Virtual Education Wiki - User contributions [en]

Greek Schools Network

2009-06-05T12:52:31Z

Roman:

The Greek Schools' Network is the educational intranet of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs (www.ypepth.gr), which interlinks all schools and provides basic and advanced telematic services. Thus, it contributes to the creation of a new generation of educational communities, which takes advantage of the new Informatics' and Communication Technologies in the educational procedure.
The implementation of the Greek Schools' Network is funded by the Framework Programme for the Information Society , in close cooperation between the Ministry of Education as well as 12 Research Centers and Highest Education Institutes, specialized in network and Internet technologies.
Educational Exploitation of the Greek Schools Network
The current design and implementation of the Greek Schools Network focuses in providing useful services to all members of the basic and middle education community, fulfilling among others the following goals:
* Access to telecommunication and informatics services
* Access to digitized educational material
* Distance learning, e-learning
* Encourage collaboration
* Information and opinion exchange
* Conduct of thematic discussions, seminars, lectures, etc.
* Access to digital library services
* Communication and Cooperation of all educational degrees
* Communication with European educa-tional networks
* Facilitate complimentary educational programs
* Provide education to individuals with special needs or disabilities
* Inform, educate, entertain

[[Category:Greece]]
[[Category: Consortia]]

The Pedagogical Institute

2009-06-05T12:51:18Z

Roman: Redirecting to Greek Pedagogical Institute

#REDIRECT [[Greek Pedagogical Institute]]

The Pedagogical Institute

2009-06-05T12:50:44Z

Roman: Redirecting to The Greek Pedagogical Institute

#REDIRECT [[The Greek Pedagogical Institute]]

Greek Schools Network

2009-06-05T12:50:08Z

Roman: New page: The Greek Schools' Network is the educational intranet of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs (www.ypepth.gr), which interlinks all schools and provides basic and advanced tele...

Greece

2009-06-05T12:50:01Z

Roman: /* Interesting Programmes */

== Partners situated in Greece ==

None.

== Greece in a nutshell ==

[[Image:Greece_map.jpg|right]]
GREECE (Ελλάδα – Elláda) officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkanic Peninsula and it includes more than 2000 islands situated in Ionian and Aegean Seas and it has a total surface area of 131,957 km2. Greece is a parliamentary republic and it’s considered as the cradle of the western culture and thought. Greece is a member of the European Union since 1981, of the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union since 2001and also a member of NATO from 1952.

Athens is the capital of Greece and Thessaloniki, Patras, Heraklion, Volos, Ioannina, Larissa e Kavala are some of the most important cities of the country.

As of January 2008, the population of Greece is estimated at 11,262,000 by Eurostat : the 58,8% lives in the urban areas and only the 28,4% in rural areas.

The official language is the Modern Greek that is spoken by the 98.5% of population; moreover, there are some Slavic and Turkish minorities.

The widespread religion is the Orthodox Christian and the relationship between State and Church are regulated by the Third Article of the Greek Constitution.

Greece is divided in 13 perifereies (περιφέρειες) – Attica, Central Greece, Central Macedonia, Crete, East Macedonia e Thrace, Epirus, Ionian Island, North Aegean, Peloponnese, South Aegean, Thessaly, West Greece, West Macedonia – subdivided into a total of fifty-one prefectures called nomos.
Greece is a Parliamentary Republic thanks to the Referendum of the 8th December 1974.

The President of the Republic, who is considered the edge of the state, is elected by the Parliament for a five-years terms, only for two mandate.
The Greek Constitution, formed by 120 articles, foresee the separation of the three powers: executive, legislative and judiciary.
The executive power is exercised by the President of the Republic and by the Government. The President of the Republic is the commandant in chief of the armed forces and he presides over the Defense Council.
The civil authority of the armed forces is the Ministry of the national defence. The President of the Republic appoints the Prime Minister and the other Cabinet members.
Legislative power is exercised by a The legislative power is exercised by a 300-member elective unicameral Parliament (Vouli ton Ellinon) : elections are held every four years by universal suffrage through a complex proportional system, with barrage at 3%.
The judiciary power is independent from the executive and legislative and it comprehends three Supreme Court: the Court of Cassation (Άρειος Πάγος), the Council of State (Συμβούλιο της Επικρατείας) and the Curt of Auditors (Ελεγκτικό Συνέδριο).
Greece has a multiparty system, dominated by two principles political party: the liberal-conservative New Democracy (ND), actually in power, and the social-democratic Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK).

== Greece education policy ==

During the 19th century, have been implemented in Greece, many reforms in the education field, in relation to the structure of the system, the national curriculum and the language used for education. In 1975 the Constitution has established the new paradigm of education legislation that was introduced through the reform of the education system, one year later, in 1976. The reform in question has established a common language for education, has reformed the education division between primary, secondary and tertiary education and emphasized the modernization of curricula and the improvement of the administration and monitoring of education.
The second period of reforms of the education system began in the mid-nineties and the third period in early 21 century, between 2004 and 2006. This reform, introduced important changes, like the creation of the Foundation of International University of Greece, the reform of secondary vocational training, the introduction of a new law for the assessment of education and legislative actions in relation to lifelong learning area.

In the Greek Constitution, education is identified as a responsibility of the state. The majority of Greek citizens attend public schools, in fact, there are few private schools that are supervised by the Ministry of Education. The Minister has a centralized control on state schools, sets educational curricula, he manages the staff and monitors the funds.
At regional level the role of supervisor of the Minister is done through the Regional Councils for Primary and Secondary Education that operate in every prefecture. The tertiary institutions are almost totally autonomous, even if the Minister is responsible for funding. In accordance with Article 16 of the Greek constitution, education, both moral, intellectual, occupational and physical, is a basic mission for the state, with the aim of developing a national and religion conscience and provide adequate training to the future citizens.

The basic legislation is included in the following:

* Constitution 2001 (Article16).
* Law 682/1977: “About the private schools and boarding houses”.
* Law 1566/1985: “Structure and Operation of Primary and Secondary Education and other Stipulations”.
* Law 2817/2000: “Regional Directorates of Education”.
* Law 2916/2001: “Structure of Higher Education and settlement of issues in the Technological Sector”.
* Law 2986/2002: “Organisation of Regional Services of Primary and Secondary Education, assessment of teaching task and staff, teachers’ in service training and other stipulations”.
* Law 3027/2002: “Regulations concerning the Organisation of School Buildings for Higher Education and other stipulations”.
* Ministerial Decisions 21072α/Γ2/ Official Journal 303 v.B’/13-3-2003 and 21072β/Γ2/ Official Journal 304v.B’/13-3-2003, “Cross-Curricular Thematic Framework and Curricula of Primary and Secondary Education”.
* Law 3255/2004: “Regulations for Issues of all Educational Levels”.
* Law 3369/2005: “Systematisation of Lifelong Learningand other stipulations”.
* Law 3467/2005: “Selection of primary and secondary education teachers, regulations for Administration and Education issues and other stipulations”.
* Law 3475/2006: “Organization of secondary vocational education and other provisions”.
* Law 3549/2007: “Reform of the institutional framework concerning the structure and function of the higher education institutes”.

More recently legislation interventions made in the period 2000-2001 include :
# Improvements have been made to the 1997/98 reform, regarding the access system to Higher Education and the hiring of educators. In the case of the first one notes a less rigid textbook based assessment system which exhibits features of analysis, association, critical thinking etc. in this regard one can claim that attempts are made to reach congruency between the curriculum and its contents and the assessment for access to higher education system.
# Legislation regarding the fields of Special Education, decentralisation of education, training and evaluation of educators has been reformed (Law 2986/2002).
# Technological Education Institutes have been upgraded by being incorporated in Higher Education which now consists of two parallel sectors namely: the University and the Technological ones. (Law 2916/2001).

The specific changes introduced into the education system with the Greek Reform of 2007 include:
The establishment of Unified Upper Secondary School (Eniaio Lykeio) which is gradually replacing all other existing types of upper secondary school (lykeio);
The procedure for admission to higher education has been changed, with emphasis on the assessment of pupils in the second and third degree of lykeio;
The duration of kindergartens and primary schools has been stretched because it will gradually move to full-time;
Second Chance Schools have been created specifically for teens who have already completed 18 years and have not yet completed the compulsory school;
The design of a common curriculum for both primary and secondary education

A focal point of educational policy is the idea that education is a social resource and a right for every citizen. Based on laws passed by Parliament for each educational level, the State intends to render more democratic the whole process of education, decentralizing it, ensuring the participation of those who are directly involved in the process, raising the quality level provided and applying the principle of merit principle in the recruitment of specific staff . Compared to European data Greece isn’t investing many resources to fund educational projects: in fact, the percentage of GDP granted to education in 2005 was 3.98% . Also the other percentage rates are lower than the European average.

[[Image:Greece_GDP_Edu_exp.jpg|center]]

The current reform (Law 3549/2007: "Reform of the institutional framework concerning the structure and function of the higher education institutes") will be discussed extensively later, in paragraph “Higher Education Reform”.

== Greece education system ==

[[Image:Greece_Edu_struct.jpg|right]]

Education system in Greece is subdivided in 4 levels:
* Pre-primary Education: nipiagogeio (preschool);
* Primary Education: dimotiko Scholeio (primary school);
* Secondary Education: gymnasio (Lower Secondary School), geniko lykeio (General upper Secondary School), epaggelmatiko lykeio – EPAL (Vocational Lyceum/ EPA.L), TEE (Technical Vocational Schools / TEE) and epaggelmatiki scoli – EPAS (Vcational Educational Training Schools / EPAS);
* Higher Eduation: Panepistimia/AEI (University), Technologika Ekpaideftika Idrymata / TEI (Technological Education Institutes) and the School of Fine Arts (ASKT) .

The education system in Greece ranges from 6 to 16 years old and normally include the primary school (demotiko) and secondary (Gymnasio).

=== Pre-primary Education ===
Law 1566/1985 determines all the details concerning the structure and organization of primary and secondary education. The same law provides that the pre-school education depends on the primary system and in this sense follows the regulations in place for Dimotiko Scholeio (primary school).
In particular, the pre-school education is provided by Nipiagogeia (Kindergartens) that operate independently or in specialized centres together with the state nursery school (children's centers). The frequency of nipiagogeio lasts 2 years and after the changes introduced in 2006, was made compulsory from 5 years of age. The issues concerning the organization of nipiagogeia are governed by decisions N° F27/148/G1/160/14-2-95 of the Minister of Education.
Since 1997 has been set up full time: Oloimero nipiagogeio (All-day kindergarten) was introduced by Law 2525/97. Finally, in relation to Article 73 of Law 3518/2006, the frequency at nipiagogeio begins from 4 years of age, becoming compulsory from 5 years onwards.
The nursery school (Παιδικός σταθμός, Paidikós Stathmós) starts at the age of two and a half years, in institutions both public and private. They are very popular, but attendance is not mandatory.

=== Primary education ===
Primary education is provided within the primary schools (scholeio), whether public or private. The primary schools are distributed all over the country, even in the remotest regions. Attendance is mandatory and there are no additional costs for school and for textbooks. The frequency in Dimotiko Scholeio lasts 6 years and includes levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The access is possible after having completed 6 years of age.
Oloimero Scholeio (All-day School) operate in parallel to the ordinary primary school, with an extended timetable and an enriched curriculum.
The current primary and secondary school structure was established in 1985 with the Law 1566: this law has instituted new procedures for the designing of new curricula and textbooks. This framework has been modified and enriched with new laws and presidential decrees.
There are also Idiotika nipiagogeia (private kindergartens) and idiotika scholeia operating under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and controlled by regional administrative bodies, just as in the case of public schools. They have the same organization and structure of state schools and qualifications equivalent to those issued in public.

=== Secondary education ===
Secondary education in Greece is divided into two levels: Compulsory Education and Higher Secondary Education.

'''Types of Institution'''
This subdivision describes the main types of educational institutions that are included in secondary education.
* Compulsory Secondary Education – Gymnasio
* Upper Secondary non-Compulsory Education - Geniko Lykeio
* Vocational Lyceum – EPAL (epaggelmatiko lykeio) | Vocational School – EPAS (epaggelmatiki scholi) | Technical Vocational Educational School - TEE (Technika Epangelmatika Ekpedeftiria) (secondary non-compulsory education)
* Post-Secondary non Tertiary Education – IEK (Institouta Epaggelmatikis Katartisis)

The compulsory secondary education is provided in Gymnasio, which lasts for 3 years: from 12 to 15 years of age.
The upper secondary education (not compulsory) is provided through two types of institutions: Geniko lykeio (General Lyceum / GL) and epaggelmatiko lykeio - EPAL (Vocational Lyceum). The frequency in both types of school lasts 3 years. There are also epaggelmatiki Scholar - EPAS (ΕΠΑΣ / SS), professional schools, the frequency of which lasts for 2 years.
With the Law 3475/2006 , it is determined that training is provided within the Vocational Lyceums (EPAL) and Vocational Schools (EPAS), which replaced the State Technical Vocational School (TEE), under the supervision of the Minister of Education and Religious Affairs. The change from the TEE to EPAL / EPAS was gradual and started in the academic year 2006-2007.
The duration of the course is 3 years and is divided into 3 levels of employment:
The first level includes 3 levels: I) Technology, II) Services, III) Naval;
The second includes Mechanical Engineering, Electrician, Electronics, Building Works, Information Science, Economics and Management, Health and Welfare, Agronomy, Food and the Environment.
The third level includes: General mechanical engineering, Car engineering, Electrical facilities, computer systems & networks electronic experts, Economics and Management employees, Tourist enterprises employees, assistant nurses, Medical & biological laboratories assistants, Pharmacy assistants, Food Technology & Control, Landscaping – Environment & Agro-tourism, Modern Business Agriculture, Merchant Marine Masters, Merchant Marine Engineers.

In addition, there are particular gymnasia and lykeia : religious, minorities, inter-cultural, music experimental and some special classes for pupils who need special education, called Secondary Special Needs Education Schools and Inclusion Classes (ΣΜΕΑ/SMEA). Other alternative secondary education are the School of Fine Arts, Sports Facilities Classes and Second Chance Schools. In state schools the attendance is free and textbooks are distributed free of charge by the state.
The post-secondary education (not university) includes Epaggelmatikis Instituta Katartisis-(IEK) - Vocational Training Institutes - which offer qualifications for employment and diplomas that certify the training received. In fact, this type of institutions provides a formal professional education with the possibility to receive a Certificate or a Diploma of Vocational Training, equivalent to that of professional schools (Vocational Lyceums - EPAL). This license allows entry into the working world in both the public and the private sector. These schools accept students both from Gymnasio and Lykeio. The Vocational Training Diploma of the Organization for Vocational Education and Training (OEEK) is now recognized as a formal qualification to apply for jobs, even in the public sector (Presidential Decree 50/2001, Government Gazette 39/A/5-3-2001 on Determination of appointment qualifications in posts of public sector bodies).

=== Private Education ===
In Greece there are secondary private institutions such as Gymnasia, Lykeia and TEE, but recently with Articles 9, 13 and 14 of Law 3475/2006 (Government Gazette 146/issue A/2006), were included also private Vocational Lykeia (EPAL) and Vocational Schools (EPAS): private EPAL and EPAS are organized and follow the same schedule of classes in public schools.
Furthermore, as established by Law 3475/2006, there are also private Gymnasia and Lykeia, that provide education for foreigners living in Greece, as established by the Act governing foreign schools. These schools may use a foreign education program, a Greek educational program or a mixed program, both foreign and Greek.
In addition, there are private Vocational Training Institutes (IEK), which are coordinated by the Organization for Vocational Education and Training (OEEK).

== Higher education ==

Higher education in Greece comprises two parallel sectors (Law 3549/2007, Article 2), university and technology. The university sector, including Universities (Ανώτατα Εκπαιδευτικά Ιδρύματα, Anótata Ekpaideytiká Idrýmata, "ΑΕΙ"), Polytechnics and Higher School of Fine Arts (ΑΣΚΤ / ASKT). The technology sector, includes Higher Technological Education Institutes (TEI) and School of Pedagogical and Technological Education.
The universities are fully self-administered legal entities of public law that are financed and supervised by the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs, in accordance with Article 16 of the Constitution.
Entry to these institutions depends on the performance of the examinations that are performed in the 3rd grade of secondary school.

=== Typologies of Greek higher education institutions ===

[[Image:Greece_HEdu_typology.jpg|left]]

The '''higher education sector''', including the AEI Universities, Polytechnics, the Higher School of Fine Arts (ΑΣΚΤ / ASKT) and the Hellenic Open University (EAP). The '''university sector''' of the secondary education includes Universities (A.E.I.), Polytechnics, Higher School of Fine Arts (ΑΣΚΤ/ASKT) and the Hellenic Open University (EAP).
These educational institutions are funded and under the control of the state: the supervision is exercised by the Minister of Education. In Greece there are 23 universities, including the Polytechnics, the Academy of Fine Arts and the Hellenic Open University (ΕΑΠ / EAP). A particular type of educational institution is the International University of Greece (ΔΙ.ΠΑ.Ε / DIPA), operating in Thessaloniki and it is an independent secondary education institution and completely self-administrated. This University is a legal entity of public law and its mission is to provide higher education to foreigners interested in studying in Greece. To carry out this mission, the International University organizes and promotes graduate and post-graduate programs of study, using distance teaching and learning. The courses last for approximately 4 years, with the exception of certain faculties where the course lasts even 5 or 6 years. The academic year consists of two semesters, with 13 weeks of lessons and three weeks of examinations. Students complete their course of study after 4 years if they pass the examination of both the compulsory and the optional subjects. At the end of the studies they obtain a Diploma or Degree in relation to the Faculty concerned. The Universities issue certificates in the following fields:

* Humanities, law and social sciences
* Sciences
* Health Sciences
* Technological Sciences
* Economic and Management Sciences.

The '''technology sector''' includes Technological Education Institutes (TEI) and Higher School for Teachers of Technological Education (ΑΣΠΑΙΤΕ / ASPA). In this area there is also the Higher Military Education Institute.
The Technological Education Institutes (TEI) are under the supervision of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs (ΥΠΕΠΘ / YPEPTH).
There currently are 15 TEI and a School for the technology and pedagogy education, in the whole country, and 95 specializations offered by TEI in the following fields:
* Graphic arts and artistic studies
* Administration and economics
* Health and welfare occupations
* Technological applications
* Food and nutrition technology
* Agronomy technology
* Music technology.

The studies last for 4 years with a total of eight semesters, which include both periods of lesson and a final semester devoted to the preparation of the thesis. During this final period, students can begin to practice their profession through a training period that will then be evaluated. After the completion of studies, students will receive a Degree.

==== Secondary non-tertiary education ====
The higher non-university education includes the Higher Ecclesiastical Schools, Higher
Schools of Dance and Drama, Higher Schools of Tourist Professions, Higher NCO Schools and Higher and Police Academies. According to the constitution, vocational training and any other special training is provided by the State in institutions o the higher education level. The duration of studies in these schools can not exceed 3 years.
The main types are: the Higher Ecclesiastical Schools, under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs that will be converted to University Ecclesiastical Academies through the Law 3432/2006 and will operate as tertiary education institutions. The Higher Schools of Dance and Drama, under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture, the Higher Schools of Tourist Professions under the supervision of the Ministry of Tourist Development, Higher Schools for Petty-Officers who are managed by the Ministry of Defense and the Higher Police Academy, supervised by the Ministry of Public Order.

==== Postgraduate Studies ====
The organization of postgraduate studies is governed by '''Law 2083/92''':
universities have full responsibility for the organization and payment of post-graduate courses. All TEI may participate, in the form of consortia with Greek or foreign universities, organizing courses. With the Law 3374/2005 the TEI that have passed the assessment of the prerequisites, have the ability to provide post-graduate courses. There are different degrees of postgraduate courses: the Master and PhD.
The programs of post-graduated studies are appointed by the General Assembly of Special Composition of the department and are approved by the Academic Senate.
In the proposal, the following are mentioned: the field of study and the objectives of the programme, the type of the awarded postgraduate titles, the categories of the admitted graduates, the duration of the program, the courses, the teaching, the research or any other activities of the postgraduate students, the number of postgraduate students, the prospects and the needs of the relevant university in staff and infrastructure, the operational cost and the financial resources. The Minister of Education gives the final approval of the postgraduate study programmes, issuing a decision published in the Official Journal. For the organization and the operation of a postgraduate study programme the competent bodies are the following: the Senate of a Special Composition, the Committee for Postgraduate Study Programmes which operates at HEI level, the General Assembly of a Special Composition, the Coordinative Committee of the postgraduate study programmes and the Director of Postgraduate Studies .
Doctoral programs last a minimum of 3 years, as determined by law. Some programs are structured while others are based on pure research. There was an increase in PhD programs due to the interdisciplinary nature of the topics related to research. In fact, both programs include teaching courses with research activities. Doctoral programs may include activities such as discussions, presentations, workshops, attending seminars or publications. The Law gives students the opportunity to create a doctoral program but only for those faculty that do not already have a post-graduate studies program .
At the end of the study period there is a written thesis that is discussed publicly in front of a committee of seven academic professors.

=== Universities in Greece ===

The University of Athens is the most ancient University of the oriental Mediterranean.

The other main Universities are:

* Agricultural University of Athens
* Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (mirror)
* Athens School of Fine Arts
* Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB)
* Democritus University of Thrace (campuses: Komotini, Xanthi, Alexandroupoli, Orestiada)
* Harokopion University of Athens
* Hellenic Open University
* International Hellenic University
* Ionian University
* National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
* National Technical University of Athens
* Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences
* Technical University of Crete (T.U.C)
* University of the Aegean (campuses: Mytilene, Chios, Karlovasi, Rhodes, Ermoupoli)
* University of Central Greece (campuses: Lamia, Livadeia)
* University of Crete (campuses: Heraklio, Rethymno)
* University of Ioannina (campuses: Ioannina, Agrinio)
* University of Macedonia (campuses: Thessaloniki, Edessa, Naoussa)
* University of Patras
* University of Peloponnese (campuses: Tripoli, Korinthos, Kalamata, Nafplio, Sparti)
* University of Piraeus
* University of Thessaly (campuses: Larissa, Volos, Karditsa, Trikala)
* University of Western Macedonia (campuses: Florina, Kozani)

[[Image:Greece_Uni.jpg|center]]

=== Technological Institutes of Higher Education in Country ===

* Alexander TEI of Thessaloniki (campuses: Sindos, Katerini, Kilkis, Nea Moudania)
* School of Pedagogical and Technological Education
* TEI of Athens
* TEI of Chalkida (campuses: Chalkida, Thiva)
* TEI of Crete (campuses: Heraklio, Chania, Rethymno, Agios Nikolaos, Ierapetra, Sitia)
* TEI of Epirus (campuses: Arta, Ioannina, Preveza, Igoumenitsa)
* TEI of Ionian Islands (campuses: Lefkada, Argostoli, Lixouri, Zakynthos)
* TEI of Kalamata (campuses: Kalamata, Sparti)
* TEI of Kavala (campuses: Kavala, Drama)
* TEI of Lamia (campuses: Lamia, Amfissa, Karpenisi)
* TEI of Larissa (campuses: Larissa, Karditsa, Trikala)
* TEI of Messolonghi (campuses: Messolonghi, Nafpaktos)
* TEI of Patras (campuses: Patra, Aigio, Pyrgos, Amaliada)
* TEI of Piraeus
* TEI of Serres
* TEI of Western Macedonia (campuses: Kozani, Florina, Kastoria, Grevena and Ptolemaida)

[[Image:Greece_Tei.jpg|center]]

== Higher education reform ==

'''Higher education reform'''
The existent Law 1268/82 governs the operation of tertiary education and was introduced by the Socialist Government (PASOK) in 1982. There were several changes made to this Law, in particular the 1404 Law of 1983 and the 2083 of 1992.
The main innovations brought about by Law 1268/82, which drastically changed the operation of universities, are the following:
* The old faculties were divided into departments, each of which corresponds to a university discipline area.
* The Chair system, which was the focus of the past organisation of universities, was replaced by the scientific sector (tomeas). The tomeas is responsible to a General Assembly in each Department.
* All policy decisions related to the various levels are taken by the appropriate General Assemblies which consist of all members of the teaching staff and a considerable number of undergraduate and some postgraduate students.
* Undergraduates have equal representation in the electoral bodies for the selection of the administrative heads of the University as the members of the academic staff.
* Members of the teaching staff form a single body with four levels: (i) lecturer, (ii) assistant professor, (iii) associate professor and (iv) professor. Only those belonging to the two upper ranks of the academic hierarchy are elected to permanent (tenured) positions. Appointments and promotion of all teaching staff is made by special electoral bodies, which meet together with the General Assemblies of the departments. New categories of auxiliary teacher, technical and administrative personnel has been created.
* Each university is administered by: (i) the Rector who is supported by two vice-Rectors, elected for a period of three years by an electoral college. The electoral college consists of all the faculty members, an equal number of undergraduate students and representatives of the technical staff, the administration staff, the graduate students, the teaching assistants and the foreign language teachers. Each of the latter groups has a representation which is 5% of the size of the faculty (total 25%), (ii) the Rectors’ Council, which consists of the Rector, the two vice-rectors, one representative of the students and one representative of the administrative personnel and (iii) the Senate consisting of the Rector and the vice-rectors, the deans of the university faculties, the heads of the autonomous departments, one representative of the teaching staff, one representative of undergraduate students from each department, one representative of administrative personnel and a number of representatives of the post-graduates students. All representatives are elected. The Senate is regarded as the top administrative agent of the University. Each faculty, comprising of relevant departments, is administered by: (a) the Dean, who is elected for three years by the General Assembly of the faculty, (b) a Council which comprises the dean, heads of the departments and one undergraduate student from each department and (c) the General Assembly of the faculty which consists of the General Assemblies of the departments.
Each department is administered by: (a) the head, who is elected for two years, (b) the Administrative Council which consists of the head, the directors of departmental sections and representatives of the students and of the technical or administrative personnel, and (c) the General Assembly of the department. The director of each sector, who is elected for one year, and the General Assembly of the sector are the administrative agents.
* A National Academy of Letters and Sciences (EAGE) and a National Council of Higher Education (S.A.P.) as already described, were established by the new law, as advisory bodies to the Government and as a co-ordinating supervisory agencies on teaching, research, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, evaluation and appointment of academic personnel, creation of new universities or units in them, allocations of funds etc. However, the National Academy of Letters and Sciences has never functioned because of the negative reaction to it of the professorial body.
* The undergraduate studies were reorganised into "semester courses" and a basic structure for the promotion of graduate programmes was set up.

