Nordplus programme as a tool for creating common values in education in the Nordic-Baltic region

Dr Kazimierz MusiałUniversity of Gdańsk

C o n f e r e n c eLife-long Learning Experience and Common Values

Vilnius, 23 February 2011

Structure of the presenation Historical dimension of the educational

cooperation with the Baltic states – geopolitical space of experience

Nordplus programme priorities and goals

Baltic integration in the Nordplus programme – perspective of the stakeholders

Desired scenarios to pursue a more intensive cooperation and educational exchange

Historical dimension of the educational cooperation between Nordic and Baltic states – geopolitical space of experience The Nordic countries’ assistance in all fields after

1991 Political redefinition of the Nordic horizon of

expectations – new Northern Europe

Education is a tool to modernise society – Nordic experience

Formal education has been adequate but civic education sovietised or ailing – Baltic experience.

Eurofaculty – the first pattern of assistance in education

Bilateral exchange programmes between Nordic and Baltic schools and teachers – mutual learning is a tool to create a feeling of partnership

EU framework programmes – a difficult alternative

Changing Nordplus Programme priorities and goals

Before 2008 - Nordplus consisted of three sectoral programs: Junior, Adult and Higher Education, apart from autonomous Nordplus Language and Nordplus Neighbour Nordplus Neighbour aimed at developing networks between the

Nordic region and Adjacent Areas (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Northwest Russia)

In 2008-2011 the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) participate on equal footing in a common Nordplus Framework Programme (though without formal influence on the general steering of the programme). Nordplus Nordic Language and Culture continues as an autonomous programme without Baltic participation.

Current Nordplus Framework Programme priorities and goals

The Nordplus FP offers financial support to a variety of educational cooperation between partners in the area of LLL from the eight participating countries in the Baltic and Nordic regions.

The main aims of the programme are: To promote Nordic languages and culture and mutual Nordic-

Baltic linguistic and cultural understanding; To contribute to the development of quality and innovation in the

educational systems for LLL in the participating countries by means of educational cooperation, development projects, exchanges and networking;

To support, develop, draw benefit from and spread innovative products and processes in education through systematic exchange of experience and best practice;

To strengthen and develop Nordic educational cooperation and contribute to the establishment of a Nordic-Baltic educational area.

Nordplus Framework Programme among others …

Baltic integration in the Nordplus programme – stakeholder perspective

Generally a successful project for the Baltic stakeholders because it: supports cooperation in the desired domains, fosters internationalisation – Norden and EU, introduces less formal modes of cooperation

and focuses on problem solutions, less on procedures,

enhances mutual trust and fosters administrative closeness in the form of mutual interests and loyalties.

Stakeholders’ perspective – policy achievements and challenges

Mobility – success but national specialities Lithuanians – good coordinators in Adult Estonians and Latvians – good coordinators in

Horisontal Relative financial gain of the Baltic partners –

more benefits (14,5%) than contributions (5%) Baltic partners willing to contribute to the

contents of cooperation – e.g. domain of culture Language policy of the Nordic Council versus

pragmatic choices of the shop-floor cooperation

Desired scenarios to pursue a more intensive educational cooperation

Could the issues targeted by the priorities of the Nordplus Framework Programme be realised better without it?

Nordic Swans and Baltic Cygnets – fairy tale of the 1990’s – now all should be equal (also when sharing burdens and meeting challenges)

Birds of a feather fly together – pragmatic choice for the future towards more advanced integration patterns