of 320 School Psychologist/Social Worker Cabinets, ensuring this service is available to all students and academic staff. The project’ ambitions also includes transforming the School for Deaf and Blind students into resource centres.

The project will address the clearly stated need to modernize the teaching profession (competence-based teaching) and to strengthen the skills of teachers and school leaders in Albania. It will also support the in-service teachers’ training and professional skills in inclusive education.

Through various trainings, exchange of experiences and best practices, the project will equip 15,000 Albanian teachers with knowledge, skills and competencies to deliver modern competence-based teaching and more inclusive education to their students. It will provide students with quality teaching and better learning results while benefit from inclusive classroom practices.

It will also provide psycho-social support to improve learners’ academic achievement and promote positive behaviour and mental health and will work towards strengthening of school-parents partnership. With regard to special school, the project will ensure that practice in mainstream schools has more impact into blind and deaf/mute students’ academic achievement as well.

EU 4 Inclusive Teaching is co-funded by European Delegation to Albania and implemented by Open Society Foundation in close partnership with Tampere University of Applied Science (Finland) and Ministry of Education and Sports. The project started in February 2022 and will be completed by December 2024.

Background

TAMK, as a partner of the EU 4 Inclusive Teaching project, is responsible for designing and implementing a 'trainer-of-the-trainer' programme for 320 Albanian teachers about modern and inclusive pedagogies together with Tampere University.