As stated above, Law 2083 in 1992, modified Law 1268 of 1982. The main modifications were the following:
# The participation of students in the procedures for the selection of administrative bodies of higher institutions and in decision-making bodies was reduced to 50% of the faculty.
# The election of the Vice-Rectors became a separate procedure from that of Rectors.
# A four-year plan for the creation and advertisement of teaching staff positions was established.
# The role of administrative bodies with a small number of members was strengthened.
# Members of the teaching staff were ranked according to the service they provide (full time or part-time employment).
# Two cycles of undergraduate studies were established. The first cycle has four semesters. Passing the examinations in all subjects taught during the first cycle is a prerequisite for the continuation of studies in the second cycle.
# Students who fail to complete their studies within the prescribed period of time, extended by two extra years, were not entitled to any kind of financial aid awarded by the state.
# Postgraduate studies and the functioning of research programmes was reorganised.
# Free distribution of academic textbooks was restricted only to students with low annual income.
# New academic institutions such as the Centre for the Greek Language, the Open University and the Committee for Evaluation of Higher Education were created.

The above measures have been further modified or abolished by Law 2188/94 (Minister of Education D.Fatouros) as follows (retaining the numbering above):
# The participation of students in the procedures for the selection of administrative bodies of higher institutions and in decision-making bodies was increased to 80% of the faculty.
# The election of the Vice-Rectors is not a separate procedure from that of Rectors.
# A one-year plan for the creation and advertisement of teaching staff positions was established.
Points 5, 6, 7 and 9 were deleted; 8, and 10 remained the same
Special regulations concerning "guest" students and the mobility of teaching staff and students were also introduced by the new law. This is an attempt to adjust the legal framework of Greek higher education to the context of European Union and to promote co-operation with other countries.
Finally, both the organisation and the functioning of the Technological Education Institutions (TEIs) is based on the Law 1404/1983, and Presidential and Ministerial decisions issued in connection with this Law. The TEIs are distinguished from the AEIs, in terms of their purpose, function (including their administration), staff qualifications and hierarchy, the length of programmes and the fact that they offer no postgraduate courses.
However, their organisation and operation is similar to those of the AEIs. TEIs are oriented towards the application of recent technological knowledge and practice, while AEIs are more science and research-based institutions. Thus, the TEIs have direct links with various productive enterprises where most of the students’ practical work is carried out.
TEIs are self-governing bodies enjoying academic freedom and freedom of teaching and
research. They are divided into schools and departments similar to those of AEIs. Each
TEI together with its schools and departments is administered by members elected by
the General Assemblies in which the teaching staff, an important number of students'
representatives and a number of support personnel representatives participate. The permanent teaching staff are grouped according to three scales: laboratory professors, assistant professors and professors. Possession of a doctorate is a necessary prerequisite for appointment to the rank of professor.
The new law for TEIs provides for the establishment of two Advisory Services at the MoE to offer TEIs advisory support. They are: (a) the Council for Technological Education (Symboulio Technologikis Ekpedefsis - STE), (b) the Institute for Technological Education (ITE). In addition there are Regional Technological Councils whose role is to facilitate the formation of links between TEIs and productive units for economic and any other support .
The legal basis for the organization of university, is the Article 16 of the Greek Constitution which declares that education is a fundamental mission for the State. In addition, it states that higher education can be provided exclusively by institutions which are legal and independent entities under the public law, and it forbids to private institutions to provide university courses. The current situation is changing: in the Greek Parliament there are extensive debates on the amendment of this article, that will enable private non-profit HEI, with some prerequisites for quality .
This new Law “The Reform of the Institutional Framework for the Structure and Operation of Higher Education Institutions” was submitted to the Plenary of the Greek Parliament and was approved on 8 March 2007.
This law regulates the structure of secondary education and is based on Law 1268/1982 that covers only the university sector. The technology sector has a different legislative framework (Law 1404/1983) and up to 2001 the TEI were not regarded as institutions of higher education. The new Law 3549/2007 specifies that the university education comprises two parallel sectors, university and technology, and refers to both types of institutions. This law wants to transfer more responsibility to the HEI, through the internal regulation. The status of the rector is valued: he can be elected by all students and staff and will have the power to exercise legal control and appoint the academic staff.

The most important innovations introduced by the new Law 3549/2007 obligate HEIs:
* to compile internal regulations in order to ensure their even operation and enhance their autonomy;
* to compile a four-year academic-development programme, where their mid-term and long-term goals will be defined and their strategy will be planned;
* to elect their leadership through immediate and collective participation of the academic community groups in the election procedure. The position of HEI Secretary has been introduced for the better management of administrative and financial matters;
* to redefine the concept of academic immunity (asylum);
* to enhance student support services and assign tutors to students;
* to adopt measures in support of students from weaker financial classes such as: compensative scholarships, interest-free educational loans as well as support provided to disabled students;
* to enhance their libraries;
* to establish social accountability and transparency procedures;
* to enhance the European and international dimension of Greek higher education.

Other issues, which should be defined by the internal regulations, are added in the new Law 3549/2007:
# the deontological rules for all the members of the academic community as well as the procedures and the control bodies established for their observance;
# the operation rules of the collective bodies and the obstacles to the participation in those bodies;
# the participation in research or other programmes;
# the operation of the student support services and the exercise of a tutor’s duties by teaching and research staff members;
# the general rules for operating libraries, study and reading rooms of an institution;
# the extent, procedures and requirements for awarding exchange scholarships to students;
# the procedures and requirements for ensuring the safeguarding of the institution and its property in the most efficient way;
# the proportion between obligatory and optional courses of the syllabus and the necessary requirements for students’ participation in all exams;
# the procedure for designing and revising the four-year academic and development program as well as the annual report;
# the specialization of the prerequisites and procedures for the election, advancement or permanent appointment of teaching and research staff members or research staff members;
# the way representatives of the teaching and research staff members or of research staff members from every section are appointed in the General Assembly of a department;
# the composition of the support secretariat for the Secretary of the institution, the qualifications, the selection procedures and the competencies of the Secretary of the institution;
# the way the electoral procedures are conducted for the emergence of the collective bodies of the institution; and
# the integration of the decision made by the qualified body of the HEI with regard to the designation of the HEI’s areas covered by academic asylum.

“''Our aim is to ensure that our HEIs have the necessary resources to continue to fulfill their full range of purposes. Those purposes include: preparing students for life as active citizens in a democratic society; preparing students for their future careers and enabling their personal development; creating and maintaining a broad, advanced knowledge base; and stimulating research and innovation.”''
[Ministers for Higher Education, London Communique, 18 May 2007]

=== The Bologna Process ===

Greece is a founding member of the Bologna Process (1999). Beginning with 2004, intensive efforts have been made in order to implement everything agreed within the framework of the Bologna Process. While in all the other European countries reforms were rapidly implemented, in Greece delays occurred. Today, 46 countries, including Greece, actively participate in the creation and establishment of the European Higher Education Area; Greece is a member of the Bologna Follow-Up Group and was a member of the Board during 2005-2006. Greece also takes part in the Stocktaking Group and in the External Dimension Group (2005-2007). As a member of the European Union, Greece participates, within the framework of the Lisbon Strategy, in the effort to “make Europe the most dynamic Knowledge Society worldwide” and can only go along with the decision of the heads of states and governments made in Barcelona in 2002, which sets the Bologna Process as the basis for cooperation in higher education.

The most important legislative reforms and developments relating to the Bologna Process since Bergen are the following:

'''''Quality Assurance, ECTS, Diploma Supplement'''''

Law 3374/2005 regulates quality assurance in higher education, the establishment of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System and the Diploma Supplement. The law establishes for the first time a national system of quality assurance in Greek higher education, which addresses both universities and TEIs. It also realizes the commitments undertaken by the Ministers of Education in Berlin (2003), complies with the European Standards and Guidelines suggested by ENQA and its partners (EUA, EURASHE, ESIB)
and adopted by the Ministers of Education in Bergen (2005), fully respects the autonomy of the institutions and ensures student participation. The above law determined the obligatory application of a credit system, fully compatible with the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), for all undergraduate and postgraduate study programmes.
Moreover, Law 3404/2005 , which regulates operational and study issues, further contributed to the improvement of the quality of TEIs and established new permanent positions for the educational staff.

'''''Recognition of Degrees'''''

Law 3328/2005 for the establishment of a new Agency for Degree Recognition (DOATAP) was created in order to simplify the procedures for recognition of degrees and study periods. DOATAP is a member of the NARIC network.

'''''The European Dimension, Recognition of Joint Study Programmes and Mobility of Students and Staff'''''

Law 3404/20055, Article 23 on Joint Postgraduate Study Programmes and Joint Doctorates, gives universities the possibility to award double, multiple and joint degrees and allows the use of a language other than Greek in postgraduate study programmes. Thus, it enhances the cooperation between Greek and European HEIs, the mobility of students and academic staff and the European dimension of Higher Education. Moreover, Law 3549/2007 also stipulates the possibility to organize undergraduate study programmes in languages other than Greek.

'''''Lifelong Learning'''''

Within the National Strategic Development Plan (2007-2013), an intergraded lifelong learning policy has been planned because Greece has significantly fallen behind compared to the other European countries. Thus, with the cooperation of the Ministers of Education and Employment, the National System of Connecting Vocational Education and Training was established and the framework for the organization of lifelong learning was created with Law 3369/2005. This law was recently supplemented with Law 3577/2007 .
As far as higher education is concerned, Law 3369/2005 on Lifelong Learning enables the universities to establish and run lifelong learning institutes and have additional revenues, since they can charge fees for training courses. The substantial participation of HEIs in lifelong learning places universities at the centre of the social and financial life of the country and of the region where they are located. They provide citizens with new and often innovative and flexible opportunities for regular and distance-learning and, at the same time, they assume a key role for the adaptation of the workforce to the structural and
technological changes rapidly taking place in the professional fields today. Moreover, the Hellenic Open University, whose study programmes are mainly addressed to the working population, has been facing a rapid development as new programmes were added in all three cycles and new training programmes were created.

'''''The External Dimension of the Bologna Process'''''

Law 3391/2005 regulates the establishment of the International Hellenic University and aims at enhancing student mobility. Moreover, as a member of the External Dimension Group of the Bologna Process, Greece organized a Bologna Seminar on “Putting European Higher Education Area on the Map: Developing Strategies for Attractiveness”, which took place in Athens, on 24-26 June 2006. The participants were mainly higher education stakeholders from the countries participating in the Bologna Process, but also representatives of OECD non-European and Mediterranean countries, representatives of the European Commission, consultative members of the Bologna Process as well as
representatives of international and student organisations (ESIB and AEGEE). The Bologna Seminar meant another step forward in defining the external dimension of the Bologna Process, stressed the need to enhance and bring out the quality of the European Higher Education Area and the need for adopting a concrete strategy on the attractiveness of the European Higher Education Area, which will be the European answer to global challenges.

'''''Mobility through Cycles, Access and the Removal of Obstacles'''''

A series of legislations resulted in the upgrading of those institutions belonging to the non-university sector and, with the exception of the higher ecclesiastical academies, are under the main supervision of other ministries. Thus, these institutions will issue Bachelor’s degrees and their graduates will be able to continue studying in the two next cycles at universities.
─ Law 3432/2006 upgrades the status of the higher ecclesiastical academies supervised by the Ministry of National Education and their degrees become equivalent with those of the higher education institutions.
─ Law 3413/2005 allows higher military schools (supervised by the Ministry of Defense) to participate in consortia with universities for the establishment of postgraduate study programmes and research programmes (degrees are awarded by universities).
─ Law 3450/2006 upgrades the status of the merchant maritime academies (supervised by the Ministry of Mercantile Marine) which are currently able to participate in consortia with universities for the establishment of postgraduate study programmes and research programmes (degrees are awarded by universities). Moreover, Law 3475/200612 regulates, among others, the access of secondary vocational education students to the higher technological sector.

'''''Student Participation'''''

Full participation of students in the governance bodies of HEIs has been ensured. Moreover, student unions participate in the National Council of Education, while Law 3374/2005 on quality assurance has also ensured students’ participation in quality assurance procedures. In addition, the Minister of Education and Religious Affairs has
signed Law 3443/200613, which enacts local youth councils and their participation in local governance, so that young people can become active citizens.

== Administration and finance ==

The Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs (ΥΠΕΠΘ/YPEPTH) is responsible for the administration of all the schools in the country: an administration carried out through the Central and Regional Services and through councils of a consultative and scientific nature that have been created and function in the Ministry’s Central and Regional Services.
Higher Education Institutions (AEI), are self-administered legal entities under public law and the Minister exercises supervision and monitors the legality of their actions and decisions through the Ministry’s central services.

'''''National level'''''

The Minister of National Education and Religious Affairs has the main responsibility for the planning and implementation of the education policy. In his/her task is seconded by two Deputy - Ministers who have specific areas of responsibility.
Under the Minister of Education also come: the General Secretariat for Youth (ΓΓΝΓ/GGNG) whose task is to secure and promote the rights of young people; the General Secretariat for Adult Education (ΓΓΕΕ/GSAE) responsible for planning, co-ordinating and implementing policies on a national scale and with regard to Greek expatriates, actions related to Lifelong Learning and especially: basic adult education, general adult education and training, socio-cultural training and education, open distance learning, as well as training of trainers.
Lastly, under the Ministry of Education also falls the General Secretariat of Religious Affairs that supervises the application of the government policy in the field of religion.
The administrative structure of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs
(ΥΠΕΠΘ/YPEPTH) includes a vertical structure of Departments, Directorates, General Directorates and Integrated Administrative Sectors.
There are six Integrated Administrative Sectors (University Education, Administration of Community Support Framework Programmes, Greeks Abroad and Inter-Cultural Education, Studies, Training and Innovation Issues, Technological Higher Education, Audiovisual Teaching Aids, Education TV, Libraries and Historical Archives) headed by Special Secretaries, appointed by a joint decision of the Prime-Minister and the Minister. The Heads of the General Directorates are Directors General that are selected from among the permanent administrative officials by a Special Service Council. They are responsible for planning activities, coordinating the operation of the Directorates and Administrative Sections under them, evaluating the policy pursued in their sphere of competence and drafting proposals to be sent to the political leadership of the Ministry of Education.

'''''Regional Level'''''

In the context of the education decentralisation policy, Administration is exercised at a Regional Level by the Regional Education Directorates while, at a prefectural level, by the Directorates and the Primary and Secondary Education Offices, Regional Service Councils and Education Committees.
For administering and monitoring the operation of Primary and Secondary Education Institutions there is the Regional Education Directorates which relate directly to the Minister of National Education and Religious Affairs. Each Regional Education Directorate consists of the following Departments: a. Administration, b. Scientific-Pedagogic Guidance of Primary Education and c. Scientific-Pedagogic Guidance of Secondary Education.

'''''Local Level'''''

At local level (municipality or community), there are Scholikes Epitropes (School Committees), Municipal or Community Legal Entities, that manage the funds allocated to cover operating expenses for one or more Primary and Secondary schools depending on the local needs as evaluated by the competent local authorities.
The School Committees are assigned to manage the budget for the operational costs of Primary and Secondary Schools and to support the administrative operation of school units.

'''''Funding'''''

The sources of funding of Greek university are the regular state budget and the Program of Public Investment, which has two levels, one national, financed with national funds, and the community one, which includes European funds (Operational Programme for Education and Initial Vocational Training – O.P. “EDUCATION”, 2000-2006).
This second type of funds include the modernization of university education and the creation of new infrastructures, studies and materials and funds for research.
The Minister of Economy and Finance, Minister of Education, Universities and TEI are the entities involved in the distribution of funds, both those of the state budget and those of the Program of Public Investment. Although it is an informal process, as a good practice, the Minister of Education along with the Rectors’ Conference and the Conference of the TEIs’ Presidents agree upon the total amount and the allocation of funds. Then, each individual HEI cooperates with the Ministry of National Education in order to define the annual amount based on the Unified System of Allocation Criteria of the regular state budget.
The budget allocated to education is increasing year after year, and a satisfactory rate is assigned to university education. In compliance with the OECD, in 2003 was dedicated to education university the 1,3% of GDP: according to Eurostat data, Greece is the European country to increase their funding for higher education, with a approximately 98% (EU average: 82.8%); on the contrary, the contributions that come from households and private funds are approximately 1% .
In fact, Greece is one of six states of the European Union that does not require charging for university education. The funds for universities and TEI come regularly from the national budget and are used primarily for operating expenses that include: the payment of teachers and research staff, students’ blackboards and textbooks and teaching materials. In relation to the budget of 2007, about 1.5 billions of euros have been allocated to universities, TEI and to the Academy of Athens, while 832,000 euros are for the Hellenic Quality Assurance Agency. The funds of the Public Investment Program is intended to infrastructure, studies and educational materials.

== Quality assurance ==

Until 2005 there was no system of quality assurance in university education, until it was enacted with the 3374 Law .
This law has established a quality assurance system for the entire university education, which includes both the technology sector and the university one. This law complies with the European standards and guidelines suggested by the European Association of Quality Assurance (ENQA) and its partners (EUA, EURASHE, ESIB / ESU), which were adopted first by the Ministry of Education in Bergen.
The Greek Quality Assurance System includes:
* internal assessment
* external review
* publication of results
* participation of students
* peer review

The university system evaluation is coordinated and supported nationally by an independent and specific authority for the assessment, called the Hellenic Quality Assurance Agency (HQAA) and supervised by the Ministry of Education.
The Hellenic Quality Assurance Agency (HQAA), established by Law 3374/2005, also has a consultancy role since it keeps the competent bodies of the state and the higher education institutions informed on current international developments and trends in the relevant issues.

This agency is based in Athens and is made up of 15 members appointed by the Minister of Education who remain in office for 4 years and can not fill this role for more than twice, whether consecutive or not, and are also allowed foreign experts. The President must be an academic with an internationally recognized authority and with a significant research activity, preferably with experience on qualitative issues and on the development of the education system. The other members are representatives of the academic staff of universities and technology institutes, students, researchers and social partners.
This agency ensures the transparency of the evaluation procedures and its mission is to support the organisation of the university education through the implementation of procedures: improving the quality of university education by informing the state and HEIs on international developments and trends, promoting research in the area.
In particular, some of the major responsibilities for HQAA are:
* The HQAA plans, coordinates and supports HEIs’ evaluation procedures;
* Employs guidelines and standards to specify and review the form of HEIs’ evaluation reports, as well as the evaluation criteria and indices;
* Compiles, keeps and revises the Register of independent Greek and international experts and specialists in the area of Quality Assurance;
* Collects information and maintains a database with data from the evaluation reports of all Greek HEIs;
* Performs studies and carries out research in order to develop the methodology, techniques and applications of quality assurance and keeps all competent bodies of the state and the Greek HEIs up-to-date;
* Maintains mutual cooperation with corresponding foreign organizations and represents Greece in international quality assurance networks;
* Publishes the evaluation results and the measures adopted for quality assurance and improvement of higher education.

The law divides the evaluation process into two levels: the internal and external evaluation.
The internal evaluation is the first step for the external assessment and is carried out by each academic unit (that is the subject of the evaluation) and consist of the systematic assessment and recording of instruction, research or other activities in relation to the objectives and mission of the HEI . To take part in this internal evaluation, which lasts two semesters, are research and teaching staff members, scientific and administrative staff member and student representatives.
The criteria and evaluation indices concern the quality of teaching and research activities, the quality of study programs and other services provided by HEI. These indices and criteria are standardized and specified under the guidelines of HQAA and depend on the field of studies of each academic unit.

The '''internal evaluation''' is being conducted under the responsibility of each academic unit in cooperation with the Quality Assurance Unit, a body found in every HEI to coordinate and support the assessment procedures.
An internal evaluation report contains cumulative information with quantitative data on students, teaching-research staff, educational and other scientific staff, administrative staff, infrastructure, student welfare etc. The HEI’s Internal Evaluation Report is compiled every two years by the QAU and sent to the HQAA.
The external evaluation process is repeated every four years at the latest with the cooperation of HEIs and the HQAA. The external evaluation is carried out by the External Evaluation Committee (EEC), which consists of five members from the register of independent experts kept at the HQAA. One of the members of the EEC may be nominated by the academic unit under evaluation but the remaining members are elected by the HQAA. The participation of at least one foreign expert and one representative from a professional or other scientific union in the External Evaluation Committee is also desirable. The EEC takes into consideration the self-evaluation report and makes an in situ visit to the evaluated academic unit, which has to facilitate as much as possible the committee’s work with supplementary information, discussions and contacts with the members of the academic unit. The EEC compiles the draft external evaluation report with the secretarial and administrative support of the HQAA and this draft report is then notified to the academic unit under evaluation, which then has to submit its remarks within a fifteen-day time limit from the date of the notification of the draft.

The '''external evaluation''' is completed within four months with the External Evaluation Report which is submitted to the HQAA. After the evaluation processes have been completed the HQAA makes the External Evaluation Report public. The External Evaluation Report includes the independent experts’ analyses, findings, and recommendations for the measures that need to be taken in order to improve the quality of the task of the institution.
There is only one body with the task of the recognition of foreign degrees and periods of study: the National Academic Recognition and Information Center (Hellenic NARIC – DOATAP): it is responsible for the recognition of study titles issued by foreign higher education institutions, both universities and foreign technological institutions and for providing information on studying in Greek HEIs. The Hellenic NARIC is located in Athens and is supervised by the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs. The Hellenic NARIC also has a consultancy role on issues concerning the recognition of foreign degrees and is the responsible body for the elaboration of the Action Plan for Recognition submitted in the London Ministerial Conference .

== Greece's HEIs in the information society ==

=== Towards the information society ===

Today one of the main priorities of Greek educational policy is continuous improvement, with respects to the integration of ICT, into the educational sector. Numerous actions have been implemented and are being further developed in relation to ICT integration; such actions are coordinated by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs in the framework of the Information Society Programme .
In the framework of this programme, the infrastructure (broadband connections across the country, networks, and computer equipment) is being further developed and maintained, digital content and services (educational software, educational portals, educational services, e-management) are being enriched and expanded and teacher training
continues to emphasise the exploitation of new technologies in educational practice.
Moreover, the following pilot Actions are being planned and implemented:
the distribution of laptops to students, the development of the “ideal school lab”, the development of virtual teacher training, virtual learning environments and virtual content management systems, on-line interactive educational TV.
At the same time, the Hellenic Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs has launched a coordinate effort for the utilization of ICTs and their incorporation into the everyday educational procedure. This effort is implemented in the fields of the third Community Support Framework mainly from the Operational Program of Information Society, (OPIS) under the direct supervision of the General Secretary of the Hellenic Ministry of Education and with the support of the Hellenic Ministry of Education Information Society office and the "Strategy for ICTs in Education" Committee.
It is constructed onto four lines of action:
* Installation and support of network and computational equipment.
* Development of software and digital content for educational and administrative purposes (educational software, information systems, Internet content e.t.c.).
* Training of the educational community on ICTs, targeting to the utilization of the above areas.
* Modernization of administration areas.

The aims of this Strategy are:
* The incorporation of ICTs in the teaching process.
* The support of the Informatics lesson taught in high school, senior high school and technical school.
* The support of every cognitive area through the use of ICTs.
* The elimination of digital illiteracy and variations on ICT skills.

=== Information society strategy ===

Since 2002, there are activities targeted to the elaboration of a systematic approach towards :
* Compliance with EC directives regarding e-Accessibility
* Initiatives related to e-Inclusion in the context of the Operational Programme "Information Society" of the 3rd Community Support Programme (Secretariat for the Information Society, Hellenic Ministry of Economy and Finance) in the domains of: Education and Culture, Health, Employment, Public Administration, Telecommunications.
The Digital Strategy 2006-2013 is addressed to the challenges of the 4th Community Support Programme and i2010:
* Infrastructures (broadband access, development of accessible one –stop shops, subsidies for ICT equipment for specific population groups)
* Education (incentives for the development of accessible educational content and distant learning)
* Health (Accessible regional e-health services, universally accessible health records and other related information)
* Public administration (accessible e-services for the regional government, digital content and information services, an important example is the International Call for Tenders conducted by the Greek Pedagogical Institute in 2006. It aims for the development of a digital library and its best practices in certification and implementation of educational software).
The digital strategy 2006 – 2013 replaces the “white paper” for the information society and strengthens the role of the existing Operational Program for the Information Society, by re-examining its goals. At the same time, the new digital strategy meets the challenges of the 4th Operational Period (2007-2013) and is compatible with the new European policy for the Information Society “i2010” and with the “Jobs and Growth” action plan, both of which were outlined in the first semester of 2005.

== Virtual Campuses in HE ==

=== Interesting Virtual Campus Initiatives ===

==== The [[Hellenic Open University]] ====
In 1992, while attempting to reform the institutional framework of higher education the establishment of the Hellenic Open University (Elliniko Anoichto Panepistimio - ΕΑΠ/EAP) was decided. HOU is the only HEI that providing distance education at all three levels (undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate) as well as training courses. It was finally established in 1997 and began operating in 1998. Like all the other public universities in Greece, the Open University is a legal entity of public law, completely independent and autonomous . It was established by Law 2083/92 and it is seated in Patras but various activities such as consultative meetings and exams are organized in eight Greek cities (Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Heraklio, Ioannina, Xanthi, Piraeus and Larissa).
HOU’s overarching characteristics were defined and formed by the first administrative committee’s decisions (time period 1995 to1997) and was significantly informed by the British Open University model. This historical legacy significantly influenced the formation and operation of the institution .
The model of the tutor-counselor, as employed at the British Open University (Sewart, 1980), has also been adopted by the HOU. HOU’s planning and organization of its program offerings are based on explicit goals, clear guidelines, and detailed instructions to guide its students and its tutors. According to its instructional publications, HOU adopted Holmberg (1989) ideas on the central role distance learning materials play in students’ mastery of distance learning studies. HOU also faces internal and administrative challenges, some of which do not support or assist in developing its distance learning methods that can be easily delivered via ICT. The HOU, nonetheless, is welcomed and supported by most Greeks, primarily because it offers them a second choice and, sometimes, a chance at accessing the fruits of education. In the academic year 2006-2007, HOU served 15,026 undergraduate and 8,624 graduate students enrolled in six undergraduate and 24 graduate courses .

