In stage 1, a development plan for leadership extending to 2035 was be drawn up. In stage 2, a national educational program was established for leadership in early childhood, pre-primary and basic education.
Project funding: Ministry of Education and Culture
Project period: 13 Sep 2021 → 31 Jan 2023
Project leaders: Raisa Ahtiainen, PhD (Education), raisa.ahtiainen@helsinki.fi, and Docent Elina Fonsén, PhD (Education), elina.fonsen@helsinki.fi
Project contact person: Lauri Heikonen, PhD (Education), lauri.heikonen@helsinki.fi
The project comprises two stages.
A survey and a literature review will be carried out in the first project stage. The survey focuses on leadership education included in undergraduate programmes and continuing education in Finnish universities providing teacher training as well as their recent leadership education development projects. The literature review focuses on Finnish and international studies, which are examined in terms of leadership paradigms in the field of education, research results pertaining to the development needs and future outlooks of leadership education, and conclusions.
Based on these elements, an overview of the current status of leadership will be established, enabling the analysis and identification of future-oriented development needs. A development plan for leadership extending to 2035 will be drawn up as a result.
On the basis of the survey and literature review in stage 1 and the empirical research component to be carried out in stage 2, a national educational program for leadership in early childhood, pre-primary and basic education will be established.
The educational program combines a degree certificate in educational administration awarded by the Finnish National Agency for Education and leadership studies completed at university in a way that they can in the future be used as studies providing the qualifications for leaders working in basic education and early childhood education (e.g., school principals, daycare centre directors). In addition, a proposal on the funding model and a potential need for legislative amendments will be drawn up. The educational program will be drawn up in such a way that the studies are nationally applicable in the universities offering teacher education as part of an undergraduate degree and continuing education.