EduVisits FAQ
Program Name: Educational Leadership – Role of A Leader in the School Ecosystem Today and Tomorrow
Who is the Educational Leadership EduVisit Program ideal for?
The Educational Leadership EduVisit program is ideal for Senior Teachers, School Principals, Vice-Principals and School Administrators who want to experience and get trained on Finnish best practices on School Leadership.
What is the duration of the program?
The Educational Leadership program is conducted over 5 (4 +1) days (Monday to Friday) in Helsinki, Finland. In these 4 days, participants will visit the University of Helsinki’s Department of Teacher Education, the University’s renowned Teacher Training Schools, other Public Schools in Helsinki, the Finnish National Agency for Education, as well as engage in lectures on the topics that are customised for each group.
What are the available dates during which this program is being offered?
School leaders can choose any one of three weeks for this program. The available slots are:
- 23rd to 29th April, 2023
- 30th April to 6th May
- 7th to 13th May
School leaders who sign up for the program will need to arrive in Helsinki at least one day before the start of the program.
What are the different activities that will be carried out as part of this Educational Leadership Program?
The Educational Leadership EduVisit is a combination of academic knowledge sharing and intensive training for developing professional school leadership skills. The program will comprehensively cover:
- Pedagogical Leadership – Leading Teaching and Learning
- Teaching Personnel-wellbeing and Leading Competence and Capacity Building
- Strategic Leadership as a Process
- Leading the Community of Professionals
- Leadership Support for Student Services
- Leadership of Communities During Exceptional Times
In addition to this, participants will get to experience the functioning of a teacher training school in Finland as part of a Full Day visit to a Teacher Training school.
Will participants receive any certification at the end of the program?
Yes. School leaders who sign up for this program will receive a certificate provided by the University of Helsinki Centre for Continuing Education (HY+) at the completion of the program.
What is the cost of the program?
The cost of the program is 3450 Euros (Approximately 3.1 Lakh Rupees). This covers the course fee payment made to University of Helsinki Centre for Continuing Education (HY+), the cost of flight tickets to and from Helsinki (e.g. from Kochi), accommodation(on twin sharing basis) in Helsinki or in the capital region for the given dates, breakfast and lunch on the given dates, travel to and from the hotel on weekdays, and airport pickup and drop for the group.
Please note that this fee does not include Dinner cost on any of the days, Visa processing fees or Travel Insurance. These expenses will need to be covered by each participant on their own.
How should the payment for this program be made?
The payment for the course needs to be made to the VentureVillage bank account in Finland. University of Helsinki Centre for Continuing Education (HY+) does not accept payment made by individual participants. The entire payment for the program will be made by VentureVillage from their Finland bank account.
Is it possible to stay back in Finland and tour Finland or neighbouring countries after the EduVisit has been completed?
Yes. School leaders who wish to explore Finland or neighbouring countries can stay back after the program. Please note that this will need to be informed before flight tickets are booked (since return flights need to be booked accordingly). All plans need to be communicated earlier. The visa application mandates providing specific and clear itinerary. Any costs incurred on stay or travel outside the program dates need to be borne by the participants themselves.
Where can I sign up for this program?
School leaders who are interested in signing up for this program can register their interest by filling this form. We will get in touch with you once you register your interest in the program.
What is the role of VentureVillage and Q Collective in conducting this program?
The Educational Leadership EduVisit does not start or end with the visit to Finland. All School Leaders who sign up for the program will need to complete pre-work shared by University of Helsinki Centre for Continuing Education (HY+) before leaving for Helsinki. These preparatory modules are designed in order to help program participants make the best use of the 4 days spent in Helsinki. VentureVillage and Q Collective are the knowledge partners who assist HY+ in executing all the pre and post program modules in India.
At the end of the program, the knowledge partners will discuss the learnings from the program with each school leader, analyse the findings and pass on the feedback to HY+. They will also be in continued discussion with school leaders to ensure that learnings from the program are implemented in the school in a sustained and scalable manner. In addition, they have also agreed to support HY+ by assisting program participants with travel and stay arrangements during their trip to Helsinki.
What about visa processing?
University of Helsinki Centre for Continuing Education HY+ will send the invitation letter and VentureVillage will send the necessary documents and checklists to the participants but participants need to arrange their own visa. Visa to Finland is applied through VFS. An appointment needs to be booked at one of the centers and documents need to be submitted. Please note that centers for processing Finland visa are only present in Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata , Mumbai and New Delhi
What if I drop out after the arrangement have been made? Will I be given a refund?
Refunds are subject to the cancellation policies of our program partners, travel agency and the hotel partners. The refund policy is as follows:
- Less than 30 days prior to the trip – No refund under any circumstances ( for. e.g. rejection of visa)
- Less than 90 days but more than 30 days – 50% of the cost will be refunded.
- More than 90 days to trip – 80% of the cost will be refunded
Where is Finland?
Finland is one of the Nordic Countries and recently have been in the news for being ranked as the most happiest country in the world for 5 years continuously. On top of this, Finland has been one of the top ranking countries in education for many years. Many countries from around the world has adopted the Finnish way of teaching and in-turn revolutionized their own education system for the good. Finland is considered as one of the safest countries in the world to visit.
Where is University of Helsinki?
Helsinki is the capital city of Finland and bustling Helsinki University campus is right in the middle of the beautiful Finnish Capital city. Founded in 1640, the University of Helsinki is the oldest university in Finland. With a student body of 36,500, it is also the largest university in Finland and one of the leading multidisciplinary universities in the world. The University of Helsinki is constantly ranked among the top 100 universities in the world. Teacher education is one of the core competences of the university.
What is HY+?
HY+ is a fully-owned company of the internationally esteemed University of Helsinki, the oldest (est. 1640), largest, and highest-ranked higher education institution in Finland. The University of Helsinki Centre for Continuing Education HY+ provides continuing education and development services both in Finland and abroad. The purpose of our organisation is to improve the world of the future and promote individual wellbeing by enhancing learning, knowledge-sharing, and development.