The mission of the Hellenic Open University (ΕΑΠ/EAP) is to provide distance undergraduate and postgraduate education and adult education, by developing and utilising appropriate educational materials and teaching methods. Among the goals of the HOU is to promote scientific research in a flexible and innovative way and to develop technology and methodology in the field of distance learning and also to offer University studies to those who cannot attend classes or laboratories for whatever reason.
The ΕΑΠ/EAP organises:
* Undergraduate study programmes leading to a degree.
* Postgraduate training programmes that lead to certification of training.
* Postgraduate training programmes that lead to a postgraduate specialisation degree or doctoral degree.

During the process of student selection, priority is given to applicants who are over twenty-three years of age, therefore, most of the students are employed and their average age is of 30-40 years old. Moreover, students with special needs are admitted to the Hellenic Open University and the available places for them amount to an additional three percent of the set number of places for undergraduate study programmes. For admission to an undergraduate programme a high school degree is necessary. The number of applicants is usually much greater than the number of offered places and this why candidates are selected by electronic lot in the presence of a district attorney for ensuring transparency.
HOU has introduced some innovations in the Greek higher education system. These are :
# Studying exclusively through distance learning.
# The application of a modular system and the replacement of courses by the flexible form of modular courses, which can be easily altered, according to the social and educational needs at the time.
# Introduction of a five-level educational system that covers all levels from post-secondary vocational training to doctorate level.
# Foundation of a University Laboratory for Educational Material and Methodology Research.
# Foundation of a University Evaluation Unit.
# The simplification of governance structures with the abolition of the Rectors’ Council and the establishment of a flexible Senate.
# The introduction of HOU’s basic functional unit, the Course Modules that cover a specific study field at undergraduate or postgraduate level. Each course module is equivalent to three semesters in a Greek university.
HOU consists of four schools: the School of Humanities, the School of Social Science, the School of Science and Technology and the School of Applied Arts. These schools award Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees and certificates of training or of attendance. The average time for studies is six or seven years for the undergraduate studies and four years for the postgraduate studies. HOU is a rapidly developing higher education institution. Only two study programmes in 1998 compare to the thirty-one that operate today (2006-2007).

At the same time, there is a rapid yearly increase in the number of students, and the number of applicants exceeds the offered places of study.

[[Image:Greece_HOI.jpg|center]]

===== Teaching Method =====
The objectives of the Hellenic Open University (ΕΑΠ/EAP) are achieved through the use of methods of teaching and learning from a distance. These methods are based on high quality educational material which must be appropriately developed in terms of both form and content in such a way as to guarantee high quality self-education and frequent assessment of students. This material is traditional (books, notes, evaluation forms), audio-visual (sound tapes, videotapes, optic discs) and in any other electronic form (multimedia and Internet).
Most educational materials used by HOU are original, that is they are created by a team of experts. This team, for example, determined responsibilities and frames within which each team member operated. Members included: a writer, who wrote the material following particular specifications demanded by form and content; an academic responsible for each program; a reader, who ‘fact checked’ the study texts for scientific quality; and, finally, a DE expert who ensured that all texts complied with the pedagogical principles needed to support effective DE delivery. Construction of distance pedagogical scientific knowledge, within the creation of original educational material produced by HOU, reflects: a) strong classification of material based on strict specifications and the involvement of special scientists in the scientific area that ensure the scientific validity and reliability of HOU’s learning materials, b) strong framing because the relationship and terms of collaboration are pre-determined and everyone works on specific, known, and irrefutable rules. In certain cases were the writers were unable to adapt their work to the specifications required, projects were cancelled .
The pedagogical practices, as formulated in the HOU, with the criterions of the ‘power of framing’ and ‘PECS’ are now examined :
# In the HOU, educational material packages consist of: books, cassettes, videos, CD-Rom, and educational software supported through the use of ICT (Act 1/7-11-1995). The creation of an electronic bank of educational material (i.e., learning objects) is currently under consideration (Act 18/11-12-1996).
# Modules are accompanied by detailed timetables of study and students deliverables in the form of written work and tests (HOU, 2002). Thus, the following are determined:
#* Lock-step sequencing of DE contents provides students a timeline for learning and knowledge acquisition. Students are also given instructions on the applicability of additional learning materials available to them to help them master the subject material on a deeper level (i.e., additional texts, books, and audiovisual materials that are not part of the course per say, but are nonetheless helpful).
#* HOU students learn in a paced environment. HOU’s academic year is divided to 32 weeks, beginning the first week of October. Students are made aware of the time they need to spend to study of each chapter (e.g., one or two weeks) and of deadlines and timelines they must meet in handing in their written work and assignments.
# By regulating all facets of students’ studies, evaluative criteria are determined. That is, the questions concerning the rights and obligations of teachers and students in sub-areas such as ‘communication’ are defined. For example, teachers must be available for student consultations during specific times; moreover, all comments on all written assignments must be returned to students within 15 days of receipt. In terms of quality assurance, HOU evaluates its teachers via a student questionnaire that asks pointed questions as to whether or not teachers failed, met, or exceeded students’ expectations on basic criteria such as timeliness, accessibility, and instructional efficacy.

HOU uses a comprehensive regulatory framework to support its students. As such, strong framing exists concerning ‘relationships’ cultivated inside the institution itself. Indeed, HOU is uses clearly defined hierarchical relations of power on two levels:
# First, HOU’s administrative committee decides the general policy of the institution. The chairman plays a central role in providing direction and guidance to the administrative committee. For example, A. Lykourgiotis, the first chairman of the administrative committee, when taking into consideration the opinions of committee, formally articulated HOU’s educative and organizational features (Koustourakis, 2006). This shows strong framing in the rule sequencing/ pacing and criteria and in the regulative rules between academic personnel, tutors, and HOU’s administrative committee.
# The second level concerns the operation of HOU’s various programs and modules. In this case, HOU’s program directors and module coordinators coordinate and supervise how established instructional policies will guide HOU’s various programs and study modules. Sub-committee teams comprised of instructional personnel (i.e., teachers and tutors) working on specific modules, participate in this process. At first glance, this appears to show relatively weak framing in terms of communication among the teachers/ tutors. The coordinator of each module, however, is typically a member of the HOU’s academic personnel, and their decision is central in that this person determines and directs daily the work flow of the overall team that must deal with HOU’s day-to-day procedural affairs, such as the formulation and/ or choice of subjects on offer, pedagogical approaches that should be best taken, and the development and administration of final written examinations.

The methodology used for EAΠ/EAP Undergraduate Programmes of Study is that of distance learning, which for each thematic unit includes:
* five (5) meetings of tutors with students;
* four (4) to six (6) compulsory assignments which are sent to the tutor;
* distance counselling communication between the tutor and students;
* laboratory practice of students at the laboratories of the EAP at Patras (wherever this is provided in the Curriculum);
* final and repeat examinations held for each thematic unit all over Hellas at the same time.

The undergraduate students can attend the programme of studies of their choice from wherever they live in any region of the country or abroad. The tutors’ meetings with the students will be held in the following cities: Patras (ΕΑΠ/EAP head offices), Athens, Thessaloniki, Herakleio, Ioannina, Xanthi, Piraeus and Larisa.
As regards the ΕΑΠ/EAP Postgraduate Programmes of Study leading to a Postgraduate Specialisation Diploma (ΜΔΕ/MDE) or to a Certificate of Postgraduate Study, the methodology used is also that of distance learning, which for each thematic unit includes:
* five (5) meetings of tutors with students;
* four (4) to six (6) compulsory assignments which are sent to the tutor;
* distance counselling communication between the tutor and students;
* final and repeat examinations.
The postgraduate students can attend the programme of studies of their choice from wherever they live in any region of Hellas or abroad. The tutors’ meetings with the students will be held in the following cities: Patras (ΕΑΠ/EAP head offices), Athens and Thessaloniki.

===== Courses offered =====
'''Degrees'''

* Studies in the Physical Sciences
* Information Science
* Administration of Businesses and Organisations
* Studies in Hellenic Culture
* Studies in European Culture
* Spanish Language and Culture

To complete the undergraduate programme and be awarded a degree, the student must successfully complete and be examined in at least twelve (12) Thematic Units. The student selects from one (1) to three (3) Thematic Units per year .

'''Postgraduate Specialisation Diplomas (ΜΔΕ/MDE)'''

* Administration of Tourist Enterprises
* Administration of Health Units
* Administration of Health Services of the National Health System
* Banking
* Administration of Cultural Units
* Environmental Planning of cities and buildings
* Environmental Planning of infrastructure works
* Quality Assurance
* Postgraduate Specialisation for English Language Teachers
* Postgraduate Specialisation for German Language Teachers
* Postgraduate Specialisation for French Language Teachers
* Studies in Education
* Adult Education
* Seismic engineering and anti-seismic structures
* Technical Works Management
* Postgraduate specialization in computer systems
* Studies in Orthodoxy
* Graphic arts – Multimedia
* Waste management
* Advanced studies in Physics
* Environmental degradation and protection
* Postgraduate specialization for Physical Sciences Teachers
* Postgraduate studies in Mathematics
* Business Administration (MBA)

For students to complete their postgraduate studies and receive their MDE, they must have completed and been successfully examined in four (4) thematic units. Another requirement is a thesis that reflects the content of one or two Thematic Units according to the programme. For students to complete their postgraduate studies and receive their Certificate of Postgraduate Study, they must complete and have been successfully examined in one (1) Thematic Unit (duration of studies at least one academic year).

Comparing the educational practices between HOU and conventional Greek universities, however, is like comparing apples to oranges. While traditional universities operate in a teacher-centered context, HOU students are placed at the epicenter of HOU’s educational process. HOU students must learn how to learn at a distance. Clearly, this demands more flexible practices on the part of HOU in terms of providing student support, from writing student-centered educational materials designed to meet the needs of adult learners learning at a distance, to the level and dynamics of online communication between students and tutors, to the support of student-centered learning, to the deployment of Group Advisory Meetings, and most importantly motivating students to cognitively process and synthesize and learn the course materials by themselves with only a tutor there as a “guide on the side” to help them succeed in their learning journey. In the last case, elements of interpretative epistemology enter the HOU, which is aimed at making the institution friendly and accessible to its students by supporting and encouraging their self-driven effort for education and training.
The majority of HOU’s students are busy adults juggling family and work responsibilities, while studying part time. HOU’s role of the tutor, which is based on the British Open University exemplar, currently shows weak framing in terms of students-tutor relationships. This is why the development and deployment of ICT is helpful for the success of HOU’s students. Such technologies not only help build working relationships between tutors and students, but also help students to help themselves to the panoply of online resources and educational materials that can help them learn at a distance. Unfortunately, HOU currently lags behind many other open and distance education institutions in the world, specifically in terms of incorporating and using ICT to support and aid students in their learning. The lack of suitable online educational (digital) materials, coupled with the reality that computer and Internet usage in Greece – primarily due to high cost of access – remains low, means that HOU faces significant challenges in terms of supporting students using ICT. The good news, however, is that this is slowly changing, as reflected in the high-level use of ICT by the HOU for administrative purposes.

=== Interesting Programmes ===

'''[[Aristotle University of Thessaloniki]]'''

Aristotle University in Thessaloniki is innovative since 1995 where takes place the first pilot applications for the exploitation of new technologies in education within the 1st EE funded project. Since 1997, there is an important effort to transform the bigger university in Greece in dual mode university that can provide a great part of graduate and postgraduate programs with both traditional methods and distance learning, with the creation of 6 virtual tele-classes and one tele-conference room. Academic community members can participate in distance learning activities, educational seminars and conferences with experts. A great number of teleconferences sessions took place within these last 8 years between Aristotle University and other academic units all over the world, where students and faculty from all participating universities had the opportunity to attend lectures, to participate in international conferences and to effectively train through seminars professionals such as teachers in all levels of education in new technology aspect.

'''[[University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki]]'''

The University of Macedonia, located in Thessaloniki, has a great laboratory with a significant experience and expertise in coordinating and participating in a large number of national and international research projects under FP5/IST, FP6/IST, Interreg. The laboratory has also provided consulting services for the European Commission as well a number of national organizations e.g. Ministry of Interior, Prefecture of Thessaloniki, Region of Central Macedonia etc. and it has collaborated with a large number of major academic institutions, research organizations, private enterprises and public authorities in Europe. There are many completed and running projects in this area, both Greek and European; for example, Innovative Enterprise Architecture Education and Training Based on Web 2.0 Technologies (EATrain2).
The aim of the EATrain2 is to identify the training and educational needs of employees in both public and private sector and of university students and to fulfil these using innovative pedagogies and practices based on Web 2.0 technologies and active, problem-based learning approaches. The main result of the project is expected to be: the empowering of Universities, VET organizations, students and employees through innovative training, teaching methods and practices based on Web 2.0 technologies. EA training and teaching material for students, public employees and private employees and an education and training platform based on Web 2.0 technologies.

'''[[The National & Kapodistrian University of Athens]]'''

The Asynchronous eLearning Platform is a complete Course Management System that supports Asynchronous eLearning Services via a simple web browser. Its goal is the incorporation and constructive use of the Internet and web technologies in the teaching and learning process. It supports the electronic management, storage and presentation of teaching materials, independently of the spatial and time limiting factors of conventional teaching and creating the necessary conditions for a dynamic teaching environment.
The introduction of eLearning into the traditional teaching process provides new capabilities and allows new means of interaction between students and teachers, through a contemporary technological peak environment.
The Open eClass platform, used by the University, is a complete Course Management System. It is the solution offered by the Greek Academic Network GUnet to support Asynchronous eLearning Services. It is mainly designed, developed and supported by the GUnet Asynchronous eLearning Group and is distributed for free as open-source software.
The incorporation of asynchronous eLearning services offers new possibilities in education, providing interaction and constant teacher-student communication. It is said, at the same time, that electronic organization, storing and presentation of educational material, regardless the limiting factors of place and time of typical teaching, is supported, forming the conditions of a dynamic educational setting. The Open eClass platform is designed with the goal to bring new actions that promote its corporate utility in the already existing educational patterns into effect.
The main user role is that of the teacher who can create practical and functional electronic courses easily and quickly, using the educational material provided (note, presentations, texts, pictures, etc). At the same time, students attain an alternative entry channel to the knowledge offered. Finally, the Open eClass platform supports all asynchronous eLearning services without boundaries and limitations, and the platform access is achieved via a simple web browser without any demand of specialized technical knowledge .
The adult education modules based on the Distance Learning model were designed in response to increased education requirements in various job environments. They spin around 5 thematic units in the field of finance and last from 5 to 9 months. Upon successful completion of the academic requirements, adult students receive a Certificate of Studies. In particular, the University awards Certificates of Training and Certificates of Specialisation, each reflecting specific programme choices by the students. Eligible candidates to the University’s adult education programme are University and T.E.I. graduates and secondary education graduates with previous experience. Candidates are selected on the following criteria: Grade Point Average of Degree or Graduation Diploma (Apolyterio) and priority with respect to application filed. Candidates are required to have access to a personal computer and the Internet. Fees vary with respect to the thematic unit selected .

'''[[Pandeion University for Social and Political Sciences]]'''

The Pandeion University for Social and Political Sciences in Athens in order to provide complete long life education and training for Social and Political sciences issues has proceeded in the production and development of various educational applications, such as distance learning, telematics and multimedia. These applications aim to educate and train the instructors that are necessary for the implementation of the multiple purpose training and seminar carriers all over the country.

'''[[Athens University of Economics and Business]]'''

The Tele-education Centre of the Athens University of Ecomomics and Business materializes an application for the development of distance learning environment through the Lab. of Business Information Technology. The pilot web courses in the asynchronous distance learning environment concern web courses for :Internet and E-commerce, Database for Business applications, Principles for the design and Implementation of Information systems and Business Information Systems, specifically created to support the needs of executives.
The Teleducation Center is fully operational, serving the current needs of the Institution. The scope of the Tele-education Center is:
* the supply of distance learning services to the University students, either by supporting the courses with additional distance learning material, or by giving the whole course with the use of the tele-education method;
* the continuous education and training of executives, working in Greek organizations, public or private, free lancers and unemployed;
* the export of distance learning services to other countries;
* the operation of the Tele-education Center as a link for gathering the national resources concerning the education technology development and the education service supply;

During the last few years, a real-time multimedia, distance learning classroom has been created. This specially designed classroom can function either independently as a multimedia classroom, equipped with audiovisual and digital devices, which assist and improve educational process or as a virtual, distance learning classroom. The classroom is equipped with state-of-the-art network and audiovisual devices, which allows for full duplex communication among this and other classrooms. The design and the equipment of the classroom enables high interaction among participants of a course delivered simultaneously in different classrooms, by simulating all operations taking place in a traditional classroom, thereby creating a virtual classroom.

'''[[University of Piraeus]]'''

The University of Piraeus through its Network Center supports a number of WWW course tools, available only for potential students. In order to enter the specific web tutorial page the student has to create a personal account. It is an asynchronous distance learning environment. These specific web courses refer to various issues such as cardiological events and tooth hygiene.
The Computer Centre of the University of Piraeus aims at facilitating the educational, administrative and research work of the University. Students of all departments are having Computer Science courses and practice in four fully equipped laboratories at the Computer Center with 85 workstations. In addition, the Computer Center supports the research work of the University by providing every possible assistance in both the uses of computer applications and equipment.
In almost every administrative function of the University there have been applied modern methods of organisation using computer systems. More specifically, many applications have been developed covering the needs in student’s records, in the main University library and in the other Administrative Departments (Accounting, Finance, Personnel etc).
It should be specially mentioned that modern office automation computer systems and desktop publishing applications are extensively used by the academic and administrative staff thus providing high level services.
Most of the research projects are supported by the University Central Computer system (DEC 5810 Risk) in which there have been installed many Relational Data Base Management Systems, programs for economics and statistical analysis, expert systems, computer language compilers etc.
This main system is connected through the Ethernet Network with Unix Workstations over 200 PC’s used in education, 50 Apple Macintosh systems for office automatic projects and other special devices such aw plotters, scanners etc.
The Computer Center also provides communication facilities with other Universities, Institutions and Research Centers all over Greece and abroad, mainly through its Internet Server System DEC Alpha 1000.
The Network Management Centre (NMC) of the University of Piraeus is located in its central building and is responsible for:
* The management of the data and voice network
* The design, implementation and evolution of the University network System and user support
* The provision of teleconference services
* The provision of internet and web (www) services
* The provision of dial-up access services
The University continually invests on improving its network structure using up to – date technologies and on developing telematic applications for teaching and research purposes.

'''[[University of Ioannina]]'''

The University of Ioannina provides a Computer and Media Centre that organises all computer services for teaching and research operations and administers the campus-wide network, which includes access to global computer networks. More than one hundred personal computers are directly accessible to students. Regularly offered information courses and a number of supervisors provide all necessary assistance for users. There are also facilities provided by the Media & Documentation Centre that include a variety of production capacities as well as archive materials in the field of audio-visual media. Among these is a fully equipped broadcasting studio, equipment for electronic editing, and video producing, and a photo lab. Besides lecturers, students do have access to all facilities if they work on supervised projects.
In the University of Ioannina there is also a Open and Distance Learning Centre: as regional office of the German Open University, the Centre gives support to students who are enrolled at the Open University by supervising their studies and preparing for exams. A stock of self-learning material (print and audio-visual media) is available to both Open University and University of Lueneburg students.

'''[[University of Thessaly]]'''

The University of Thessaly Network Management Centre, in cooperation with GUNET, offers the following pilot services: videoconference and tele-education over IP, videoconference, Video on Demand, concerning the live transmission of TV programs and local radio station program through Internet. The Network Centre of the University has already set up a fully-equipped videoconference room in Trikala, for the Department of Physical Training Science. The video teleconference room has already been successfully used for synchronous distance education sessions in physical training science issues for the students and for similar post- graduate courses attendance.

'''Information Technology Laboratory'''

Information technology education is a necessity of modern times. The introduction of IT in education is based on two paradigms:
• IT as an autonomous knowledge-base that needs to be introduced in the curriculum.
• IT as an interdisciplinary research and learning tool.

The availability of instant access to IT allows both teachers and students to familiarize themselves with technology and supports educational needs of the department (demonstration, group work, communication, information database access …).

'''Network Operation Centre'''

The aim of this Centre is the creation and maintenance of network of support of unified services that interlink all the buildings of University Thessaly, in all the cities of Thessaly in which the University allocates installations, as well as the offer of high quality of services of telephony, transport of data, and picture.
More concretely the work aims in the concretisation:
* Structured wiring in all the buildings of University Thessaly, that aims at as the easy connection of any user or with the network of data via computer or with the network of telephony.
* System of transport of data of high output, on the connection of all computers of Papenjsti'mjo Thessaly via long distance and urban engaged lines and regional networks of last technology (FDDi, ATM, Ethernet).
* Internal telecommunications network for the support of advanced services of digital telephony and multimedias make where it allows the complete and reliable cover of corresponding needs of means of Academic community.
* Points of access (Access Point) in the network of Academic institutions (GUNet) Public network ISDN and but national and international networks of communication as well as with the Internet.
* Management and extension of Network according to the needs of Academic community.
* Benefit of Services of information via the international networks of information and with use PC (WWW USENET News, Ftp, Search Engines etc).
* Aid and education of users of University Thessaly for the effective use of Network.

The network of support of unified Services provides in all the members of Academic community the possibility of most rapid connection with the Internet and access in world scale sources of information. It offers the possibility rapid and qualitative communication between the installations of University Thessaly. It allows the import of new technologies in the education (multimedias, education by distance) research and administration. It upgrades the Programs of Study and strengthens the collaboration with other Academic institutions of country and abroad. It contributes in the interconnection of University with local productive and administrative institutions.

'''[[University of the Aegean]]'''

The University of the Aegean has been the first Greek University to fully utilise Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)into its everyday activities, and thus implementing the Information Society in Hellenic higher education. The University of Aegean has achieved to connect through the Aegean-net all university units in different islands on the Aegean Sea, the islands of Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Rhodes. The Aegean-net project offers the proper infrastructure and know-how to these remote geographically locations and aims to use for research/educational purposes.

'''[[The Pedagogical Institute]] (P.I.)'''

The Pedagogical Institute operates a Distance Learning Centre which provides distance training to educators of Primary and Secondary Education who access the P.I. server either from their schools or home. The relevant services offered spin around the following axes:
* Self-education: access to (search & retrieve) training material and information on a wide range of subjects that may be of interest to educators, pupils and parents.
* Co-operative learning: on-line participation in various discussion groups and joint projects.
* Virtual classrooms: interactive, real-time classroom sessions using dedicated ISDN connections.

'''[[Greek Schools Network]]'''

The Greek Schools' Network is the educational intranet of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs (www.ypepth.gr), which interlinks all schools and provides basic and advanced telematic services. Thus, it contributes to the creation of a new generation of educational communities, which takes advantage of the new Informatics' and Communication Technologies in the educational procedure.
The implementation of the Greek Schools' Network is funded by the Framework Programme for the Information Society , in close cooperation between the Ministry of Education as well as 12 Research Centers and Highest Education Institutes, specialized in network and Internet technologies.
Educational Exploitation of the Greek Schools Network
The current design and implementation of the Greek Schools Network focuses in providing useful services to all members of the basic and middle education community, fulfilling among others the following goals:
* Access to telecommunication and informatics services
* Access to digitized educational material
* Distance learning, e-learning
* Encourage collaboration
* Information and opinion exchange
* Conduct of thematic discussions, seminars, lectures, etc.
* Access to digital library services
* Communication and Cooperation of all educational degrees
* Communication with European educa-tional networks
* Facilitate complimentary educational programs
* Provide education to individuals with special needs or disabilities
* Inform, educate, entertain

== Lessons learnt ==

== References ==

* [http://www.gnto.gr/pages.php?pageID=14&langID=2 Hellenic Republic - Ministry of Tourism - Greek National Tourism Organisation – General Information ]
* [http://europa.eu/abc/european_countries/eu_members/greece/index_en.htm Europe – Gateway to the European Union]
* [http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page?_pageid=1996,39140985&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&screen=detailref&language=en&product=REF_TB_population&root=REF_TB_population/t_popula/t_pop/t_demo_gen/tps00001 Eurostat - Data on Population]
* [http://www.parlalex.it/documentazione/gre.rtf Greek Constitution]
* [http://promitheas.iacm.forth.gr/i-curriculum/Assets/Docs/NatReports/Greek%20Report.pdf Greek Educational System – The implementation of ICT in the Greek Curriculum in Compulsory Education – IACM/FORTH, November 2003]
* [http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/ressources/eurydice/eurybase/pdf/0_integral/EL_EN.pdf Eurybase – The Educational System in Greece, 2005-2006, Eurydice, Directorate-General for Education and Culture]
* [http://www.cepes.ro/publications/pdf/Greece.pdf Kyriazis, Asderaki, Higher Education in Greece, UNESCO, 2008]
* [http://www.stat-athens.aueb.gr/~jpan/oecd-background-report.html Educational Policy Review – Background Report to OECD on education]
* [http://www.ypepth.gr/docs/site_apologismos_pepr.pdf Our Actions on Education, 2004-2007 (in Greek)]
* [http://www.infosoc.gr/infosoc/en-uk The official Greek portal for I.S.]
* [http://www.epractice.eu/resource/2037 Greece Information]
* Eurybase (The Information Database on Education Systems in Europe – The Educational System in Greece, 2005-2006, Directorate-General for Education and Culture
* Kontogiannopoulou-Polydorides, G. Mylonas, Th. Solomon, J., & Vergidis, D. (1994). “Greece: System of education.” In T.N. Postlethwaite International Encyclopedia of Education. Oxford: Pergamon.
* Koustourakis, G. (2006). An attempt formation of the framework for the organization and functioning of the Hellenic Open University: A sociological approach. [In Greek]. In A. Lionarakis (Ed). Open and Distance Education: Elements of theory and praxis (pp. 42-77). Athens: Propobos.
* Koustourakis, G., Panagiotakopoulos, C., & Vergidis, D. 2008. A Contribution to the Hellenic Open University: Evaluation of the pedagogical practices and the use of ICT on distance education. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning [Online] 9:2. Available: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/424
* Soutas, Andreopoulou, Ipsilandis “[http://www.onlined.org/papers/000185.pdf Distance Learning in Higher Education and Perspectives in Greece]”
* Vergidis, D., & Panagiotakopoulos, C. 2002. Student Dropout at the Hellenic Open University: Evaluation of the Graduate Program, "Studies in Education". [http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/101/563 The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning]

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[[Category:Greece| ]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:European Union]]
[[Category:OECD]]

Programmes

2009-06-05T12:48:23Z

Roman: /* European (in the sense of EU, EEA and Switzerland) */

''The following list includes the lists of institutions which [[The e-University Compendium]] and the UNESCO [http://www.unesco.org/iiep/virtualuniversity/linksliste.php IIEP List] feel are worthy of consideration as virtual universities. In a next phase, we have also included many of the accredited open universities around the world, and virtual elearning initiatives mentioned in other research projects or relevant sources of information.'' You can have a look at our [[original list of programmes.]] For all sources of information please check our [[Publications]] Page

We present the Interesting programmes here as European versus Rest of The World. We appreciate that reaching a common agreement as to what constitutes ‘Europe’ is quite a complex task and one which reaches beyond the boundaries of a European Project like Re.ViCa. We have therefore taken the decision as a project team to use a definition of Europe that fits between a narrow definition of Europe as being made up of the 27 member states of the European Union and the broader geographic definition of Europe. We define Europe for the purposes of our work in Re.ViCa as including the countries of the EU, EEA and Switzerland. This means that the ‘Rest of the World’ refers to all countries which do not fall within this definition of Europe. Each Notable e-Learning Initiative is categorized and you can find per entry, to what category they belong. If you click on the category, you can find all other initiatives that belong to that category. You can find for example all "distance universities" or "national initiatives".

