Joensuu, Finland – The University of Eastern Finland (UEF) continues to make significant progress in international cooperation, especially in the field of teacher education. The School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education and the project group of Sino-Finnish Teacher Education and In-Service Teacher Training (SIFTED) have been at the forefront of these efforts, establishing strong partnerships with leading institutions in Mainland China and Hong Kong SAR.
Over the past two years, UEF has established formal collaborations with the Education University of Hong Kong (EduHK) and Capital Normal University (CNU), two of China's leading universities in the field of education. These partnerships have facilitated student exchange programmes, enabling students from all three institutions to gain valuable international experience and cultural insight.
UEF is a proud member of EduHK's Global Research Institute for Finnish Education (GRIFE). In June 2024, SIFTED project members participated in the first GRIFE conference in Hong Kong, contributing to discussions on new trends in education. In addition, in August 2024, guests from GRIFE and PLK Tin Ka Ping Millennium Primary School, a prominent primary school in Hong Kong, visited UEF to explore opportunities for future collaboration, such as research cooperation, student exchange and partner schools.
Most recently, a high-level delegation from Capital Normal University, including the Vice President, the Director of Academic Affairs, and Deans and Professors from the College of Education, College of Primary Education and College of Teacher Education, visited UEF on 25th November 2024. The purpose of the visit was to deepen existing ties and explore new avenues of cooperation, particularly in the field of teacher education, such as student exchange and educational development projects.
These developments underline UEF's commitment to internationalisation. By fostering strong partnerships with renowned institutions such as EduHK and CNU, UEF aims to enhance the quality of its programmes and contribute to Sino-Finnish cooperation and the advancement of education, especially after the signing of the "Joint Action Plan between China and Finland on Promoting the Future-oriented New-type Cooperative Partnership 2025-2029" by the governments of Finland and China.
For further information, please contact:
Ritva Kantelinen
Professor
School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education, University of Eastern Finland
Suhao Peng
Project Researcher
School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education, University of Eastern Finland