== European (in the sense of EU, EEA and Switzerland) ==
# [[Aalborg University]], [[Denmark]]
# [[Aarhus University]], [[Denmark]]
# [[Academy of Performing Arts in Prague]], [[Czech Republic]]
# [[Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie]], [[AUF]], [[France]]
# [[AKAD Privat-Hochschulen]], [[Germany]]
# [[Apertus Foundation]], [[Hungary]]
# [[Aristotle University of Thessaloniki]], [[Greece]]
# [[Athens University of Economics and Business]], [[Greece]]
# [[Bavarian Virtual University]] ([[Virtuelle Universität Bayern]]), [[Germany]]
# [[Budapest University of Technology and Economics]], [[Hungary]]
# [[Bulgarian Virtual University]] ([[BVU]]), [[Bulgaria]]
# [[Business Academy West]], [[Denmark]]
# [[CAmpus Numerique en Economie-GEstion]] ([[CANEGE]]), [[France]]
# [[Campus Numériques Français - Part 2 : ENT]], [[France]]
# [[Campus Numériques Français - Part1]], [[France]]
# [[Canal U]], [[France]]
# [[Central European University]], [[Hungary]]
# [[Centre National d'Enseignement à Distance]] ([[CNED]]), [[France]]
# [[Clyde Virtual University]] ([[CVU]]), [[Scotland]]
# [[College of European and Regional Studies]], [[Czech Republic]]
# [[College of Nursing and Midwifery]], [[Czech Republic]]
# [[Copenhagen University College of Engineering]], [[Denmark]]
# [[Czech Technical University in Prague]], [[Czech Republic]]
# [[Danish Virtual University]], [[Denmark]]
# [[Dennis Gabor Applied University]] ([[DGAU]]), [[Hungary]]
# [[Distance and International Study Center]] ([[DISC]]), TU Kaiserslautern, [[Germany]]
# [[Distance Education Study Centre]] ([[DESC]]), [[Latvia]]
# [[Dublin City University]], [[Ireland]]
# [[Dutch Digital University]], ([[DDU]])
# [[E-Campus Telematic University]], [[Italy]]
# [[EDEN]], [[Hungary]]
# [[Engineering College of Aarhus]], [[Denmark]]
# [[Eötvös Lóránt University]], [[Hungary]]
# [[Erasmus University College Brussels]], ([[EhB]]), [[Belgium]]
# [[Estonian Business School Open University]], [[Estonia]]
# [[Estonian e-Learning Development Centre]], [[Estonia]]
# [[Estonian e-University]], [[Estonia]]
# [[Estonian e-Vocational School]], [[Estonia]]
# [[Estonian Information Technology Foundation]], [[EITSA]], [[Estonia]]
# [[Eszterházy Károly College]], [[Hungary]]
# [[Europäische Fernhochschule Hamburg]] [[Germany]]
# [[European University Viadrina]], [[Germany]]
# [[Fédération Interuniversitaire de l'Enseignement à Distance]] - [[FIED]]
# [[Fernfachhochschule Schweiz]], [[Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences]], [[FFHS]], [[Switzerland]]
# [[FernUniversität Hagen]], [[Germany]]
# [[Finnish Online University of Applied Sciences]], [[VirtuaaliAMK]], [[Finland]]
# [[Finnish Virtual University]], [[FVU]], [[Finland]]
# [[The Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz]], [[Switzerland]]
# [[Ghent University Association]] ([[AUGent]]), [[Belgium]]
# [[Ghent University]] ([[UGent]]), [[Belgium]]
# [[Global Virtual University]] - and see in particular [[University of Agder]], [[Norway]]
# [[Gotland University]], [[Sweden]]
# [[Greek Pedagogical Institute]]
# [[Guglielmo Marconi Telematic University]], [[Italy]]
# [[Hamburger Fernhochschule]] [[Germany]]
# [[Hellenic Open University]] ([[HOU]]), [[Greece]]
# [[Henley Management College]], [[England]]
# [[Hibernia College]], [[Ireland]]
# [[Hochschulverbund Virtuelle Fachhochschule]], [[Switzerland]]
# [[Interactive University]], [[Scotland]]
# [[International Business Academy]] ([[IBA]]), [[Denmark]]
# [[International Telematic University UNINETTUNO]], [[Italy]]
# [[IT University West]] ([[Denmark]])
# [[IT-University of Copenhagen]] ([[Denmark]])
# [[Jutland University College]], [[Denmark]]
# [[KTH Royal Institute of Technology]], [[Sweden]]
# [[learndirect]], [[UK]]
# [[Leidse Onderwijsinstellingen]], [[LOI]], [[Netherlands]]
# [[Lithuanian Virtual University]], [[Lithuania]]
# [[Lübeck University of Applied Sciences]], [[Germany]]
# [[Lund University]] NetUniversity, [[Sweden]]
# [[MegaTrends]], [[Hungary]]
# [[Middlesex University]] Global Campus, [[UK]]
# [[Mid Sweden University]]
# [[MTA SZTAKI Computer and Automation Research Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences]], [[Hungary]]
# [[NBPortal.pl]], [[Poland]]
# [[Networked University]], [[Norway]]
# [[NHSU]], the ''National Health Service University'', [[UK]]
# [[NKI Internet College]], [[Norway]] - a [[Megaprovider]]
# [[NKS Nettstudier]], [[Norway]]
# [[Norway Opening Universities]] ([[NOU]]) - an agency - [[Norway]]
# [[Norwegian Networked University]] ([[NVU]]) - a universities association - [[Norway]]
# [[oncampus]], [[Germany]]
# [[Open Estonia Foundation]], [[OEF]], [[Estonia]]
# [[Open Universiteit Nederland]] - a [[Megaprovider]]
# [[Open University]] of the [[United Kingdom]] - a [[Megaprovider]]
# [[OSCAIL]], [[Ireland]]
# [[Pandeion University for Social and Political Sciences]], [[Greece]]
# [[Pegaso Telematic University]], [[Italy]]
# [[Peoples Open Access Educational Initiative]] ([[Peoples-uni]]), [[UK]]
# [[Polish Virtual University]], [[PUW]], [[Poland]]
# [[Robert Gordon University]], [[Scotland]]
# [[Roskilde University]], [[Denmark]]
# [[Scottish Knowledge]], [[UK]]
# [[Sheffield Hallam University]], [[UK]]
# [[Silesian University of Technology]], [[Poland]]
# [[Staffordshire University]], [[UK]]
# [[Sulinet Digital Knowledge Base]], [[SDT]] [[Hungary]]
# [[Swedish Net University]], [[Sweden]]
# [[Swiss Virtual Campus]], [[Switzerland]]
# [[SZÁMALK Education and Information Technology Ltd.]], [[Hungary]]
# [[Tallinn University]], [[Estonia]]
# [[Tallinn University of Technology]], [[Estonia]]
# [[Technical University of Graz]], [[Austria]]
# [[The National & Kapodistrian University of Athens]], [[Greece]]
# [[Tiger Leap Foundation]], [[TLF]], [[Estonia]]
# [[Tiger University Program]], [[Estonia]]
# [[UHI Millennium Institute]], [[Scotland]]
# [[UKeU]], [[UK]]
# [[Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia]] ([[UNED]]), [[Spain]] - a [[Megaprovider]]
# [[Universidade Aberta]], [[Uab]], [[Portugal]] - a [[Megaprovider]]
# [[Universidade Católica Portuguesa]], [[Portugal]]
# [[Universidade de Aveiro]], [[Portugal]]
# [[Universidade do Minho]], [[Portugal]]
# [[Universidade do Porto]], [[UP]], [[Portugal]]
# [[Universitat Oberta de Catalunya]], [[Catalonia]] - a [[Megaprovider]]
# [[Université Virtuelle en Pays de la Loire ]], [[France]]
# [[Université Virtuelle Francophone]] ([[Virtual Francophone University]])
# [[Universités numériques en région : UNR]], [[France]]
# [[Universités Numériques Thématiques : UNT]], [[UNT]], [[France]]
# [[University College Copenhagen]], [[Denmark]]
# [[University College Lillebaelt]], [[Denmark]]
# [[University College of Northern Denmark]], [[Denmark]]
# [[University College Sealand]], [[Denmark]]
# [[University College South]], [[Denmark]]
# [[University of the Aegean]], [[Greece]]
# [[University of Agder]], [[Norway]]
# [[University of Copenhagen]], [[Denmark]]
# [[University of Gavle]], [[Sweden]]
# [[University of Ioannina]], [[Greece]]
# [[University of Liverpool]] Online Education [[UK]]
# [[University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki]], [[Greece]]
# [[University of Miskolc]], [[Hungary]]
# [[University of Oslo]], [[Norway]]
# [[University of Piraeus]], [[Greece]]
# [[University of Porto, Faculty of Engineering]], [[FEUP]], [[Portugal]]
# [[University of Southern Denmark]], [[Denmark]]
# [[University of Tartu]], [[Estonia]]
# [[University of Thessaly]], [[Greece]]
# [[University of Ulster]] Campus One, [[Northern Ireland]], [[UK]] - a [[Megaprovider]]
# [[University of West Hungary]], [[Hungary]]
# [[Vrije Universiteit Brussel]] ([[VUB]]), [[Belgium]]
# [[Warsaw University Centre for Open and Multimedia Education]] ([[COME]] ), [[Poland]]
# [[Wilhelm Büchner Hochschule]], [[Germany]]
# [[Zentralstelle für Fernstudien an Fachhochschulen]] ([[ZFH]]), [[Germany]]

=== Virtual Campuses (VC) supported by the European Commission ===

==== Running projects (until end of 2009)====
# [[E-learning in Distributed Data Network Laboratory]] ([[EdiNet]])
# [[European Teachers and Trainers campus]] ([[eTT.Campus]])
# [[History On Line]]
# [[OIKODOMOS: a virtual campus to promote the study of dwelling in contemporary Europe]]
# [[Virtual Campus for A Sustainable Europe]] ([[VCSE]])
# [[Virtual Campus for Digital Students]] ([[ViCaDiS]])
# [[Virtual Campus for SMEs in a Multicultural Milieu]]
# [[Virtual Campus on Post-master Studies in Architecture]] ([[e-archidoct]])
# [[Web-based health Organisations Learning Environment]] ([[WHOLE]])

==== Ceased activities ====
# [[European Master in Comparative Urban Studies]] ([[e-URBs]])

==== Virtual Campus beyond EU Funding ====
# [[European Virtual Campus for Biomedical Engineering]] ([[EVICAB]]):The project was funded by the European Commission for two years from 1.1.2006 till 31.12.2007. At present the funding id provided by other sources.
# [[League of European Research Universities virtual campus]] ([[e-LERU]])
# [[Law & ICT Shared Virtual Campus]] ([[LAW&ICT]])

==== Ceased? ====
# [[Bio-eTrain]]
# [[Multiple intelligences instructional design framework for virtual classes]]
# [[Reuse and Sharing of e-Learning Courses in GI Science Education]] ([[eduGI]])
# [[VIrtual campus for virtual space design Provided for european Architects]] ([[VIPA]])
# [[New e-learning Environment for European SME's Employees]] ([[CREATEL]])
# [[Virtual COPERNICUS-CAMPUS]]
# [[Virtual European Banking School]] ([[VEBS]])
# [[ICT Platform for Online Learning and Experiences Accreditation in the Mobility Programme]] ([[PLATO]])
# [[Erasmus Virtual Economics & Management Studies Exchange]] ([[EVENE]])

== Rest of the World ==

# [[Africa University Virtual Classroom]], [[Zimbabwe]]
# [[African Virtual University]] ([[AVU]])
# [[Al-Balqa' Applied University]], [[Jordan]]
# [[Allama Iqbal Open University]] ([[AIOU]]), [[Pakistan]]
# [[Al-Quds Open University]], [[Palestine]]
# [[Al-Quds University]], [[Palestine]]
# [[American InterContinental University]] ([[AIU]]), [[US]]
# [[Anadolu University]], [[Turkey]]
# [[Anna Maria College]], [[US]]
# [[Arab American University for Distance Learning]], [[Jordan]] - not operational?
# [[Arab Open University]] ([[AOU]])
# [[ASEAN Virtual University]]
# [[Asia International Open University]] (AIOU), [[Macao]]
# [[Assumption University]], [[Thailand]]
# [[Athabasca University]], [[Canada]]
# [[Auckland University of Technology]] ([[AUT]]), [[New Zealand]]
# [[Bangladesh Open University]] ([[BOU]])
# [[BCcampus]], [[Canada]]
# [[Beijing Foreign Studies University]] ([[BFSU]]), [[China]]
# [[Beijing Normal University]] ([[BNU]]), [[China]]
# [[Beijing Radio & TV University]] ([[BTVU]]), [[China]]
# [[Beirut University Online]], [[Lebanon]]
# [[Best Virtual Universities Organisation]] - an intriguing association with a seemingly close relationship to UNESCO IIEP
# [[British Columbia Open University]] ([[BCOU]]), [[Canada]]
# [[California Virtual Campus]] ([[CVC]]), [[US]]
# [[California Virtual University]], [[US]]
# [[Campus Numerique Francophone de Dakar]], [[Senegal]]
# [[Campus Virtual de Salud Publica]]
# [[Canadian Virtual University]] ([[CVU]])
# [[Capella University]], [[US]]
# [[Cardean University]], [[US]] - merged into Ellis College
# [[Carnegie Mellon University]], [[US]]
# [[Cederj]], [[Brazil]]
# [[Charles Sturt University]] ([[CSU]]), [[Australia]]
# [[China Central Radio & TV University]] ([[CCRTVU]])
# [[Chinhoyi University of Technology]], [[Zimbabwe]]
# [[Colorado University Online]], [[US]]
# [[Corinthian Colleges]], [[US]]
# [[Curtin University of Technology]], [[Australia]]
# [[CVA-RICESU]], [[Brazil]]
# [[Cyber U]], [[Hong Kong]]
# [[Deakin University]], [[Australia]]
# [[DeVry University]], [[US]]
# [[Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University]] ([[BRAOU]]), [[India]]
# [[Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University]], [[India]]
# [[Drexel University Online]], [[US]]
# [[Duke University]], [[US]]
# [[Dunia Moja]],[[South Africa]]
# [[DUOC UC]], [[Chile]]
# [[Early Childhood Development Virtual University]] ([[ECDVU]]), [[Canada]]
# [[e-Berkeley]], [[US]]
# [[eCampus Alberta]], [[Canada]]
# [[eChina]] e-learning collaboration between [[UK]] and [[China]]
# [[ECOESAD]], [[Mexico]]
# [[e-Cornell]], [[US]]
# [[Edith Cowan University]], [[Australia]]
# [[Egyptian E-Learning University]]
# [[e-Learnz]], [[New Zealand]]
# [[e-TQM College]], [[Dubai]] - see [[Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University]]
# [[Euclid University]]
# [[Ewha Womans University]], [[South Korea]]
# [[Faculdade Pitágoras]], [[Brazil]]
# [[FATECE]], [[Brazil]]
# [[Fathom.com]], [[US]]
# [[FGV Online]], [[Brazil]]
# [[Fisheries College, Bac Ninh]] ([[FC]]), [[Vietnam]]
# [[Florida Community College]], [[US]]
# [[FUNIBER Virtual Campus]], [[Brazil]]
# [[Gama Virtual Campus UGF]], [[Brazil]]
# [[Georgia G.L.O.B.E.]], [[US]]
# [[Georgia Virtual Technical College]], [[US]]
# [[Global University Alliance]] - several meanings
# [[Hanoi Open University]], [[Vietnam]]
# [[Hanyang Cyber University]] ([[HYCU]]), [[Korea]]
# [[Harvard University Extension School]], [[US]]
# [[Hashemite University]], [[Jordan]]
# [[Health Sciences University of Mongolia]]
# [[Henan Radio & TV University]] ([[HNRTVU]])
# [[Ho Chi Minh City Open University]] ([[HCMCOU]]), [[Vietnam]]
# [[Hong Kong Polytechnic University]] Cyber U
# [[Hong Kong University]] - high-echelon but possible
# [[ictQATAR]], [[Qatar]]
# [[Idaho Electronic Campus]], [[US]]
# [[Illinois Virtual Campus]], [[US]]
# [[Indira Gandhi National Open University]], [[India]]
# [[Inner Mongolia Radio & TV University]] ([[IMRTVU]])
# [[Institute of Information Technology]] ([[Vietnam]])
# Instituto Technologico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey - see [[Tecnológico de Monterrey]]
# [[International Cyber University]], [[South Korea]]
# [[Iranian Virtual University]]
# [[Isfehan Virtual University]] ([[Iran]])
# [[Jiangsu Radio & TV University]] ([[JSRTVU]])
# [[Jones International University]], [[US]]
# [[K. K. Handique State University]], [[India]]
# [[Kaplan College]], [[US]]
# [[Karnataka State Open University]] ([[KSOU]]), [[India]]
# [[Keio University]], [[Japan]]
# [[Keller Graduate School of Management]], [[US]]
# [[Kentucky Virtual University]], [[US]]
# [[Kenyatta University]], [[Kenya]]
# [[Klagenfurt University]], [[Austria]]
# [[Knowledge International University]], [[Saudi Arabia]]
# [[Korea National Open University]]
# [[Korea Virtual Campus]]
# [[Kota Open University]], [[India]] -- see [[Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University]]
# [[Lansbridge University]], [[Canada]]
# [[Laureate Education]], [[USA]]
# [[Lehigh University]], [[USA]]
# [[Mackenzie Presbyterian University]], [[Brazil]]
# [[Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University]] ([[MPBOU]]), [[India]]
# [[Massey University]], [[New Zealand]]
# [[Mediterranean Virtual University]]
# [[Michigan State University]], [[US]]
# [[Michigan Virtual University]], [[US]]
# [[MIT]], [[US]]
# [[Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics and Informatics]] ([[MESI]]), Russia
# [[Mount Royal College]], [[Canada]]
# [[Multimedia University]], [[Malaysia]]
# [[Nalanda Open University]], [[India]]
# [[Nanyang Technological University]], [[Singapore]]
# [[National Open University of Nigeria]]
# [[National Open University]], [[Taiwan]]
# [[National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning]] ([[NPTEL]]), [[India]]
# [[National University of Science and Technology]] ([[NUST]]), [[Zimbabwe]]
# [[National University of Singapore]]
# [[Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University]] ([[NMMU]]), [[South Africa]]
# [[Netaji Subhas Open University]] ([[NSOU]]), [[India]]
# [[NetVarsity]], [[India]]
# [[New Jersey Virtual University]], [[US]]
# [[NextEd]]
# [[North-West University]] ([[NWU]]), [[South Africa]]
# [[Nova Southeastern University]], [[US]]
# [[Old Dominion University]], [[US]]
# [[Online CSU]], [[US]]
# [[Online University Consortium]]
# [[Open Learning Agency]] ([[OLA]]), [[Canada]]
# [[Open Polytechnic of New Zealand]]
# [[Open Training and Education Network]] ([[OTEN]]), [[Australia]]
# [[Open Universities Australia]] -- formerly Open Learning Australia
# [[Open University of Brazil]] - a.k.a. [[Universidade Aberta do Brasil]]
# [[Open University of Hong Kong]] ([[OUHK]])
# [[Open University of Israel]] ([[OUI]])
# [[Open University of Japan]] ([[OUJ]])
# [[Open University of Libya]]
# [[Open University of Malaysia]]
# [[Open University of Sri Lanka]] ([[OUSL]])
# [[Open University of Sudan]] ([[OUS]])
# [[Open University of Tanzania]] ([[OUT]])
# [[Otago University]], [[New Zealand]]
# [[Pakistan Virtual University]]
# [[Payame Noor University]] ([[PNU]]), [[Iran]]
# [[Penn State World Campus]], [[US]]
# [[Phnom Penh International University]], [[Cambodia]]
# [[Polivirtual]], [[Mexico]]
# [[Polytechnic University of the Philippines]] ([[PUP OUS]]), [[Philippines]]
# [[Pt. Sunderlal Sharma Open University]] ([[PSSOU]]), [[India]]
# [[Punjab Technical University Virtual Campus]], [[India]]
# [[PurpleTrain.com]]
# [[Ramkhamhaeng University]], [[Thailand]]
# [[Rio Salado College]], [[US]]
# [[RMIT]], [[Australia]]
# [[Royal Roads University]], [[Canada]]
# [[Samtse College of Education]], [[Bhutan]]
# [[Savannah College of Art and Design]], [[US]]
# [[Seoul Digital University]], [[South Korea]]
# [[Shaanxi Radio & TV University]] ([[SXRTVU]]), [[China]]
# [[Shanghai TV University]] ([[STVU]] or [[SHTVU]]), [[China]]
# [[Shenyang Radio & TV University]] ([[SYTVU]]), [[China]]
# [[Shinshu University]], [[Japan]]
# [[Shiraz Virtual University]], [[Iran]]
# [[Sichuan Radio & TV University]] ([[SRTVU]]) or ([[SCRTVU]]), [[China]]
# [[SIM University]] [[(UniSIM)]], [[Singapore]]
# [[Simon Fraser University]] ([[SFU]]), [[Canada]]
# [[Sokoine University of Agriculture]], [[Tanzania]]
# [[Southern Institute of Technology]], [[New Zealand]]
# [[Southern Regional Electronic Board]] ([[SREB]]), [[USA]]
# [[St. Petersburg College]], [[USA]]
# [[Stanford University]], [[USA]]
# [[Strayer University Online]]
# [[Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University]] ([[STOU]]), [[Thailand]]
# [[Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University]], [[Thailand]]
# [[Syrian Virtual University]] ([[SVU]])
# [[TAFE Open Learning]], [[Australia]]
# [[Tamil Nadu Open University]] ([[TNOU]]), [[India]]
# [[TechBC]], [[Canada]]
# [[Technikon SA]], [[South Africa]]
# [[Tecnológico de Monterrey]], [[Mexico]]
# [[Tehran Virtual University]], [[Iran]]
# [[Tele-Universite de Quebec ]], [[Quebec]]
# [[Temple University]] Online Learning (OLL) Program, [[USA]]
# [[The Global Open University of Zambia]] ([[TGOU]])
# [[Theological College of Zimbabwe]]
# [[Thompson Rivers University]], [[Canada]]
# [[Tianjin Radio & TV University]] ([[TJRTVU]]), [[China]]
# [[Tohoku University]], [[Japan]]
# [[Tshwane University of Technology]], [[South Africa]]
# [[Tsinghua University]], [[China]]
# [[U.P. Rajarshi Tandon Open University]] ([[UPRTOU]]), [[India]]
# [[UC-Berkeley Extension]], [[USA]]
# [[UMassOnline]], [[US]]
# [[UNIACC]], [[Chile]]
# [[UNISA Online Campus]], [[South Africa]]
# [[United Nations University Online Learning]]
# [[United States Open University]]
# [[Universidad de Guadalajara]] (UDGVirtual) [[Mexico]]
# [[Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia]] ([[UNAD]]), [[Colombia]]
# [[Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México]] ([[UNAM]])
# [[Universidad Tecnica Particular de Loja]] ([[UTPL]]), [[Ecuador]]
# [[Universidad Virtual de Quilmes]], [[Argentina]]
# [[Universidad Virtual de Salud de Cuba]]
# [[Universidade de Brasilia Centro de Educação a Distância]], [[Brazil]]
# [[Universidade Virtual do Centro-Oeste]], [[Brazil]]
# [[Universidade Virtual Publica do Brasil]]
# [[Universitas 21 Global]], [[Singapore]]
# [[Universitas Terbuka]], [[Indonesia]]
# [[Universiti Sains Malaysia]]
# [[Universiti Teknologi MARA]], [[Malaysia]]
# [[Universiti Tun Abdul Razak]] ([[UNITAR]]), [[Malaysia]]
# [[University of the Andes]], [[Colombia]]
# [[University of the Arctic]]
# [[University of Bahrain]]
# [[University of Baltimore]], [[US]]
# [[University of British Columbia]], [[Canada]]
# [[University of Cape Town]], [[South Africa]]
# [[University of Central Florida]], [[US]]
# [[University of Colombo School of Computing]] ([[UCSC]]), [[Sri Lanka]]
# [[University of Dar es Salaam]], [[Tanzania]]
# [[University of the Free State]] ([[UFS]]), [[South Africa]]
# [[University of Guelph Open Online]], [[Canada]]
# [[University of Illinois Global Campus]], [[US]]
# [[University of Illinois Online]], [[US]]
# [[University of Kentucky]], [[US]]
# [[University of KwaZulu-Natal]], [[South Africa]]
# [[University of Maryland University College]] (UMUC), [[US]]
# [[University of New Brunswick]], [[Canada]]
# [[University of New England (US)]], [[US]] - unrelated to Australian UNE
# [[University of New England]], [[Australia]]
# [[University of Ostrava]], [[Czech Republic]]
# [[University of the People]]
# [[University of the Philippines Open University]]
# [[University of Phoenix Online]], [[US]]
# [[University of Pretoria]] ([[UP]]), [[South Africa]]
# [[University of Qatar]]
# [[University of Southern Maine]], [[USA]]
# [[University of Southern Queensland]], [[Australia]]
# [[University of the South Pacific Online Learning]]
# [[University of Waikato Online Learning]], [[New Zealand]]
# [[University of the West Indies]]
# [[University of Wisconsin Extension]], [[US]]
# [[University of Zambia]]
# [[UT Telecampus]], University of Texas System, [[US]]
# [[Uttaranchal Open University]], [[India]]
# [[UVB Campus]], [[Brazil]]
# [[Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University]] ([[VMOU]]), [[India]]
# [[Virtual Global University]]
# [[Virtual University for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises]]
# [[Virtual University of Tunisia]] - ''possible case study''
# [[Walden University]], [[US]]
# [[Waseda University]], [[Japan]]
# [[Wawasan Open University]], [[Malaysia]]
# [[Western Governors University]], [[US]]
# [[Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University]] ([[YCMOU]]), [[India]]
# [[Yunnan Radio & TV University]] ([[YRTVU]]), [[China]]
# [[Zimbabwe Open University]] ([[ZOU]])

'''Also note the list of [[Suspect Providers]].'''

== Interesting Networks ==
# [[EADTU]], the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities
# [[EDEN]], a European Association of universities active in e-learning
# [[EuroPACE]], a European Association of universities active in e-learning
# [[Greek Schools Network]], [[Greece]]
# [[KHiS]], [[Sweden]]
# [[Mediterranean Network of Universities]]
# [[NETTUNO]], [[Italy]]

See also [[Abbreviations]].
Other reports that provide good information on programmes to select for further consideration include:

* [http://www.nshu.se/english/page/4713/reports.htm Reports from Swedish Net Agency study trips]
* [[E-learning_Progress_at_Ain-Shams_University]] - a list of virtual universities by region
* [http://ec.europa.eu/education/archive/elearning/doc/studies/market_annex1a_en.pdf The eLearning industry and market in Europe - Lot 1: Appendix to Synthesis Report] by Jane Massy

----
> [[Countries]]
 
> [[Case studies]]
 
>> [[Main Page]]

Greece

2009-06-05T12:46:33Z

Roman: /* Interesting Programmes */

== Partners situated in Greece ==

None.

== Greece in a nutshell ==

[[Image:Greece_map.jpg|right]]
GREECE (Ελλάδα – Elláda) officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkanic Peninsula and it includes more than 2000 islands situated in Ionian and Aegean Seas and it has a total surface area of 131,957 km2. Greece is a parliamentary republic and it’s considered as the cradle of the western culture and thought. Greece is a member of the European Union since 1981, of the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union since 2001and also a member of NATO from 1952.

Athens is the capital of Greece and Thessaloniki, Patras, Heraklion, Volos, Ioannina, Larissa e Kavala are some of the most important cities of the country.

As of January 2008, the population of Greece is estimated at 11,262,000 by Eurostat : the 58,8% lives in the urban areas and only the 28,4% in rural areas.

The official language is the Modern Greek that is spoken by the 98.5% of population; moreover, there are some Slavic and Turkish minorities.

The widespread religion is the Orthodox Christian and the relationship between State and Church are regulated by the Third Article of the Greek Constitution.

Greece is divided in 13 perifereies (περιφέρειες) – Attica, Central Greece, Central Macedonia, Crete, East Macedonia e Thrace, Epirus, Ionian Island, North Aegean, Peloponnese, South Aegean, Thessaly, West Greece, West Macedonia – subdivided into a total of fifty-one prefectures called nomos.
Greece is a Parliamentary Republic thanks to the Referendum of the 8th December 1974.

The President of the Republic, who is considered the edge of the state, is elected by the Parliament for a five-years terms, only for two mandate.
The Greek Constitution, formed by 120 articles, foresee the separation of the three powers: executive, legislative and judiciary.
The executive power is exercised by the President of the Republic and by the Government. The President of the Republic is the commandant in chief of the armed forces and he presides over the Defense Council.
The civil authority of the armed forces is the Ministry of the national defence. The President of the Republic appoints the Prime Minister and the other Cabinet members.
Legislative power is exercised by a The legislative power is exercised by a 300-member elective unicameral Parliament (Vouli ton Ellinon) : elections are held every four years by universal suffrage through a complex proportional system, with barrage at 3%.
The judiciary power is independent from the executive and legislative and it comprehends three Supreme Court: the Court of Cassation (Άρειος Πάγος), the Council of State (Συμβούλιο της Επικρατείας) and the Curt of Auditors (Ελεγκτικό Συνέδριο).
Greece has a multiparty system, dominated by two principles political party: the liberal-conservative New Democracy (ND), actually in power, and the social-democratic Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK).

== Greece education policy ==

During the 19th century, have been implemented in Greece, many reforms in the education field, in relation to the structure of the system, the national curriculum and the language used for education. In 1975 the Constitution has established the new paradigm of education legislation that was introduced through the reform of the education system, one year later, in 1976. The reform in question has established a common language for education, has reformed the education division between primary, secondary and tertiary education and emphasized the modernization of curricula and the improvement of the administration and monitoring of education.
The second period of reforms of the education system began in the mid-nineties and the third period in early 21 century, between 2004 and 2006. This reform, introduced important changes, like the creation of the Foundation of International University of Greece, the reform of secondary vocational training, the introduction of a new law for the assessment of education and legislative actions in relation to lifelong learning area.

In the Greek Constitution, education is identified as a responsibility of the state. The majority of Greek citizens attend public schools, in fact, there are few private schools that are supervised by the Ministry of Education. The Minister has a centralized control on state schools, sets educational curricula, he manages the staff and monitors the funds.
At regional level the role of supervisor of the Minister is done through the Regional Councils for Primary and Secondary Education that operate in every prefecture. The tertiary institutions are almost totally autonomous, even if the Minister is responsible for funding. In accordance with Article 16 of the Greek constitution, education, both moral, intellectual, occupational and physical, is a basic mission for the state, with the aim of developing a national and religion conscience and provide adequate training to the future citizens.

The basic legislation is included in the following:

* Constitution 2001 (Article16).
* Law 682/1977: “About the private schools and boarding houses”.
* Law 1566/1985: “Structure and Operation of Primary and Secondary Education and other Stipulations”.
* Law 2817/2000: “Regional Directorates of Education”.
* Law 2916/2001: “Structure of Higher Education and settlement of issues in the Technological Sector”.
* Law 2986/2002: “Organisation of Regional Services of Primary and Secondary Education, assessment of teaching task and staff, teachers’ in service training and other stipulations”.
* Law 3027/2002: “Regulations concerning the Organisation of School Buildings for Higher Education and other stipulations”.
* Ministerial Decisions 21072α/Γ2/ Official Journal 303 v.B’/13-3-2003 and 21072β/Γ2/ Official Journal 304v.B’/13-3-2003, “Cross-Curricular Thematic Framework and Curricula of Primary and Secondary Education”.
* Law 3255/2004: “Regulations for Issues of all Educational Levels”.
* Law 3369/2005: “Systematisation of Lifelong Learningand other stipulations”.
* Law 3467/2005: “Selection of primary and secondary education teachers, regulations for Administration and Education issues and other stipulations”.
* Law 3475/2006: “Organization of secondary vocational education and other provisions”.
* Law 3549/2007: “Reform of the institutional framework concerning the structure and function of the higher education institutes”.

More recently legislation interventions made in the period 2000-2001 include :
# Improvements have been made to the 1997/98 reform, regarding the access system to Higher Education and the hiring of educators. In the case of the first one notes a less rigid textbook based assessment system which exhibits features of analysis, association, critical thinking etc. in this regard one can claim that attempts are made to reach congruency between the curriculum and its contents and the assessment for access to higher education system.
# Legislation regarding the fields of Special Education, decentralisation of education, training and evaluation of educators has been reformed (Law 2986/2002).
# Technological Education Institutes have been upgraded by being incorporated in Higher Education which now consists of two parallel sectors namely: the University and the Technological ones. (Law 2916/2001).

The specific changes introduced into the education system with the Greek Reform of 2007 include:
The establishment of Unified Upper Secondary School (Eniaio Lykeio) which is gradually replacing all other existing types of upper secondary school (lykeio);
The procedure for admission to higher education has been changed, with emphasis on the assessment of pupils in the second and third degree of lykeio;
The duration of kindergartens and primary schools has been stretched because it will gradually move to full-time;
Second Chance Schools have been created specifically for teens who have already completed 18 years and have not yet completed the compulsory school;
The design of a common curriculum for both primary and secondary education

A focal point of educational policy is the idea that education is a social resource and a right for every citizen. Based on laws passed by Parliament for each educational level, the State intends to render more democratic the whole process of education, decentralizing it, ensuring the participation of those who are directly involved in the process, raising the quality level provided and applying the principle of merit principle in the recruitment of specific staff . Compared to European data Greece isn’t investing many resources to fund educational projects: in fact, the percentage of GDP granted to education in 2005 was 3.98% . Also the other percentage rates are lower than the European average.

[[Image:Greece_GDP_Edu_exp.jpg|center]]

The current reform (Law 3549/2007: "Reform of the institutional framework concerning the structure and function of the higher education institutes") will be discussed extensively later, in paragraph “Higher Education Reform”.

== Greece education system ==

[[Image:Greece_Edu_struct.jpg|right]]

Education system in Greece is subdivided in 4 levels:
* Pre-primary Education: nipiagogeio (preschool);
* Primary Education: dimotiko Scholeio (primary school);
* Secondary Education: gymnasio (Lower Secondary School), geniko lykeio (General upper Secondary School), epaggelmatiko lykeio – EPAL (Vocational Lyceum/ EPA.L), TEE (Technical Vocational Schools / TEE) and epaggelmatiki scoli – EPAS (Vcational Educational Training Schools / EPAS);
* Higher Eduation: Panepistimia/AEI (University), Technologika Ekpaideftika Idrymata / TEI (Technological Education Institutes) and the School of Fine Arts (ASKT) .

The education system in Greece ranges from 6 to 16 years old and normally include the primary school (demotiko) and secondary (Gymnasio).

=== Pre-primary Education ===
Law 1566/1985 determines all the details concerning the structure and organization of primary and secondary education. The same law provides that the pre-school education depends on the primary system and in this sense follows the regulations in place for Dimotiko Scholeio (primary school).
In particular, the pre-school education is provided by Nipiagogeia (Kindergartens) that operate independently or in specialized centres together with the state nursery school (children's centers). The frequency of nipiagogeio lasts 2 years and after the changes introduced in 2006, was made compulsory from 5 years of age. The issues concerning the organization of nipiagogeia are governed by decisions N° F27/148/G1/160/14-2-95 of the Minister of Education.
Since 1997 has been set up full time: Oloimero nipiagogeio (All-day kindergarten) was introduced by Law 2525/97. Finally, in relation to Article 73 of Law 3518/2006, the frequency at nipiagogeio begins from 4 years of age, becoming compulsory from 5 years onwards.
The nursery school (Παιδικός σταθμός, Paidikós Stathmós) starts at the age of two and a half years, in institutions both public and private. They are very popular, but attendance is not mandatory.

=== Primary education ===
Primary education is provided within the primary schools (scholeio), whether public or private. The primary schools are distributed all over the country, even in the remotest regions. Attendance is mandatory and there are no additional costs for school and for textbooks. The frequency in Dimotiko Scholeio lasts 6 years and includes levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The access is possible after having completed 6 years of age.
Oloimero Scholeio (All-day School) operate in parallel to the ordinary primary school, with an extended timetable and an enriched curriculum.
The current primary and secondary school structure was established in 1985 with the Law 1566: this law has instituted new procedures for the designing of new curricula and textbooks. This framework has been modified and enriched with new laws and presidential decrees.
There are also Idiotika nipiagogeia (private kindergartens) and idiotika scholeia operating under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and controlled by regional administrative bodies, just as in the case of public schools. They have the same organization and structure of state schools and qualifications equivalent to those issued in public.

=== Secondary education ===
Secondary education in Greece is divided into two levels: Compulsory Education and Higher Secondary Education.

'''Types of Institution'''
This subdivision describes the main types of educational institutions that are included in secondary education.
* Compulsory Secondary Education – Gymnasio
* Upper Secondary non-Compulsory Education - Geniko Lykeio
* Vocational Lyceum – EPAL (epaggelmatiko lykeio) | Vocational School – EPAS (epaggelmatiki scholi) | Technical Vocational Educational School - TEE (Technika Epangelmatika Ekpedeftiria) (secondary non-compulsory education)
* Post-Secondary non Tertiary Education – IEK (Institouta Epaggelmatikis Katartisis)

The compulsory secondary education is provided in Gymnasio, which lasts for 3 years: from 12 to 15 years of age.
The upper secondary education (not compulsory) is provided through two types of institutions: Geniko lykeio (General Lyceum / GL) and epaggelmatiko lykeio - EPAL (Vocational Lyceum). The frequency in both types of school lasts 3 years. There are also epaggelmatiki Scholar - EPAS (ΕΠΑΣ / SS), professional schools, the frequency of which lasts for 2 years.
With the Law 3475/2006 , it is determined that training is provided within the Vocational Lyceums (EPAL) and Vocational Schools (EPAS), which replaced the State Technical Vocational School (TEE), under the supervision of the Minister of Education and Religious Affairs. The change from the TEE to EPAL / EPAS was gradual and started in the academic year 2006-2007.
The duration of the course is 3 years and is divided into 3 levels of employment:
The first level includes 3 levels: I) Technology, II) Services, III) Naval;
The second includes Mechanical Engineering, Electrician, Electronics, Building Works, Information Science, Economics and Management, Health and Welfare, Agronomy, Food and the Environment.
The third level includes: General mechanical engineering, Car engineering, Electrical facilities, computer systems & networks electronic experts, Economics and Management employees, Tourist enterprises employees, assistant nurses, Medical & biological laboratories assistants, Pharmacy assistants, Food Technology & Control, Landscaping – Environment & Agro-tourism, Modern Business Agriculture, Merchant Marine Masters, Merchant Marine Engineers.

In addition, there are particular gymnasia and lykeia : religious, minorities, inter-cultural, music experimental and some special classes for pupils who need special education, called Secondary Special Needs Education Schools and Inclusion Classes (ΣΜΕΑ/SMEA). Other alternative secondary education are the School of Fine Arts, Sports Facilities Classes and Second Chance Schools. In state schools the attendance is free and textbooks are distributed free of charge by the state.
The post-secondary education (not university) includes Epaggelmatikis Instituta Katartisis-(IEK) - Vocational Training Institutes - which offer qualifications for employment and diplomas that certify the training received. In fact, this type of institutions provides a formal professional education with the possibility to receive a Certificate or a Diploma of Vocational Training, equivalent to that of professional schools (Vocational Lyceums - EPAL). This license allows entry into the working world in both the public and the private sector. These schools accept students both from Gymnasio and Lykeio. The Vocational Training Diploma of the Organization for Vocational Education and Training (OEEK) is now recognized as a formal qualification to apply for jobs, even in the public sector (Presidential Decree 50/2001, Government Gazette 39/A/5-3-2001 on Determination of appointment qualifications in posts of public sector bodies).

=== Private Education ===
In Greece there are secondary private institutions such as Gymnasia, Lykeia and TEE, but recently with Articles 9, 13 and 14 of Law 3475/2006 (Government Gazette 146/issue A/2006), were included also private Vocational Lykeia (EPAL) and Vocational Schools (EPAS): private EPAL and EPAS are organized and follow the same schedule of classes in public schools.
Furthermore, as established by Law 3475/2006, there are also private Gymnasia and Lykeia, that provide education for foreigners living in Greece, as established by the Act governing foreign schools. These schools may use a foreign education program, a Greek educational program or a mixed program, both foreign and Greek.
In addition, there are private Vocational Training Institutes (IEK), which are coordinated by the Organization for Vocational Education and Training (OEEK).

== Higher education ==

Higher education in Greece comprises two parallel sectors (Law 3549/2007, Article 2), university and technology. The university sector, including Universities (Ανώτατα Εκπαιδευτικά Ιδρύματα, Anótata Ekpaideytiká Idrýmata, "ΑΕΙ"), Polytechnics and Higher School of Fine Arts (ΑΣΚΤ / ASKT). The technology sector, includes Higher Technological Education Institutes (TEI) and School of Pedagogical and Technological Education.
The universities are fully self-administered legal entities of public law that are financed and supervised by the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs, in accordance with Article 16 of the Constitution.
Entry to these institutions depends on the performance of the examinations that are performed in the 3rd grade of secondary school.

=== Typologies of Greek higher education institutions ===

[[Image:Greece_HEdu_typology.jpg|left]]

The '''higher education sector''', including the AEI Universities, Polytechnics, the Higher School of Fine Arts (ΑΣΚΤ / ASKT) and the Hellenic Open University (EAP). The '''university sector''' of the secondary education includes Universities (A.E.I.), Polytechnics, Higher School of Fine Arts (ΑΣΚΤ/ASKT) and the Hellenic Open University (EAP).
These educational institutions are funded and under the control of the state: the supervision is exercised by the Minister of Education. In Greece there are 23 universities, including the Polytechnics, the Academy of Fine Arts and the Hellenic Open University (ΕΑΠ / EAP). A particular type of educational institution is the International University of Greece (ΔΙ.ΠΑ.Ε / DIPA), operating in Thessaloniki and it is an independent secondary education institution and completely self-administrated. This University is a legal entity of public law and its mission is to provide higher education to foreigners interested in studying in Greece. To carry out this mission, the International University organizes and promotes graduate and post-graduate programs of study, using distance teaching and learning. The courses last for approximately 4 years, with the exception of certain faculties where the course lasts even 5 or 6 years. The academic year consists of two semesters, with 13 weeks of lessons and three weeks of examinations. Students complete their course of study after 4 years if they pass the examination of both the compulsory and the optional subjects. At the end of the studies they obtain a Diploma or Degree in relation to the Faculty concerned. The Universities issue certificates in the following fields:

* Humanities, law and social sciences
* Sciences
* Health Sciences
* Technological Sciences
* Economic and Management Sciences.

The '''technology sector''' includes Technological Education Institutes (TEI) and Higher School for Teachers of Technological Education (ΑΣΠΑΙΤΕ / ASPA). In this area there is also the Higher Military Education Institute.
The Technological Education Institutes (TEI) are under the supervision of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs (ΥΠΕΠΘ / YPEPTH).
There currently are 15 TEI and a School for the technology and pedagogy education, in the whole country, and 95 specializations offered by TEI in the following fields:
* Graphic arts and artistic studies
* Administration and economics
* Health and welfare occupations
* Technological applications
* Food and nutrition technology
* Agronomy technology
* Music technology.

The studies last for 4 years with a total of eight semesters, which include both periods of lesson and a final semester devoted to the preparation of the thesis. During this final period, students can begin to practice their profession through a training period that will then be evaluated. After the completion of studies, students will receive a Degree.

==== Secondary non-tertiary education ====
The higher non-university education includes the Higher Ecclesiastical Schools, Higher
Schools of Dance and Drama, Higher Schools of Tourist Professions, Higher NCO Schools and Higher and Police Academies. According to the constitution, vocational training and any other special training is provided by the State in institutions o the higher education level. The duration of studies in these schools can not exceed 3 years.
The main types are: the Higher Ecclesiastical Schools, under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs that will be converted to University Ecclesiastical Academies through the Law 3432/2006 and will operate as tertiary education institutions. The Higher Schools of Dance and Drama, under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture, the Higher Schools of Tourist Professions under the supervision of the Ministry of Tourist Development, Higher Schools for Petty-Officers who are managed by the Ministry of Defense and the Higher Police Academy, supervised by the Ministry of Public Order.

==== Postgraduate Studies ====
The organization of postgraduate studies is governed by '''Law 2083/92''':
universities have full responsibility for the organization and payment of post-graduate courses. All TEI may participate, in the form of consortia with Greek or foreign universities, organizing courses. With the Law 3374/2005 the TEI that have passed the assessment of the prerequisites, have the ability to provide post-graduate courses. There are different degrees of postgraduate courses: the Master and PhD.
The programs of post-graduated studies are appointed by the General Assembly of Special Composition of the department and are approved by the Academic Senate.
In the proposal, the following are mentioned: the field of study and the objectives of the programme, the type of the awarded postgraduate titles, the categories of the admitted graduates, the duration of the program, the courses, the teaching, the research or any other activities of the postgraduate students, the number of postgraduate students, the prospects and the needs of the relevant university in staff and infrastructure, the operational cost and the financial resources. The Minister of Education gives the final approval of the postgraduate study programmes, issuing a decision published in the Official Journal. For the organization and the operation of a postgraduate study programme the competent bodies are the following: the Senate of a Special Composition, the Committee for Postgraduate Study Programmes which operates at HEI level, the General Assembly of a Special Composition, the Coordinative Committee of the postgraduate study programmes and the Director of Postgraduate Studies .
Doctoral programs last a minimum of 3 years, as determined by law. Some programs are structured while others are based on pure research. There was an increase in PhD programs due to the interdisciplinary nature of the topics related to research. In fact, both programs include teaching courses with research activities. Doctoral programs may include activities such as discussions, presentations, workshops, attending seminars or publications. The Law gives students the opportunity to create a doctoral program but only for those faculty that do not already have a post-graduate studies program .
At the end of the study period there is a written thesis that is discussed publicly in front of a committee of seven academic professors.

=== Universities in Greece ===

The University of Athens is the most ancient University of the oriental Mediterranean.

The other main Universities are:

* Agricultural University of Athens
* Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (mirror)
* Athens School of Fine Arts
* Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB)
* Democritus University of Thrace (campuses: Komotini, Xanthi, Alexandroupoli, Orestiada)
* Harokopion University of Athens
* Hellenic Open University
* International Hellenic University
* Ionian University
* National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
* National Technical University of Athens
* Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences
* Technical University of Crete (T.U.C)
* University of the Aegean (campuses: Mytilene, Chios, Karlovasi, Rhodes, Ermoupoli)
* University of Central Greece (campuses: Lamia, Livadeia)
* University of Crete (campuses: Heraklio, Rethymno)
* University of Ioannina (campuses: Ioannina, Agrinio)
* University of Macedonia (campuses: Thessaloniki, Edessa, Naoussa)
* University of Patras
* University of Peloponnese (campuses: Tripoli, Korinthos, Kalamata, Nafplio, Sparti)
* University of Piraeus
* University of Thessaly (campuses: Larissa, Volos, Karditsa, Trikala)
* University of Western Macedonia (campuses: Florina, Kozani)

[[Image:Greece_Uni.jpg|center]]

=== Technological Institutes of Higher Education in Country ===

* Alexander TEI of Thessaloniki (campuses: Sindos, Katerini, Kilkis, Nea Moudania)
* School of Pedagogical and Technological Education
* TEI of Athens
* TEI of Chalkida (campuses: Chalkida, Thiva)
* TEI of Crete (campuses: Heraklio, Chania, Rethymno, Agios Nikolaos, Ierapetra, Sitia)
* TEI of Epirus (campuses: Arta, Ioannina, Preveza, Igoumenitsa)
* TEI of Ionian Islands (campuses: Lefkada, Argostoli, Lixouri, Zakynthos)
* TEI of Kalamata (campuses: Kalamata, Sparti)
* TEI of Kavala (campuses: Kavala, Drama)
* TEI of Lamia (campuses: Lamia, Amfissa, Karpenisi)
* TEI of Larissa (campuses: Larissa, Karditsa, Trikala)
* TEI of Messolonghi (campuses: Messolonghi, Nafpaktos)
* TEI of Patras (campuses: Patra, Aigio, Pyrgos, Amaliada)
* TEI of Piraeus
* TEI of Serres
* TEI of Western Macedonia (campuses: Kozani, Florina, Kastoria, Grevena and Ptolemaida)

[[Image:Greece_Tei.jpg|center]]

== Higher education reform ==

'''Higher education reform'''
The existent Law 1268/82 governs the operation of tertiary education and was introduced by the Socialist Government (PASOK) in 1982. There were several changes made to this Law, in particular the 1404 Law of 1983 and the 2083 of 1992.
The main innovations brought about by Law 1268/82, which drastically changed the operation of universities, are the following:
* The old faculties were divided into departments, each of which corresponds to a university discipline area.
* The Chair system, which was the focus of the past organisation of universities, was replaced by the scientific sector (tomeas). The tomeas is responsible to a General Assembly in each Department.
* All policy decisions related to the various levels are taken by the appropriate General Assemblies which consist of all members of the teaching staff and a considerable number of undergraduate and some postgraduate students.
* Undergraduates have equal representation in the electoral bodies for the selection of the administrative heads of the University as the members of the academic staff.
* Members of the teaching staff form a single body with four levels: (i) lecturer, (ii) assistant professor, (iii) associate professor and (iv) professor. Only those belonging to the two upper ranks of the academic hierarchy are elected to permanent (tenured) positions. Appointments and promotion of all teaching staff is made by special electoral bodies, which meet together with the General Assemblies of the departments. New categories of auxiliary teacher, technical and administrative personnel has been created.
* Each university is administered by: (i) the Rector who is supported by two vice-Rectors, elected for a period of three years by an electoral college. The electoral college consists of all the faculty members, an equal number of undergraduate students and representatives of the technical staff, the administration staff, the graduate students, the teaching assistants and the foreign language teachers. Each of the latter groups has a representation which is 5% of the size of the faculty (total 25%), (ii) the Rectors’ Council, which consists of the Rector, the two vice-rectors, one representative of the students and one representative of the administrative personnel and (iii) the Senate consisting of the Rector and the vice-rectors, the deans of the university faculties, the heads of the autonomous departments, one representative of the teaching staff, one representative of undergraduate students from each department, one representative of administrative personnel and a number of representatives of the post-graduates students. All representatives are elected. The Senate is regarded as the top administrative agent of the University. Each faculty, comprising of relevant departments, is administered by: (a) the Dean, who is elected for three years by the General Assembly of the faculty, (b) a Council which comprises the dean, heads of the departments and one undergraduate student from each department and (c) the General Assembly of the faculty which consists of the General Assemblies of the departments.
Each department is administered by: (a) the head, who is elected for two years, (b) the Administrative Council which consists of the head, the directors of departmental sections and representatives of the students and of the technical or administrative personnel, and (c) the General Assembly of the department. The director of each sector, who is elected for one year, and the General Assembly of the sector are the administrative agents.
* A National Academy of Letters and Sciences (EAGE) and a National Council of Higher Education (S.A.P.) as already described, were established by the new law, as advisory bodies to the Government and as a co-ordinating supervisory agencies on teaching, research, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, evaluation and appointment of academic personnel, creation of new universities or units in them, allocations of funds etc. However, the National Academy of Letters and Sciences has never functioned because of the negative reaction to it of the professorial body.
* The undergraduate studies were reorganised into "semester courses" and a basic structure for the promotion of graduate programmes was set up.

As stated above, Law 2083 in 1992, modified Law 1268 of 1982. The main modifications were the following:
# The participation of students in the procedures for the selection of administrative bodies of higher institutions and in decision-making bodies was reduced to 50% of the faculty.
# The election of the Vice-Rectors became a separate procedure from that of Rectors.
# A four-year plan for the creation and advertisement of teaching staff positions was established.
# The role of administrative bodies with a small number of members was strengthened.
# Members of the teaching staff were ranked according to the service they provide (full time or part-time employment).
# Two cycles of undergraduate studies were established. The first cycle has four semesters. Passing the examinations in all subjects taught during the first cycle is a prerequisite for the continuation of studies in the second cycle.
# Students who fail to complete their studies within the prescribed period of time, extended by two extra years, were not entitled to any kind of financial aid awarded by the state.
# Postgraduate studies and the functioning of research programmes was reorganised.
# Free distribution of academic textbooks was restricted only to students with low annual income.
# New academic institutions such as the Centre for the Greek Language, the Open University and the Committee for Evaluation of Higher Education were created.

The above measures have been further modified or abolished by Law 2188/94 (Minister of Education D.Fatouros) as follows (retaining the numbering above):
# The participation of students in the procedures for the selection of administrative bodies of higher institutions and in decision-making bodies was increased to 80% of the faculty.
# The election of the Vice-Rectors is not a separate procedure from that of Rectors.
# A one-year plan for the creation and advertisement of teaching staff positions was established.
Points 5, 6, 7 and 9 were deleted; 8, and 10 remained the same
Special regulations concerning "guest" students and the mobility of teaching staff and students were also introduced by the new law. This is an attempt to adjust the legal framework of Greek higher education to the context of European Union and to promote co-operation with other countries.
Finally, both the organisation and the functioning of the Technological Education Institutions (TEIs) is based on the Law 1404/1983, and Presidential and Ministerial decisions issued in connection with this Law. The TEIs are distinguished from the AEIs, in terms of their purpose, function (including their administration), staff qualifications and hierarchy, the length of programmes and the fact that they offer no postgraduate courses.
However, their organisation and operation is similar to those of the AEIs. TEIs are oriented towards the application of recent technological knowledge and practice, while AEIs are more science and research-based institutions. Thus, the TEIs have direct links with various productive enterprises where most of the students’ practical work is carried out.
TEIs are self-governing bodies enjoying academic freedom and freedom of teaching and
research. They are divided into schools and departments similar to those of AEIs. Each
TEI together with its schools and departments is administered by members elected by
the General Assemblies in which the teaching staff, an important number of students'
representatives and a number of support personnel representatives participate. The permanent teaching staff are grouped according to three scales: laboratory professors, assistant professors and professors. Possession of a doctorate is a necessary prerequisite for appointment to the rank of professor.
The new law for TEIs provides for the establishment of two Advisory Services at the MoE to offer TEIs advisory support. They are: (a) the Council for Technological Education (Symboulio Technologikis Ekpedefsis - STE), (b) the Institute for Technological Education (ITE). In addition there are Regional Technological Councils whose role is to facilitate the formation of links between TEIs and productive units for economic and any other support .
The legal basis for the organization of university, is the Article 16 of the Greek Constitution which declares that education is a fundamental mission for the State. In addition, it states that higher education can be provided exclusively by institutions which are legal and independent entities under the public law, and it forbids to private institutions to provide university courses. The current situation is changing: in the Greek Parliament there are extensive debates on the amendment of this article, that will enable private non-profit HEI, with some prerequisites for quality .
This new Law “The Reform of the Institutional Framework for the Structure and Operation of Higher Education Institutions” was submitted to the Plenary of the Greek Parliament and was approved on 8 March 2007.
This law regulates the structure of secondary education and is based on Law 1268/1982 that covers only the university sector. The technology sector has a different legislative framework (Law 1404/1983) and up to 2001 the TEI were not regarded as institutions of higher education. The new Law 3549/2007 specifies that the university education comprises two parallel sectors, university and technology, and refers to both types of institutions. This law wants to transfer more responsibility to the HEI, through the internal regulation. The status of the rector is valued: he can be elected by all students and staff and will have the power to exercise legal control and appoint the academic staff.

The most important innovations introduced by the new Law 3549/2007 obligate HEIs:
* to compile internal regulations in order to ensure their even operation and enhance their autonomy;
* to compile a four-year academic-development programme, where their mid-term and long-term goals will be defined and their strategy will be planned;
* to elect their leadership through immediate and collective participation of the academic community groups in the election procedure. The position of HEI Secretary has been introduced for the better management of administrative and financial matters;
* to redefine the concept of academic immunity (asylum);
* to enhance student support services and assign tutors to students;
* to adopt measures in support of students from weaker financial classes such as: compensative scholarships, interest-free educational loans as well as support provided to disabled students;
* to enhance their libraries;
* to establish social accountability and transparency procedures;
* to enhance the European and international dimension of Greek higher education.

Other issues, which should be defined by the internal regulations, are added in the new Law 3549/2007:
# the deontological rules for all the members of the academic community as well as the procedures and the control bodies established for their observance;
# the operation rules of the collective bodies and the obstacles to the participation in those bodies;
# the participation in research or other programmes;
# the operation of the student support services and the exercise of a tutor’s duties by teaching and research staff members;
# the general rules for operating libraries, study and reading rooms of an institution;
# the extent, procedures and requirements for awarding exchange scholarships to students;
# the procedures and requirements for ensuring the safeguarding of the institution and its property in the most efficient way;
# the proportion between obligatory and optional courses of the syllabus and the necessary requirements for students’ participation in all exams;
# the procedure for designing and revising the four-year academic and development program as well as the annual report;
# the specialization of the prerequisites and procedures for the election, advancement or permanent appointment of teaching and research staff members or research staff members;
# the way representatives of the teaching and research staff members or of research staff members from every section are appointed in the General Assembly of a department;
# the composition of the support secretariat for the Secretary of the institution, the qualifications, the selection procedures and the competencies of the Secretary of the institution;
# the way the electoral procedures are conducted for the emergence of the collective bodies of the institution; and
# the integration of the decision made by the qualified body of the HEI with regard to the designation of the HEI’s areas covered by academic asylum.

“''Our aim is to ensure that our HEIs have the necessary resources to continue to fulfill their full range of purposes. Those purposes include: preparing students for life as active citizens in a democratic society; preparing students for their future careers and enabling their personal development; creating and maintaining a broad, advanced knowledge base; and stimulating research and innovation.”''
[Ministers for Higher Education, London Communique, 18 May 2007]

=== The Bologna Process ===

Greece is a founding member of the Bologna Process (1999). Beginning with 2004, intensive efforts have been made in order to implement everything agreed within the framework of the Bologna Process. While in all the other European countries reforms were rapidly implemented, in Greece delays occurred. Today, 46 countries, including Greece, actively participate in the creation and establishment of the European Higher Education Area; Greece is a member of the Bologna Follow-Up Group and was a member of the Board during 2005-2006. Greece also takes part in the Stocktaking Group and in the External Dimension Group (2005-2007). As a member of the European Union, Greece participates, within the framework of the Lisbon Strategy, in the effort to “make Europe the most dynamic Knowledge Society worldwide” and can only go along with the decision of the heads of states and governments made in Barcelona in 2002, which sets the Bologna Process as the basis for cooperation in higher education.

The most important legislative reforms and developments relating to the Bologna Process since Bergen are the following:

'''''Quality Assurance, ECTS, Diploma Supplement'''''

Law 3374/2005 regulates quality assurance in higher education, the establishment of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System and the Diploma Supplement. The law establishes for the first time a national system of quality assurance in Greek higher education, which addresses both universities and TEIs. It also realizes the commitments undertaken by the Ministers of Education in Berlin (2003), complies with the European Standards and Guidelines suggested by ENQA and its partners (EUA, EURASHE, ESIB)
and adopted by the Ministers of Education in Bergen (2005), fully respects the autonomy of the institutions and ensures student participation. The above law determined the obligatory application of a credit system, fully compatible with the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), for all undergraduate and postgraduate study programmes.
Moreover, Law 3404/2005 , which regulates operational and study issues, further contributed to the improvement of the quality of TEIs and established new permanent positions for the educational staff.

'''''Recognition of Degrees'''''

Law 3328/2005 for the establishment of a new Agency for Degree Recognition (DOATAP) was created in order to simplify the procedures for recognition of degrees and study periods. DOATAP is a member of the NARIC network.

'''''The European Dimension, Recognition of Joint Study Programmes and Mobility of Students and Staff'''''

Law 3404/20055, Article 23 on Joint Postgraduate Study Programmes and Joint Doctorates, gives universities the possibility to award double, multiple and joint degrees and allows the use of a language other than Greek in postgraduate study programmes. Thus, it enhances the cooperation between Greek and European HEIs, the mobility of students and academic staff and the European dimension of Higher Education. Moreover, Law 3549/2007 also stipulates the possibility to organize undergraduate study programmes in languages other than Greek.

'''''Lifelong Learning'''''

Within the National Strategic Development Plan (2007-2013), an intergraded lifelong learning policy has been planned because Greece has significantly fallen behind compared to the other European countries. Thus, with the cooperation of the Ministers of Education and Employment, the National System of Connecting Vocational Education and Training was established and the framework for the organization of lifelong learning was created with Law 3369/2005. This law was recently supplemented with Law 3577/2007 .
As far as higher education is concerned, Law 3369/2005 on Lifelong Learning enables the universities to establish and run lifelong learning institutes and have additional revenues, since they can charge fees for training courses. The substantial participation of HEIs in lifelong learning places universities at the centre of the social and financial life of the country and of the region where they are located. They provide citizens with new and often innovative and flexible opportunities for regular and distance-learning and, at the same time, they assume a key role for the adaptation of the workforce to the structural and
technological changes rapidly taking place in the professional fields today. Moreover, the Hellenic Open University, whose study programmes are mainly addressed to the working population, has been facing a rapid development as new programmes were added in all three cycles and new training programmes were created.

'''''The External Dimension of the Bologna Process'''''

Law 3391/2005 regulates the establishment of the International Hellenic University and aims at enhancing student mobility. Moreover, as a member of the External Dimension Group of the Bologna Process, Greece organized a Bologna Seminar on “Putting European Higher Education Area on the Map: Developing Strategies for Attractiveness”, which took place in Athens, on 24-26 June 2006. The participants were mainly higher education stakeholders from the countries participating in the Bologna Process, but also representatives of OECD non-European and Mediterranean countries, representatives of the European Commission, consultative members of the Bologna Process as well as
representatives of international and student organisations (ESIB and AEGEE). The Bologna Seminar meant another step forward in defining the external dimension of the Bologna Process, stressed the need to enhance and bring out the quality of the European Higher Education Area and the need for adopting a concrete strategy on the attractiveness of the European Higher Education Area, which will be the European answer to global challenges.

'''''Mobility through Cycles, Access and the Removal of Obstacles'''''

A series of legislations resulted in the upgrading of those institutions belonging to the non-university sector and, with the exception of the higher ecclesiastical academies, are under the main supervision of other ministries. Thus, these institutions will issue Bachelor’s degrees and their graduates will be able to continue studying in the two next cycles at universities.
─ Law 3432/2006 upgrades the status of the higher ecclesiastical academies supervised by the Ministry of National Education and their degrees become equivalent with those of the higher education institutions.
─ Law 3413/2005 allows higher military schools (supervised by the Ministry of Defense) to participate in consortia with universities for the establishment of postgraduate study programmes and research programmes (degrees are awarded by universities).
─ Law 3450/2006 upgrades the status of the merchant maritime academies (supervised by the Ministry of Mercantile Marine) which are currently able to participate in consortia with universities for the establishment of postgraduate study programmes and research programmes (degrees are awarded by universities). Moreover, Law 3475/200612 regulates, among others, the access of secondary vocational education students to the higher technological sector.

'''''Student Participation'''''

Full participation of students in the governance bodies of HEIs has been ensured. Moreover, student unions participate in the National Council of Education, while Law 3374/2005 on quality assurance has also ensured students’ participation in quality assurance procedures. In addition, the Minister of Education and Religious Affairs has
signed Law 3443/200613, which enacts local youth councils and their participation in local governance, so that young people can become active citizens.

== Administration and finance ==

The Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs (ΥΠΕΠΘ/YPEPTH) is responsible for the administration of all the schools in the country: an administration carried out through the Central and Regional Services and through councils of a consultative and scientific nature that have been created and function in the Ministry’s Central and Regional Services.
Higher Education Institutions (AEI), are self-administered legal entities under public law and the Minister exercises supervision and monitors the legality of their actions and decisions through the Ministry’s central services.

'''''National level'''''

The Minister of National Education and Religious Affairs has the main responsibility for the planning and implementation of the education policy. In his/her task is seconded by two Deputy - Ministers who have specific areas of responsibility.
Under the Minister of Education also come: the General Secretariat for Youth (ΓΓΝΓ/GGNG) whose task is to secure and promote the rights of young people; the General Secretariat for Adult Education (ΓΓΕΕ/GSAE) responsible for planning, co-ordinating and implementing policies on a national scale and with regard to Greek expatriates, actions related to Lifelong Learning and especially: basic adult education, general adult education and training, socio-cultural training and education, open distance learning, as well as training of trainers.
Lastly, under the Ministry of Education also falls the General Secretariat of Religious Affairs that supervises the application of the government policy in the field of religion.
The administrative structure of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs
(ΥΠΕΠΘ/YPEPTH) includes a vertical structure of Departments, Directorates, General Directorates and Integrated Administrative Sectors.
There are six Integrated Administrative Sectors (University Education, Administration of Community Support Framework Programmes, Greeks Abroad and Inter-Cultural Education, Studies, Training and Innovation Issues, Technological Higher Education, Audiovisual Teaching Aids, Education TV, Libraries and Historical Archives) headed by Special Secretaries, appointed by a joint decision of the Prime-Minister and the Minister. The Heads of the General Directorates are Directors General that are selected from among the permanent administrative officials by a Special Service Council. They are responsible for planning activities, coordinating the operation of the Directorates and Administrative Sections under them, evaluating the policy pursued in their sphere of competence and drafting proposals to be sent to the political leadership of the Ministry of Education.

'''''Regional Level'''''

In the context of the education decentralisation policy, Administration is exercised at a Regional Level by the Regional Education Directorates while, at a prefectural level, by the Directorates and the Primary and Secondary Education Offices, Regional Service Councils and Education Committees.
For administering and monitoring the operation of Primary and Secondary Education Institutions there is the Regional Education Directorates which relate directly to the Minister of National Education and Religious Affairs. Each Regional Education Directorate consists of the following Departments: a. Administration, b. Scientific-Pedagogic Guidance of Primary Education and c. Scientific-Pedagogic Guidance of Secondary Education.

'''''Local Level'''''

At local level (municipality or community), there are Scholikes Epitropes (School Committees), Municipal or Community Legal Entities, that manage the funds allocated to cover operating expenses for one or more Primary and Secondary schools depending on the local needs as evaluated by the competent local authorities.
The School Committees are assigned to manage the budget for the operational costs of Primary and Secondary Schools and to support the administrative operation of school units.

'''''Funding'''''

The sources of funding of Greek university are the regular state budget and the Program of Public Investment, which has two levels, one national, financed with national funds, and the community one, which includes European funds (Operational Programme for Education and Initial Vocational Training – O.P. “EDUCATION”, 2000-2006).
This second type of funds include the modernization of university education and the creation of new infrastructures, studies and materials and funds for research.
The Minister of Economy and Finance, Minister of Education, Universities and TEI are the entities involved in the distribution of funds, both those of the state budget and those of the Program of Public Investment. Although it is an informal process, as a good practice, the Minister of Education along with the Rectors’ Conference and the Conference of the TEIs’ Presidents agree upon the total amount and the allocation of funds. Then, each individual HEI cooperates with the Ministry of National Education in order to define the annual amount based on the Unified System of Allocation Criteria of the regular state budget.
The budget allocated to education is increasing year after year, and a satisfactory rate is assigned to university education. In compliance with the OECD, in 2003 was dedicated to education university the 1,3% of GDP: according to Eurostat data, Greece is the European country to increase their funding for higher education, with a approximately 98% (EU average: 82.8%); on the contrary, the contributions that come from households and private funds are approximately 1% .
In fact, Greece is one of six states of the European Union that does not require charging for university education. The funds for universities and TEI come regularly from the national budget and are used primarily for operating expenses that include: the payment of teachers and research staff, students’ blackboards and textbooks and teaching materials. In relation to the budget of 2007, about 1.5 billions of euros have been allocated to universities, TEI and to the Academy of Athens, while 832,000 euros are for the Hellenic Quality Assurance Agency. The funds of the Public Investment Program is intended to infrastructure, studies and educational materials.

== Quality assurance ==

Until 2005 there was no system of quality assurance in university education, until it was enacted with the 3374 Law .
This law has established a quality assurance system for the entire university education, which includes both the technology sector and the university one. This law complies with the European standards and guidelines suggested by the European Association of Quality Assurance (ENQA) and its partners (EUA, EURASHE, ESIB / ESU), which were adopted first by the Ministry of Education in Bergen.
The Greek Quality Assurance System includes:
* internal assessment
* external review
* publication of results
* participation of students
* peer review

The university system evaluation is coordinated and supported nationally by an independent and specific authority for the assessment, called the Hellenic Quality Assurance Agency (HQAA) and supervised by the Ministry of Education.
The Hellenic Quality Assurance Agency (HQAA), established by Law 3374/2005, also has a consultancy role since it keeps the competent bodies of the state and the higher education institutions informed on current international developments and trends in the relevant issues.

This agency is based in Athens and is made up of 15 members appointed by the Minister of Education who remain in office for 4 years and can not fill this role for more than twice, whether consecutive or not, and are also allowed foreign experts. The President must be an academic with an internationally recognized authority and with a significant research activity, preferably with experience on qualitative issues and on the development of the education system. The other members are representatives of the academic staff of universities and technology institutes, students, researchers and social partners.
This agency ensures the transparency of the evaluation procedures and its mission is to support the organisation of the university education through the implementation of procedures: improving the quality of university education by informing the state and HEIs on international developments and trends, promoting research in the area.
In particular, some of the major responsibilities for HQAA are:
* The HQAA plans, coordinates and supports HEIs’ evaluation procedures;
* Employs guidelines and standards to specify and review the form of HEIs’ evaluation reports, as well as the evaluation criteria and indices;
* Compiles, keeps and revises the Register of independent Greek and international experts and specialists in the area of Quality Assurance;
* Collects information and maintains a database with data from the evaluation reports of all Greek HEIs;
* Performs studies and carries out research in order to develop the methodology, techniques and applications of quality assurance and keeps all competent bodies of the state and the Greek HEIs up-to-date;
* Maintains mutual cooperation with corresponding foreign organizations and represents Greece in international quality assurance networks;
* Publishes the evaluation results and the measures adopted for quality assurance and improvement of higher education.

The law divides the evaluation process into two levels: the internal and external evaluation.
The internal evaluation is the first step for the external assessment and is carried out by each academic unit (that is the subject of the evaluation) and consist of the systematic assessment and recording of instruction, research or other activities in relation to the objectives and mission of the HEI . To take part in this internal evaluation, which lasts two semesters, are research and teaching staff members, scientific and administrative staff member and student representatives.
The criteria and evaluation indices concern the quality of teaching and research activities, the quality of study programs and other services provided by HEI. These indices and criteria are standardized and specified under the guidelines of HQAA and depend on the field of studies of each academic unit.

The '''internal evaluation''' is being conducted under the responsibility of each academic unit in cooperation with the Quality Assurance Unit, a body found in every HEI to coordinate and support the assessment procedures.
An internal evaluation report contains cumulative information with quantitative data on students, teaching-research staff, educational and other scientific staff, administrative staff, infrastructure, student welfare etc. The HEI’s Internal Evaluation Report is compiled every two years by the QAU and sent to the HQAA.
The external evaluation process is repeated every four years at the latest with the cooperation of HEIs and the HQAA. The external evaluation is carried out by the External Evaluation Committee (EEC), which consists of five members from the register of independent experts kept at the HQAA. One of the members of the EEC may be nominated by the academic unit under evaluation but the remaining members are elected by the HQAA. The participation of at least one foreign expert and one representative from a professional or other scientific union in the External Evaluation Committee is also desirable. The EEC takes into consideration the self-evaluation report and makes an in situ visit to the evaluated academic unit, which has to facilitate as much as possible the committee’s work with supplementary information, discussions and contacts with the members of the academic unit. The EEC compiles the draft external evaluation report with the secretarial and administrative support of the HQAA and this draft report is then notified to the academic unit under evaluation, which then has to submit its remarks within a fifteen-day time limit from the date of the notification of the draft.

The '''external evaluation''' is completed within four months with the External Evaluation Report which is submitted to the HQAA. After the evaluation processes have been completed the HQAA makes the External Evaluation Report public. The External Evaluation Report includes the independent experts’ analyses, findings, and recommendations for the measures that need to be taken in order to improve the quality of the task of the institution.
There is only one body with the task of the recognition of foreign degrees and periods of study: the National Academic Recognition and Information Center (Hellenic NARIC – DOATAP): it is responsible for the recognition of study titles issued by foreign higher education institutions, both universities and foreign technological institutions and for providing information on studying in Greek HEIs. The Hellenic NARIC is located in Athens and is supervised by the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs. The Hellenic NARIC also has a consultancy role on issues concerning the recognition of foreign degrees and is the responsible body for the elaboration of the Action Plan for Recognition submitted in the London Ministerial Conference .

== Greece's HEIs in the information society ==

=== Towards the information society ===

Today one of the main priorities of Greek educational policy is continuous improvement, with respects to the integration of ICT, into the educational sector. Numerous actions have been implemented and are being further developed in relation to ICT integration; such actions are coordinated by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs in the framework of the Information Society Programme .
In the framework of this programme, the infrastructure (broadband connections across the country, networks, and computer equipment) is being further developed and maintained, digital content and services (educational software, educational portals, educational services, e-management) are being enriched and expanded and teacher training
continues to emphasise the exploitation of new technologies in educational practice.
Moreover, the following pilot Actions are being planned and implemented:
the distribution of laptops to students, the development of the “ideal school lab”, the development of virtual teacher training, virtual learning environments and virtual content management systems, on-line interactive educational TV.
At the same time, the Hellenic Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs has launched a coordinate effort for the utilization of ICTs and their incorporation into the everyday educational procedure. This effort is implemented in the fields of the third Community Support Framework mainly from the Operational Program of Information Society, (OPIS) under the direct supervision of the General Secretary of the Hellenic Ministry of Education and with the support of the Hellenic Ministry of Education Information Society office and the "Strategy for ICTs in Education" Committee.
It is constructed onto four lines of action:
* Installation and support of network and computational equipment.
* Development of software and digital content for educational and administrative purposes (educational software, information systems, Internet content e.t.c.).
* Training of the educational community on ICTs, targeting to the utilization of the above areas.
* Modernization of administration areas.

The aims of this Strategy are:
* The incorporation of ICTs in the teaching process.
* The support of the Informatics lesson taught in high school, senior high school and technical school.
* The support of every cognitive area through the use of ICTs.
* The elimination of digital illiteracy and variations on ICT skills.

=== Information society strategy ===

Since 2002, there are activities targeted to the elaboration of a systematic approach towards :
* Compliance with EC directives regarding e-Accessibility
* Initiatives related to e-Inclusion in the context of the Operational Programme "Information Society" of the 3rd Community Support Programme (Secretariat for the Information Society, Hellenic Ministry of Economy and Finance) in the domains of: Education and Culture, Health, Employment, Public Administration, Telecommunications.
The Digital Strategy 2006-2013 is addressed to the challenges of the 4th Community Support Programme and i2010:
* Infrastructures (broadband access, development of accessible one –stop shops, subsidies for ICT equipment for specific population groups)
* Education (incentives for the development of accessible educational content and distant learning)
* Health (Accessible regional e-health services, universally accessible health records and other related information)
* Public administration (accessible e-services for the regional government, digital content and information services, an important example is the International Call for Tenders conducted by the Greek Pedagogical Institute in 2006. It aims for the development of a digital library and its best practices in certification and implementation of educational software).
The digital strategy 2006 – 2013 replaces the “white paper” for the information society and strengthens the role of the existing Operational Program for the Information Society, by re-examining its goals. At the same time, the new digital strategy meets the challenges of the 4th Operational Period (2007-2013) and is compatible with the new European policy for the Information Society “i2010” and with the “Jobs and Growth” action plan, both of which were outlined in the first semester of 2005.

== Virtual Campuses in HE ==

=== Interesting Virtual Campus Initiatives ===

==== The [[Hellenic Open University]] ====
In 1992, while attempting to reform the institutional framework of higher education the establishment of the Hellenic Open University (Elliniko Anoichto Panepistimio - ΕΑΠ/EAP) was decided. HOU is the only HEI that providing distance education at all three levels (undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate) as well as training courses. It was finally established in 1997 and began operating in 1998. Like all the other public universities in Greece, the Open University is a legal entity of public law, completely independent and autonomous . It was established by Law 2083/92 and it is seated in Patras but various activities such as consultative meetings and exams are organized in eight Greek cities (Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Heraklio, Ioannina, Xanthi, Piraeus and Larissa).
HOU’s overarching characteristics were defined and formed by the first administrative committee’s decisions (time period 1995 to1997) and was significantly informed by the British Open University model. This historical legacy significantly influenced the formation and operation of the institution .
The model of the tutor-counselor, as employed at the British Open University (Sewart, 1980), has also been adopted by the HOU. HOU’s planning and organization of its program offerings are based on explicit goals, clear guidelines, and detailed instructions to guide its students and its tutors. According to its instructional publications, HOU adopted Holmberg (1989) ideas on the central role distance learning materials play in students’ mastery of distance learning studies. HOU also faces internal and administrative challenges, some of which do not support or assist in developing its distance learning methods that can be easily delivered via ICT. The HOU, nonetheless, is welcomed and supported by most Greeks, primarily because it offers them a second choice and, sometimes, a chance at accessing the fruits of education. In the academic year 2006-2007, HOU served 15,026 undergraduate and 8,624 graduate students enrolled in six undergraduate and 24 graduate courses .

The mission of the Hellenic Open University (ΕΑΠ/EAP) is to provide distance undergraduate and postgraduate education and adult education, by developing and utilising appropriate educational materials and teaching methods. Among the goals of the HOU is to promote scientific research in a flexible and innovative way and to develop technology and methodology in the field of distance learning and also to offer University studies to those who cannot attend classes or laboratories for whatever reason.
The ΕΑΠ/EAP organises:
* Undergraduate study programmes leading to a degree.
* Postgraduate training programmes that lead to certification of training.
* Postgraduate training programmes that lead to a postgraduate specialisation degree or doctoral degree.

During the process of student selection, priority is given to applicants who are over twenty-three years of age, therefore, most of the students are employed and their average age is of 30-40 years old. Moreover, students with special needs are admitted to the Hellenic Open University and the available places for them amount to an additional three percent of the set number of places for undergraduate study programmes. For admission to an undergraduate programme a high school degree is necessary. The number of applicants is usually much greater than the number of offered places and this why candidates are selected by electronic lot in the presence of a district attorney for ensuring transparency.
HOU has introduced some innovations in the Greek higher education system. These are :
# Studying exclusively through distance learning.
# The application of a modular system and the replacement of courses by the flexible form of modular courses, which can be easily altered, according to the social and educational needs at the time.
# Introduction of a five-level educational system that covers all levels from post-secondary vocational training to doctorate level.
# Foundation of a University Laboratory for Educational Material and Methodology Research.
# Foundation of a University Evaluation Unit.
# The simplification of governance structures with the abolition of the Rectors’ Council and the establishment of a flexible Senate.
# The introduction of HOU’s basic functional unit, the Course Modules that cover a specific study field at undergraduate or postgraduate level. Each course module is equivalent to three semesters in a Greek university.
HOU consists of four schools: the School of Humanities, the School of Social Science, the School of Science and Technology and the School of Applied Arts. These schools award Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees and certificates of training or of attendance. The average time for studies is six or seven years for the undergraduate studies and four years for the postgraduate studies. HOU is a rapidly developing higher education institution. Only two study programmes in 1998 compare to the thirty-one that operate today (2006-2007).

At the same time, there is a rapid yearly increase in the number of students, and the number of applicants exceeds the offered places of study.

[[Image:Greece_HOI.jpg|center]]

===== Teaching Method =====
The objectives of the Hellenic Open University (ΕΑΠ/EAP) are achieved through the use of methods of teaching and learning from a distance. These methods are based on high quality educational material which must be appropriately developed in terms of both form and content in such a way as to guarantee high quality self-education and frequent assessment of students. This material is traditional (books, notes, evaluation forms), audio-visual (sound tapes, videotapes, optic discs) and in any other electronic form (multimedia and Internet).
Most educational materials used by HOU are original, that is they are created by a team of experts. This team, for example, determined responsibilities and frames within which each team member operated. Members included: a writer, who wrote the material following particular specifications demanded by form and content; an academic responsible for each program; a reader, who ‘fact checked’ the study texts for scientific quality; and, finally, a DE expert who ensured that all texts complied with the pedagogical principles needed to support effective DE delivery. Construction of distance pedagogical scientific knowledge, within the creation of original educational material produced by HOU, reflects: a) strong classification of material based on strict specifications and the involvement of special scientists in the scientific area that ensure the scientific validity and reliability of HOU’s learning materials, b) strong framing because the relationship and terms of collaboration are pre-determined and everyone works on specific, known, and irrefutable rules. In certain cases were the writers were unable to adapt their work to the specifications required, projects were cancelled .
The pedagogical practices, as formulated in the HOU, with the criterions of the ‘power of framing’ and ‘PECS’ are now examined :
# In the HOU, educational material packages consist of: books, cassettes, videos, CD-Rom, and educational software supported through the use of ICT (Act 1/7-11-1995). The creation of an electronic bank of educational material (i.e., learning objects) is currently under consideration (Act 18/11-12-1996).
# Modules are accompanied by detailed timetables of study and students deliverables in the form of written work and tests (HOU, 2002). Thus, the following are determined:
#* Lock-step sequencing of DE contents provides students a timeline for learning and knowledge acquisition. Students are also given instructions on the applicability of additional learning materials available to them to help them master the subject material on a deeper level (i.e., additional texts, books, and audiovisual materials that are not part of the course per say, but are nonetheless helpful).
#* HOU students learn in a paced environment. HOU’s academic year is divided to 32 weeks, beginning the first week of October. Students are made aware of the time they need to spend to study of each chapter (e.g., one or two weeks) and of deadlines and timelines they must meet in handing in their written work and assignments.
# By regulating all facets of students’ studies, evaluative criteria are determined. That is, the questions concerning the rights and obligations of teachers and students in sub-areas such as ‘communication’ are defined. For example, teachers must be available for student consultations during specific times; moreover, all comments on all written assignments must be returned to students within 15 days of receipt. In terms of quality assurance, HOU evaluates its teachers via a student questionnaire that asks pointed questions as to whether or not teachers failed, met, or exceeded students’ expectations on basic criteria such as timeliness, accessibility, and instructional efficacy.

HOU uses a comprehensive regulatory framework to support its students. As such, strong framing exists concerning ‘relationships’ cultivated inside the institution itself. Indeed, HOU is uses clearly defined hierarchical relations of power on two levels:
# First, HOU’s administrative committee decides the general policy of the institution. The chairman plays a central role in providing direction and guidance to the administrative committee. For example, A. Lykourgiotis, the first chairman of the administrative committee, when taking into consideration the opinions of committee, formally articulated HOU’s educative and organizational features (Koustourakis, 2006). This shows strong framing in the rule sequencing/ pacing and criteria and in the regulative rules between academic personnel, tutors, and HOU’s administrative committee.
# The second level concerns the operation of HOU’s various programs and modules. In this case, HOU’s program directors and module coordinators coordinate and supervise how established instructional policies will guide HOU’s various programs and study modules. Sub-committee teams comprised of instructional personnel (i.e., teachers and tutors) working on specific modules, participate in this process. At first glance, this appears to show relatively weak framing in terms of communication among the teachers/ tutors. The coordinator of each module, however, is typically a member of the HOU’s academic personnel, and their decision is central in that this person determines and directs daily the work flow of the overall team that must deal with HOU’s day-to-day procedural affairs, such as the formulation and/ or choice of subjects on offer, pedagogical approaches that should be best taken, and the development and administration of final written examinations.

The methodology used for EAΠ/EAP Undergraduate Programmes of Study is that of distance learning, which for each thematic unit includes:
* five (5) meetings of tutors with students;
* four (4) to six (6) compulsory assignments which are sent to the tutor;
* distance counselling communication between the tutor and students;
* laboratory practice of students at the laboratories of the EAP at Patras (wherever this is provided in the Curriculum);
* final and repeat examinations held for each thematic unit all over Hellas at the same time.

The undergraduate students can attend the programme of studies of their choice from wherever they live in any region of the country or abroad. The tutors’ meetings with the students will be held in the following cities: Patras (ΕΑΠ/EAP head offices), Athens, Thessaloniki, Herakleio, Ioannina, Xanthi, Piraeus and Larisa.
As regards the ΕΑΠ/EAP Postgraduate Programmes of Study leading to a Postgraduate Specialisation Diploma (ΜΔΕ/MDE) or to a Certificate of Postgraduate Study, the methodology used is also that of distance learning, which for each thematic unit includes:
* five (5) meetings of tutors with students;
* four (4) to six (6) compulsory assignments which are sent to the tutor;
* distance counselling communication between the tutor and students;
* final and repeat examinations.
The postgraduate students can attend the programme of studies of their choice from wherever they live in any region of Hellas or abroad. The tutors’ meetings with the students will be held in the following cities: Patras (ΕΑΠ/EAP head offices), Athens and Thessaloniki.

===== Courses offered =====
'''Degrees'''

* Studies in the Physical Sciences
* Information Science
* Administration of Businesses and Organisations
* Studies in Hellenic Culture
* Studies in European Culture
* Spanish Language and Culture

To complete the undergraduate programme and be awarded a degree, the student must successfully complete and be examined in at least twelve (12) Thematic Units. The student selects from one (1) to three (3) Thematic Units per year .

'''Postgraduate Specialisation Diplomas (ΜΔΕ/MDE)'''

* Administration of Tourist Enterprises
* Administration of Health Units
* Administration of Health Services of the National Health System
* Banking
* Administration of Cultural Units
* Environmental Planning of cities and buildings
* Environmental Planning of infrastructure works
* Quality Assurance
* Postgraduate Specialisation for English Language Teachers
* Postgraduate Specialisation for German Language Teachers
* Postgraduate Specialisation for French Language Teachers
* Studies in Education
* Adult Education
* Seismic engineering and anti-seismic structures
* Technical Works Management
* Postgraduate specialization in computer systems
* Studies in Orthodoxy
* Graphic arts – Multimedia
* Waste management
* Advanced studies in Physics
* Environmental degradation and protection
* Postgraduate specialization for Physical Sciences Teachers
* Postgraduate studies in Mathematics
* Business Administration (MBA)

For students to complete their postgraduate studies and receive their MDE, they must have completed and been successfully examined in four (4) thematic units. Another requirement is a thesis that reflects the content of one or two Thematic Units according to the programme. For students to complete their postgraduate studies and receive their Certificate of Postgraduate Study, they must complete and have been successfully examined in one (1) Thematic Unit (duration of studies at least one academic year).

Comparing the educational practices between HOU and conventional Greek universities, however, is like comparing apples to oranges. While traditional universities operate in a teacher-centered context, HOU students are placed at the epicenter of HOU’s educational process. HOU students must learn how to learn at a distance. Clearly, this demands more flexible practices on the part of HOU in terms of providing student support, from writing student-centered educational materials designed to meet the needs of adult learners learning at a distance, to the level and dynamics of online communication between students and tutors, to the support of student-centered learning, to the deployment of Group Advisory Meetings, and most importantly motivating students to cognitively process and synthesize and learn the course materials by themselves with only a tutor there as a “guide on the side” to help them succeed in their learning journey. In the last case, elements of interpretative epistemology enter the HOU, which is aimed at making the institution friendly and accessible to its students by supporting and encouraging their self-driven effort for education and training.
The majority of HOU’s students are busy adults juggling family and work responsibilities, while studying part time. HOU’s role of the tutor, which is based on the British Open University exemplar, currently shows weak framing in terms of students-tutor relationships. This is why the development and deployment of ICT is helpful for the success of HOU’s students. Such technologies not only help build working relationships between tutors and students, but also help students to help themselves to the panoply of online resources and educational materials that can help them learn at a distance. Unfortunately, HOU currently lags behind many other open and distance education institutions in the world, specifically in terms of incorporating and using ICT to support and aid students in their learning. The lack of suitable online educational (digital) materials, coupled with the reality that computer and Internet usage in Greece – primarily due to high cost of access – remains low, means that HOU faces significant challenges in terms of supporting students using ICT. The good news, however, is that this is slowly changing, as reflected in the high-level use of ICT by the HOU for administrative purposes.

=== Interesting Programmes ===

'''[[Aristotle University of Thessaloniki]]'''

Aristotle University in Thessaloniki is innovative since 1995 where takes place the first pilot applications for the exploitation of new technologies in education within the 1st EE funded project. Since 1997, there is an important effort to transform the bigger university in Greece in dual mode university that can provide a great part of graduate and postgraduate programs with both traditional methods and distance learning, with the creation of 6 virtual tele-classes and one tele-conference room. Academic community members can participate in distance learning activities, educational seminars and conferences with experts. A great number of teleconferences sessions took place within these last 8 years between Aristotle University and other academic units all over the world, where students and faculty from all participating universities had the opportunity to attend lectures, to participate in international conferences and to effectively train through seminars professionals such as teachers in all levels of education in new technology aspect.

'''[[University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki]]'''

The University of Macedonia, located in Thessaloniki, has a great laboratory with a significant experience and expertise in coordinating and participating in a large number of national and international research projects under FP5/IST, FP6/IST, Interreg. The laboratory has also provided consulting services for the European Commission as well a number of national organizations e.g. Ministry of Interior, Prefecture of Thessaloniki, Region of Central Macedonia etc. and it has collaborated with a large number of major academic institutions, research organizations, private enterprises and public authorities in Europe. There are many completed and running projects in this area, both Greek and European; for example, Innovative Enterprise Architecture Education and Training Based on Web 2.0 Technologies (EATrain2).
The aim of the EATrain2 is to identify the training and educational needs of employees in both public and private sector and of university students and to fulfil these using innovative pedagogies and practices based on Web 2.0 technologies and active, problem-based learning approaches. The main result of the project is expected to be: the empowering of Universities, VET organizations, students and employees through innovative training, teaching methods and practices based on Web 2.0 technologies. EA training and teaching material for students, public employees and private employees and an education and training platform based on Web 2.0 technologies.

'''[[The National & Kapodistrian University of Athens]]'''

The Asynchronous eLearning Platform is a complete Course Management System that supports Asynchronous eLearning Services via a simple web browser. Its goal is the incorporation and constructive use of the Internet and web technologies in the teaching and learning process. It supports the electronic management, storage and presentation of teaching materials, independently of the spatial and time limiting factors of conventional teaching and creating the necessary conditions for a dynamic teaching environment.
The introduction of eLearning into the traditional teaching process provides new capabilities and allows new means of interaction between students and teachers, through a contemporary technological peak environment.
The Open eClass platform, used by the University, is a complete Course Management System. It is the solution offered by the Greek Academic Network GUnet to support Asynchronous eLearning Services. It is mainly designed, developed and supported by the GUnet Asynchronous eLearning Group and is distributed for free as open-source software.
The incorporation of asynchronous eLearning services offers new possibilities in education, providing interaction and constant teacher-student communication. It is said, at the same time, that electronic organization, storing and presentation of educational material, regardless the limiting factors of place and time of typical teaching, is supported, forming the conditions of a dynamic educational setting. The Open eClass platform is designed with the goal to bring new actions that promote its corporate utility in the already existing educational patterns into effect.
The main user role is that of the teacher who can create practical and functional electronic courses easily and quickly, using the educational material provided (note, presentations, texts, pictures, etc). At the same time, students attain an alternative entry channel to the knowledge offered. Finally, the Open eClass platform supports all asynchronous eLearning services without boundaries and limitations, and the platform access is achieved via a simple web browser without any demand of specialized technical knowledge .
The adult education modules based on the Distance Learning model were designed in response to increased education requirements in various job environments. They spin around 5 thematic units in the field of finance and last from 5 to 9 months. Upon successful completion of the academic requirements, adult students receive a Certificate of Studies. In particular, the University awards Certificates of Training and Certificates of Specialisation, each reflecting specific programme choices by the students. Eligible candidates to the University’s adult education programme are University and T.E.I. graduates and secondary education graduates with previous experience. Candidates are selected on the following criteria: Grade Point Average of Degree or Graduation Diploma (Apolyterio) and priority with respect to application filed. Candidates are required to have access to a personal computer and the Internet. Fees vary with respect to the thematic unit selected .

'''[[Pandeion University for Social and Political Sciences]]'''

The Pandeion University for Social and Political Sciences in Athens in order to provide complete long life education and training for Social and Political sciences issues has proceeded in the production and development of various educational applications, such as distance learning, telematics and multimedia. These applications aim to educate and train the instructors that are necessary for the implementation of the multiple purpose training and seminar carriers all over the country.

'''[[Athens University of Economics and Business]]'''

The Tele-education Centre of the Athens University of Ecomomics and Business materializes an application for the development of distance learning environment through the Lab. of Business Information Technology. The pilot web courses in the asynchronous distance learning environment concern web courses for :Internet and E-commerce, Database for Business applications, Principles for the design and Implementation of Information systems and Business Information Systems, specifically created to support the needs of executives.
The Teleducation Center is fully operational, serving the current needs of the Institution. The scope of the Tele-education Center is:
* the supply of distance learning services to the University students, either by supporting the courses with additional distance learning material, or by giving the whole course with the use of the tele-education method;
* the continuous education and training of executives, working in Greek organizations, public or private, free lancers and unemployed;
* the export of distance learning services to other countries;
* the operation of the Tele-education Center as a link for gathering the national resources concerning the education technology development and the education service supply;

During the last few years, a real-time multimedia, distance learning classroom has been created. This specially designed classroom can function either independently as a multimedia classroom, equipped with audiovisual and digital devices, which assist and improve educational process or as a virtual, distance learning classroom. The classroom is equipped with state-of-the-art network and audiovisual devices, which allows for full duplex communication among this and other classrooms. The design and the equipment of the classroom enables high interaction among participants of a course delivered simultaneously in different classrooms, by simulating all operations taking place in a traditional classroom, thereby creating a virtual classroom.

'''[[University of Piraeus]]'''

The University of Piraeus through its Network Center supports a number of WWW course tools, available only for potential students. In order to enter the specific web tutorial page the student has to create a personal account. It is an asynchronous distance learning environment. These specific web courses refer to various issues such as cardiological events and tooth hygiene.
The Computer Centre of the University of Piraeus aims at facilitating the educational, administrative and research work of the University. Students of all departments are having Computer Science courses and practice in four fully equipped laboratories at the Computer Center with 85 workstations. In addition, the Computer Center supports the research work of the University by providing every possible assistance in both the uses of computer applications and equipment.
In almost every administrative function of the University there have been applied modern methods of organisation using computer systems. More specifically, many applications have been developed covering the needs in student’s records, in the main University library and in the other Administrative Departments (Accounting, Finance, Personnel etc).
It should be specially mentioned that modern office automation computer systems and desktop publishing applications are extensively used by the academic and administrative staff thus providing high level services.
Most of the research projects are supported by the University Central Computer system (DEC 5810 Risk) in which there have been installed many Relational Data Base Management Systems, programs for economics and statistical analysis, expert systems, computer language compilers etc.
This main system is connected through the Ethernet Network with Unix Workstations over 200 PC’s used in education, 50 Apple Macintosh systems for office automatic projects and other special devices such aw plotters, scanners etc.
The Computer Center also provides communication facilities with other Universities, Institutions and Research Centers all over Greece and abroad, mainly through its Internet Server System DEC Alpha 1000.
The Network Management Centre (NMC) of the University of Piraeus is located in its central building and is responsible for:
* The management of the data and voice network
* The design, implementation and evolution of the University network System and user support
* The provision of teleconference services
* The provision of internet and web (www) services
* The provision of dial-up access services
The University continually invests on improving its network structure using up to – date technologies and on developing telematic applications for teaching and research purposes.

'''[[University of Ioannina]]'''

The University of Ioannina provides a Computer and Media Centre that organises all computer services for teaching and research operations and administers the campus-wide network, which includes access to global computer networks. More than one hundred personal computers are directly accessible to students. Regularly offered information courses and a number of supervisors provide all necessary assistance for users. There are also facilities provided by the Media & Documentation Centre that include a variety of production capacities as well as archive materials in the field of audio-visual media. Among these is a fully equipped broadcasting studio, equipment for electronic editing, and video producing, and a photo lab. Besides lecturers, students do have access to all facilities if they work on supervised projects.
In the University of Ioannina there is also a Open and Distance Learning Centre: as regional office of the German Open University, the Centre gives support to students who are enrolled at the Open University by supervising their studies and preparing for exams. A stock of self-learning material (print and audio-visual media) is available to both Open University and University of Lueneburg students.

'''[[University of Thessaly]]'''

The University of Thessaly Network Management Centre, in cooperation with GUNET, offers the following pilot services: videoconference and tele-education over IP, videoconference, Video on Demand, concerning the live transmission of TV programs and local radio station program through Internet. The Network Centre of the University has already set up a fully-equipped videoconference room in Trikala, for the Department of Physical Training Science. The video teleconference room has already been successfully used for synchronous distance education sessions in physical training science issues for the students and for similar post- graduate courses attendance.

'''Information Technology Laboratory'''

Information technology education is a necessity of modern times. The introduction of IT in education is based on two paradigms:
• IT as an autonomous knowledge-base that needs to be introduced in the curriculum.
• IT as an interdisciplinary research and learning tool.

The availability of instant access to IT allows both teachers and students to familiarize themselves with technology and supports educational needs of the department (demonstration, group work, communication, information database access …).

'''Network Operation Centre'''

The aim of this Centre is the creation and maintenance of network of support of unified services that interlink all the buildings of University Thessaly, in all the cities of Thessaly in which the University allocates installations, as well as the offer of high quality of services of telephony, transport of data, and picture.
More concretely the work aims in the concretisation:
* Structured wiring in all the buildings of University Thessaly, that aims at as the easy connection of any user or with the network of data via computer or with the network of telephony.
* System of transport of data of high output, on the connection of all computers of Papenjsti'mjo Thessaly via long distance and urban engaged lines and regional networks of last technology (FDDi, ATM, Ethernet).
* Internal telecommunications network for the support of advanced services of digital telephony and multimedias make where it allows the complete and reliable cover of corresponding needs of means of Academic community.
* Points of access (Access Point) in the network of Academic institutions (GUNet) Public network ISDN and but national and international networks of communication as well as with the Internet.
* Management and extension of Network according to the needs of Academic community.
* Benefit of Services of information via the international networks of information and with use PC (WWW USENET News, Ftp, Search Engines etc).
* Aid and education of users of University Thessaly for the effective use of Network.

The network of support of unified Services provides in all the members of Academic community the possibility of most rapid connection with the Internet and access in world scale sources of information. It offers the possibility rapid and qualitative communication between the installations of University Thessaly. It allows the import of new technologies in the education (multimedias, education by distance) research and administration. It upgrades the Programs of Study and strengthens the collaboration with other Academic institutions of country and abroad. It contributes in the interconnection of University with local productive and administrative institutions.

'''University of the Aegean'''

The University of the Aegean has been the first Greek University to fully utilise Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)into its everyday activities, and thus implementing the Information Society in Hellenic higher education. The University of Aegean has achieved to connect through the Aegean-net all university units in different islands on the Aegean Sea, the islands of Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Rhodes. The Aegean-net project offers the proper infrastructure and know-how to these remote geographically locations and aims to use for research/educational purposes.

'''The Pedagogical Institute (P.I.)'''

The Pedagogical Institute operates a Distance Learning Centre which provides distance training to educators of Primary and Secondary Education who access the P.I. server either from their schools or home. The relevant services offered spin around the following axes:
* Self-education: access to (search & retrieve) training material and information on a wide range of subjects that may be of interest to educators, pupils and parents.
* Co-operative learning: on-line participation in various discussion groups and joint projects.
* Virtual classrooms: interactive, real-time classroom sessions using dedicated ISDN connections.

'''Greek Schools Network'''

The Greek Schools' Network is the educational intranet of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs (www.ypepth.gr), which interlinks all schools and provides basic and advanced telematic services. Thus, it contributes to the creation of a new generation of educational communities, which takes advantage of the new Informatics' and Communication Technologies in the educational procedure.
The implementation of the Greek Schools' Network is funded by the Framework Programme for the Information Society , in close cooperation between the Ministry of Education as well as 12 Research Centers and Highest Education Institutes, specialized in network and Internet technologies.
Educational Exploitation of the Greek Schools Network
The current design and implementation of the Greek Schools Network focuses in providing useful services to all members of the basic and middle education community, fulfilling among others the following goals:
* Access to telecommunication and informatics services
* Access to digitized educational material
* Distance learning, e-learning
* Encourage collaboration
* Information and opinion exchange
* Conduct of thematic discussions, seminars, lectures, etc.
* Access to digital library services
* Communication and Cooperation of all educational degrees
* Communication with European educa-tional networks
* Facilitate complimentary educational programs
* Provide education to individuals with special needs or disabilities
* Inform, educate, entertain

== Lessons learnt ==

== References ==

* [http://www.gnto.gr/pages.php?pageID=14&langID=2 Hellenic Republic - Ministry of Tourism - Greek National Tourism Organisation – General Information ]
* [http://europa.eu/abc/european_countries/eu_members/greece/index_en.htm Europe – Gateway to the European Union]
* [http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page?_pageid=1996,39140985&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&screen=detailref&language=en&product=REF_TB_population&root=REF_TB_population/t_popula/t_pop/t_demo_gen/tps00001 Eurostat - Data on Population]
* [http://www.parlalex.it/documentazione/gre.rtf Greek Constitution]
* [http://promitheas.iacm.forth.gr/i-curriculum/Assets/Docs/NatReports/Greek%20Report.pdf Greek Educational System – The implementation of ICT in the Greek Curriculum in Compulsory Education – IACM/FORTH, November 2003]
* [http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/ressources/eurydice/eurybase/pdf/0_integral/EL_EN.pdf Eurybase – The Educational System in Greece, 2005-2006, Eurydice, Directorate-General for Education and Culture]
* [http://www.cepes.ro/publications/pdf/Greece.pdf Kyriazis, Asderaki, Higher Education in Greece, UNESCO, 2008]
* [http://www.stat-athens.aueb.gr/~jpan/oecd-background-report.html Educational Policy Review – Background Report to OECD on education]
* [http://www.ypepth.gr/docs/site_apologismos_pepr.pdf Our Actions on Education, 2004-2007 (in Greek)]
* [http://www.infosoc.gr/infosoc/en-uk The official Greek portal for I.S.]
* [http://www.epractice.eu/resource/2037 Greece Information]
* Eurybase (The Information Database on Education Systems in Europe – The Educational System in Greece, 2005-2006, Directorate-General for Education and Culture
* Kontogiannopoulou-Polydorides, G. Mylonas, Th. Solomon, J., & Vergidis, D. (1994). “Greece: System of education.” In T.N. Postlethwaite International Encyclopedia of Education. Oxford: Pergamon.
* Koustourakis, G. (2006). An attempt formation of the framework for the organization and functioning of the Hellenic Open University: A sociological approach. [In Greek]. In A. Lionarakis (Ed). Open and Distance Education: Elements of theory and praxis (pp. 42-77). Athens: Propobos.
* Koustourakis, G., Panagiotakopoulos, C., & Vergidis, D. 2008. A Contribution to the Hellenic Open University: Evaluation of the pedagogical practices and the use of ICT on distance education. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning [Online] 9:2. Available: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/424
* Soutas, Andreopoulou, Ipsilandis “[http://www.onlined.org/papers/000185.pdf Distance Learning in Higher Education and Perspectives in Greece]”
* Vergidis, D., & Panagiotakopoulos, C. 2002. Student Dropout at the Hellenic Open University: Evaluation of the Graduate Program, "Studies in Education". [http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/101/563 The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning]

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[[Category:Greece| ]]
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Greece

2009-06-05T12:43:01Z

Roman: /* The Hellenic Open University */

== Partners situated in Greece ==

None.

== Greece in a nutshell ==

[[Image:Greece_map.jpg|right]]
GREECE (Ελλάδα – Elláda) officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkanic Peninsula and it includes more than 2000 islands situated in Ionian and Aegean Seas and it has a total surface area of 131,957 km2. Greece is a parliamentary republic and it’s considered as the cradle of the western culture and thought. Greece is a member of the European Union since 1981, of the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union since 2001and also a member of NATO from 1952.

Athens is the capital of Greece and Thessaloniki, Patras, Heraklion, Volos, Ioannina, Larissa e Kavala are some of the most important cities of the country.

As of January 2008, the population of Greece is estimated at 11,262,000 by Eurostat : the 58,8% lives in the urban areas and only the 28,4% in rural areas.

The official language is the Modern Greek that is spoken by the 98.5% of population; moreover, there are some Slavic and Turkish minorities.

The widespread religion is the Orthodox Christian and the relationship between State and Church are regulated by the Third Article of the Greek Constitution.

Greece is divided in 13 perifereies (περιφέρειες) – Attica, Central Greece, Central Macedonia, Crete, East Macedonia e Thrace, Epirus, Ionian Island, North Aegean, Peloponnese, South Aegean, Thessaly, West Greece, West Macedonia – subdivided into a total of fifty-one prefectures called nomos.
Greece is a Parliamentary Republic thanks to the Referendum of the 8th December 1974.

The President of the Republic, who is considered the edge of the state, is elected by the Parliament for a five-years terms, only for two mandate.
The Greek Constitution, formed by 120 articles, foresee the separation of the three powers: executive, legislative and judiciary.
The executive power is exercised by the President of the Republic and by the Government. The President of the Republic is the commandant in chief of the armed forces and he presides over the Defense Council.
The civil authority of the armed forces is the Ministry of the national defence. The President of the Republic appoints the Prime Minister and the other Cabinet members.
Legislative power is exercised by a The legislative power is exercised by a 300-member elective unicameral Parliament (Vouli ton Ellinon) : elections are held every four years by universal suffrage through a complex proportional system, with barrage at 3%.
The judiciary power is independent from the executive and legislative and it comprehends three Supreme Court: the Court of Cassation (Άρειος Πάγος), the Council of State (Συμβούλιο της Επικρατείας) and the Curt of Auditors (Ελεγκτικό Συνέδριο).
Greece has a multiparty system, dominated by two principles political party: the liberal-conservative New Democracy (ND), actually in power, and the social-democratic Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK).

== Greece education policy ==

During the 19th century, have been implemented in Greece, many reforms in the education field, in relation to the structure of the system, the national curriculum and the language used for education. In 1975 the Constitution has established the new paradigm of education legislation that was introduced through the reform of the education system, one year later, in 1976. The reform in question has established a common language for education, has reformed the education division between primary, secondary and tertiary education and emphasized the modernization of curricula and the improvement of the administration and monitoring of education.
The second period of reforms of the education system began in the mid-nineties and the third period in early 21 century, between 2004 and 2006. This reform, introduced important changes, like the creation of the Foundation of International University of Greece, the reform of secondary vocational training, the introduction of a new law for the assessment of education and legislative actions in relation to lifelong learning area.

In the Greek Constitution, education is identified as a responsibility of the state. The majority of Greek citizens attend public schools, in fact, there are few private schools that are supervised by the Ministry of Education. The Minister has a centralized control on state schools, sets educational curricula, he manages the staff and monitors the funds.
At regional level the role of supervisor of the Minister is done through the Regional Councils for Primary and Secondary Education that operate in every prefecture. The tertiary institutions are almost totally autonomous, even if the Minister is responsible for funding. In accordance with Article 16 of the Greek constitution, education, both moral, intellectual, occupational and physical, is a basic mission for the state, with the aim of developing a national and religion conscience and provide adequate training to the future citizens.

The basic legislation is included in the following:

* Constitution 2001 (Article16).
* Law 682/1977: “About the private schools and boarding houses”.
* Law 1566/1985: “Structure and Operation of Primary and Secondary Education and other Stipulations”.
* Law 2817/2000: “Regional Directorates of Education”.
* Law 2916/2001: “Structure of Higher Education and settlement of issues in the Technological Sector”.
* Law 2986/2002: “Organisation of Regional Services of Primary and Secondary Education, assessment of teaching task and staff, teachers’ in service training and other stipulations”.
* Law 3027/2002: “Regulations concerning the Organisation of School Buildings for Higher Education and other stipulations”.
* Ministerial Decisions 21072α/Γ2/ Official Journal 303 v.B’/13-3-2003 and 21072β/Γ2/ Official Journal 304v.B’/13-3-2003, “Cross-Curricular Thematic Framework and Curricula of Primary and Secondary Education”.
* Law 3255/2004: “Regulations for Issues of all Educational Levels”.
* Law 3369/2005: “Systematisation of Lifelong Learningand other stipulations”.
* Law 3467/2005: “Selection of primary and secondary education teachers, regulations for Administration and Education issues and other stipulations”.
* Law 3475/2006: “Organization of secondary vocational education and other provisions”.
* Law 3549/2007: “Reform of the institutional framework concerning the structure and function of the higher education institutes”.

More recently legislation interventions made in the period 2000-2001 include :
# Improvements have been made to the 1997/98 reform, regarding the access system to Higher Education and the hiring of educators. In the case of the first one notes a less rigid textbook based assessment system which exhibits features of analysis, association, critical thinking etc. in this regard one can claim that attempts are made to reach congruency between the curriculum and its contents and the assessment for access to higher education system.
# Legislation regarding the fields of Special Education, decentralisation of education, training and evaluation of educators has been reformed (Law 2986/2002).
# Technological Education Institutes have been upgraded by being incorporated in Higher Education which now consists of two parallel sectors namely: the University and the Technological ones. (Law 2916/2001).

The specific changes introduced into the education system with the Greek Reform of 2007 include:
The establishment of Unified Upper Secondary School (Eniaio Lykeio) which is gradually replacing all other existing types of upper secondary school (lykeio);
The procedure for admission to higher education has been changed, with emphasis on the assessment of pupils in the second and third degree of lykeio;
The duration of kindergartens and primary schools has been stretched because it will gradually move to full-time;
Second Chance Schools have been created specifically for teens who have already completed 18 years and have not yet completed the compulsory school;
The design of a common curriculum for both primary and secondary education

A focal point of educational policy is the idea that education is a social resource and a right for every citizen. Based on laws passed by Parliament for each educational level, the State intends to render more democratic the whole process of education, decentralizing it, ensuring the participation of those who are directly involved in the process, raising the quality level provided and applying the principle of merit principle in the recruitment of specific staff . Compared to European data Greece isn’t investing many resources to fund educational projects: in fact, the percentage of GDP granted to education in 2005 was 3.98% . Also the other percentage rates are lower than the European average.

[[Image:Greece_GDP_Edu_exp.jpg|center]]

The current reform (Law 3549/2007: "Reform of the institutional framework concerning the structure and function of the higher education institutes") will be discussed extensively later, in paragraph “Higher Education Reform”.

== Greece education system ==

[[Image:Greece_Edu_struct.jpg|right]]

Education system in Greece is subdivided in 4 levels:
* Pre-primary Education: nipiagogeio (preschool);
* Primary Education: dimotiko Scholeio (primary school);
* Secondary Education: gymnasio (Lower Secondary School), geniko lykeio (General upper Secondary School), epaggelmatiko lykeio – EPAL (Vocational Lyceum/ EPA.L), TEE (Technical Vocational Schools / TEE) and epaggelmatiki scoli – EPAS (Vcational Educational Training Schools / EPAS);
* Higher Eduation: Panepistimia/AEI (University), Technologika Ekpaideftika Idrymata / TEI (Technological Education Institutes) and the School of Fine Arts (ASKT) .

The education system in Greece ranges from 6 to 16 years old and normally include the primary school (demotiko) and secondary (Gymnasio).

=== Pre-primary Education ===
Law 1566/1985 determines all the details concerning the structure and organization of primary and secondary education. The same law provides that the pre-school education depends on the primary system and in this sense follows the regulations in place for Dimotiko Scholeio (primary school).
In particular, the pre-school education is provided by Nipiagogeia (Kindergartens) that operate independently or in specialized centres together with the state nursery school (children's centers). The frequency of nipiagogeio lasts 2 years and after the changes introduced in 2006, was made compulsory from 5 years of age. The issues concerning the organization of nipiagogeia are governed by decisions N° F27/148/G1/160/14-2-95 of the Minister of Education.
Since 1997 has been set up full time: Oloimero nipiagogeio (All-day kindergarten) was introduced by Law 2525/97. Finally, in relation to Article 73 of Law 3518/2006, the frequency at nipiagogeio begins from 4 years of age, becoming compulsory from 5 years onwards.
The nursery school (Παιδικός σταθμός, Paidikós Stathmós) starts at the age of two and a half years, in institutions both public and private. They are very popular, but attendance is not mandatory.

=== Primary education ===
Primary education is provided within the primary schools (scholeio), whether public or private. The primary schools are distributed all over the country, even in the remotest regions. Attendance is mandatory and there are no additional costs for school and for textbooks. The frequency in Dimotiko Scholeio lasts 6 years and includes levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The access is possible after having completed 6 years of age.
Oloimero Scholeio (All-day School) operate in parallel to the ordinary primary school, with an extended timetable and an enriched curriculum.
The current primary and secondary school structure was established in 1985 with the Law 1566: this law has instituted new procedures for the designing of new curricula and textbooks. This framework has been modified and enriched with new laws and presidential decrees.
There are also Idiotika nipiagogeia (private kindergartens) and idiotika scholeia operating under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and controlled by regional administrative bodies, just as in the case of public schools. They have the same organization and structure of state schools and qualifications equivalent to those issued in public.

=== Secondary education ===
Secondary education in Greece is divided into two levels: Compulsory Education and Higher Secondary Education.

'''Types of Institution'''
This subdivision describes the main types of educational institutions that are included in secondary education.
* Compulsory Secondary Education – Gymnasio
* Upper Secondary non-Compulsory Education - Geniko Lykeio
* Vocational Lyceum – EPAL (epaggelmatiko lykeio) | Vocational School – EPAS (epaggelmatiki scholi) | Technical Vocational Educational School - TEE (Technika Epangelmatika Ekpedeftiria) (secondary non-compulsory education)
* Post-Secondary non Tertiary Education – IEK (Institouta Epaggelmatikis Katartisis)

The compulsory secondary education is provided in Gymnasio, which lasts for 3 years: from 12 to 15 years of age.
The upper secondary education (not compulsory) is provided through two types of institutions: Geniko lykeio (General Lyceum / GL) and epaggelmatiko lykeio - EPAL (Vocational Lyceum). The frequency in both types of school lasts 3 years. There are also epaggelmatiki Scholar - EPAS (ΕΠΑΣ / SS), professional schools, the frequency of which lasts for 2 years.
With the Law 3475/2006 , it is determined that training is provided within the Vocational Lyceums (EPAL) and Vocational Schools (EPAS), which replaced the State Technical Vocational School (TEE), under the supervision of the Minister of Education and Religious Affairs. The change from the TEE to EPAL / EPAS was gradual and started in the academic year 2006-2007.
The duration of the course is 3 years and is divided into 3 levels of employment:
The first level includes 3 levels: I) Technology, II) Services, III) Naval;
The second includes Mechanical Engineering, Electrician, Electronics, Building Works, Information Science, Economics and Management, Health and Welfare, Agronomy, Food and the Environment.
The third level includes: General mechanical engineering, Car engineering, Electrical facilities, computer systems & networks electronic experts, Economics and Management employees, Tourist enterprises employees, assistant nurses, Medical & biological laboratories assistants, Pharmacy assistants, Food Technology & Control, Landscaping – Environment & Agro-tourism, Modern Business Agriculture, Merchant Marine Masters, Merchant Marine Engineers.

In addition, there are particular gymnasia and lykeia : religious, minorities, inter-cultural, music experimental and some special classes for pupils who need special education, called Secondary Special Needs Education Schools and Inclusion Classes (ΣΜΕΑ/SMEA). Other alternative secondary education are the School of Fine Arts, Sports Facilities Classes and Second Chance Schools. In state schools the attendance is free and textbooks are distributed free of charge by the state.
The post-secondary education (not university) includes Epaggelmatikis Instituta Katartisis-(IEK) - Vocational Training Institutes - which offer qualifications for employment and diplomas that certify the training received. In fact, this type of institutions provides a formal professional education with the possibility to receive a Certificate or a Diploma of Vocational Training, equivalent to that of professional schools (Vocational Lyceums - EPAL). This license allows entry into the working world in both the public and the private sector. These schools accept students both from Gymnasio and Lykeio. The Vocational Training Diploma of the Organization for Vocational Education and Training (OEEK) is now recognized as a formal qualification to apply for jobs, even in the public sector (Presidential Decree 50/2001, Government Gazette 39/A/5-3-2001 on Determination of appointment qualifications in posts of public sector bodies).

=== Private Education ===
In Greece there are secondary private institutions such as Gymnasia, Lykeia and TEE, but recently with Articles 9, 13 and 14 of Law 3475/2006 (Government Gazette 146/issue A/2006), were included also private Vocational Lykeia (EPAL) and Vocational Schools (EPAS): private EPAL and EPAS are organized and follow the same schedule of classes in public schools.
Furthermore, as established by Law 3475/2006, there are also private Gymnasia and Lykeia, that provide education for foreigners living in Greece, as established by the Act governing foreign schools. These schools may use a foreign education program, a Greek educational program or a mixed program, both foreign and Greek.
In addition, there are private Vocational Training Institutes (IEK), which are coordinated by the Organization for Vocational Education and Training (OEEK).

== Higher education ==

Higher education in Greece comprises two parallel sectors (Law 3549/2007, Article 2), university and technology. The university sector, including Universities (Ανώτατα Εκπαιδευτικά Ιδρύματα, Anótata Ekpaideytiká Idrýmata, "ΑΕΙ"), Polytechnics and Higher School of Fine Arts (ΑΣΚΤ / ASKT). The technology sector, includes Higher Technological Education Institutes (TEI) and School of Pedagogical and Technological Education.
The universities are fully self-administered legal entities of public law that are financed and supervised by the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs, in accordance with Article 16 of the Constitution.
Entry to these institutions depends on the performance of the examinations that are performed in the 3rd grade of secondary school.

=== Typologies of Greek higher education institutions ===

[[Image:Greece_HEdu_typology.jpg|left]]

The '''higher education sector''', including the AEI Universities, Polytechnics, the Higher School of Fine Arts (ΑΣΚΤ / ASKT) and the Hellenic Open University (EAP). The '''university sector''' of the secondary education includes Universities (A.E.I.), Polytechnics, Higher School of Fine Arts (ΑΣΚΤ/ASKT) and the Hellenic Open University (EAP).
These educational institutions are funded and under the control of the state: the supervision is exercised by the Minister of Education. In Greece there are 23 universities, including the Polytechnics, the Academy of Fine Arts and the Hellenic Open University (ΕΑΠ / EAP). A particular type of educational institution is the International University of Greece (ΔΙ.ΠΑ.Ε / DIPA), operating in Thessaloniki and it is an independent secondary education institution and completely self-administrated. This University is a legal entity of public law and its mission is to provide higher education to foreigners interested in studying in Greece. To carry out this mission, the International University organizes and promotes graduate and post-graduate programs of study, using distance teaching and learning. The courses last for approximately 4 years, with the exception of certain faculties where the course lasts even 5 or 6 years. The academic year consists of two semesters, with 13 weeks of lessons and three weeks of examinations. Students complete their course of study after 4 years if they pass the examination of both the compulsory and the optional subjects. At the end of the studies they obtain a Diploma or Degree in relation to the Faculty concerned. The Universities issue certificates in the following fields:

* Humanities, law and social sciences
* Sciences
* Health Sciences
* Technological Sciences
* Economic and Management Sciences.

The '''technology sector''' includes Technological Education Institutes (TEI) and Higher School for Teachers of Technological Education (ΑΣΠΑΙΤΕ / ASPA). In this area there is also the Higher Military Education Institute.
The Technological Education Institutes (TEI) are under the supervision of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs (ΥΠΕΠΘ / YPEPTH).
There currently are 15 TEI and a School for the technology and pedagogy education, in the whole country, and 95 specializations offered by TEI in the following fields:
* Graphic arts and artistic studies
* Administration and economics
* Health and welfare occupations
* Technological applications
* Food and nutrition technology
* Agronomy technology
* Music technology.

The studies last for 4 years with a total of eight semesters, which include both periods of lesson and a final semester devoted to the preparation of the thesis. During this final period, students can begin to practice their profession through a training period that will then be evaluated. After the completion of studies, students will receive a Degree.

==== Secondary non-tertiary education ====
The higher non-university education includes the Higher Ecclesiastical Schools, Higher
Schools of Dance and Drama, Higher Schools of Tourist Professions, Higher NCO Schools and Higher and Police Academies. According to the constitution, vocational training and any other special training is provided by the State in institutions o the higher education level. The duration of studies in these schools can not exceed 3 years.
The main types are: the Higher Ecclesiastical Schools, under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs that will be converted to University Ecclesiastical Academies through the Law 3432/2006 and will operate as tertiary education institutions. The Higher Schools of Dance and Drama, under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture, the Higher Schools of Tourist Professions under the supervision of the Ministry of Tourist Development, Higher Schools for Petty-Officers who are managed by the Ministry of Defense and the Higher Police Academy, supervised by the Ministry of Public Order.

==== Postgraduate Studies ====
The organization of postgraduate studies is governed by '''Law 2083/92''':
universities have full responsibility for the organization and payment of post-graduate courses. All TEI may participate, in the form of consortia with Greek or foreign universities, organizing courses. With the Law 3374/2005 the TEI that have passed the assessment of the prerequisites, have the ability to provide post-graduate courses. There are different degrees of postgraduate courses: the Master and PhD.
The programs of post-graduated studies are appointed by the General Assembly of Special Composition of the department and are approved by the Academic Senate.
In the proposal, the following are mentioned: the field of study and the objectives of the programme, the type of the awarded postgraduate titles, the categories of the admitted graduates, the duration of the program, the courses, the teaching, the research or any other activities of the postgraduate students, the number of postgraduate students, the prospects and the needs of the relevant university in staff and infrastructure, the operational cost and the financial resources. The Minister of Education gives the final approval of the postgraduate study programmes, issuing a decision published in the Official Journal. For the organization and the operation of a postgraduate study programme the competent bodies are the following: the Senate of a Special Composition, the Committee for Postgraduate Study Programmes which operates at HEI level, the General Assembly of a Special Composition, the Coordinative Committee of the postgraduate study programmes and the Director of Postgraduate Studies .
Doctoral programs last a minimum of 3 years, as determined by law. Some programs are structured while others are based on pure research. There was an increase in PhD programs due to the interdisciplinary nature of the topics related to research. In fact, both programs include teaching courses with research activities. Doctoral programs may include activities such as discussions, presentations, workshops, attending seminars or publications. The Law gives students the opportunity to create a doctoral program but only for those faculty that do not already have a post-graduate studies program .
At the end of the study period there is a written thesis that is discussed publicly in front of a committee of seven academic professors.

=== Universities in Greece ===

The University of Athens is the most ancient University of the oriental Mediterranean.

The other main Universities are:

* Agricultural University of Athens
* Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (mirror)
* Athens School of Fine Arts
* Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB)
* Democritus University of Thrace (campuses: Komotini, Xanthi, Alexandroupoli, Orestiada)
* Harokopion University of Athens
* Hellenic Open University
* International Hellenic University
* Ionian University
* National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
* National Technical University of Athens
* Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences
* Technical University of Crete (T.U.C)
* University of the Aegean (campuses: Mytilene, Chios, Karlovasi, Rhodes, Ermoupoli)
* University of Central Greece (campuses: Lamia, Livadeia)
* University of Crete (campuses: Heraklio, Rethymno)
* University of Ioannina (campuses: Ioannina, Agrinio)
* University of Macedonia (campuses: Thessaloniki, Edessa, Naoussa)
* University of Patras
* University of Peloponnese (campuses: Tripoli, Korinthos, Kalamata, Nafplio, Sparti)
* University of Piraeus
* University of Thessaly (campuses: Larissa, Volos, Karditsa, Trikala)
* University of Western Macedonia (campuses: Florina, Kozani)

[[Image:Greece_Uni.jpg|center]]

=== Technological Institutes of Higher Education in Country ===

* Alexander TEI of Thessaloniki (campuses: Sindos, Katerini, Kilkis, Nea Moudania)
* School of Pedagogical and Technological Education
* TEI of Athens
* TEI of Chalkida (campuses: Chalkida, Thiva)
* TEI of Crete (campuses: Heraklio, Chania, Rethymno, Agios Nikolaos, Ierapetra, Sitia)
* TEI of Epirus (campuses: Arta, Ioannina, Preveza, Igoumenitsa)
* TEI of Ionian Islands (campuses: Lefkada, Argostoli, Lixouri, Zakynthos)
* TEI of Kalamata (campuses: Kalamata, Sparti)
* TEI of Kavala (campuses: Kavala, Drama)
* TEI of Lamia (campuses: Lamia, Amfissa, Karpenisi)
* TEI of Larissa (campuses: Larissa, Karditsa, Trikala)
* TEI of Messolonghi (campuses: Messolonghi, Nafpaktos)
* TEI of Patras (campuses: Patra, Aigio, Pyrgos, Amaliada)
* TEI of Piraeus
* TEI of Serres
* TEI of Western Macedonia (campuses: Kozani, Florina, Kastoria, Grevena and Ptolemaida)

[[Image:Greece_Tei.jpg|center]]

== Higher education reform ==

'''Higher education reform'''
The existent Law 1268/82 governs the operation of tertiary education and was introduced by the Socialist Government (PASOK) in 1982. There were several changes made to this Law, in particular the 1404 Law of 1983 and the 2083 of 1992.
The main innovations brought about by Law 1268/82, which drastically changed the operation of universities, are the following:
* The old faculties were divided into departments, each of which corresponds to a university discipline area.
* The Chair system, which was the focus of the past organisation of universities, was replaced by the scientific sector (tomeas). The tomeas is responsible to a General Assembly in each Department.
* All policy decisions related to the various levels are taken by the appropriate General Assemblies which consist of all members of the teaching staff and a considerable number of undergraduate and some postgraduate students.
* Undergraduates have equal representation in the electoral bodies for the selection of the administrative heads of the University as the members of the academic staff.
* Members of the teaching staff form a single body with four levels: (i) lecturer, (ii) assistant professor, (iii) associate professor and (iv) professor. Only those belonging to the two upper ranks of the academic hierarchy are elected to permanent (tenured) positions. Appointments and promotion of all teaching staff is made by special electoral bodies, which meet together with the General Assemblies of the departments. New categories of auxiliary teacher, technical and administrative personnel has been created.
* Each university is administered by: (i) the Rector who is supported by two vice-Rectors, elected for a period of three years by an electoral college. The electoral college consists of all the faculty members, an equal number of undergraduate students and representatives of the technical staff, the administration staff, the graduate students, the teaching assistants and the foreign language teachers. Each of the latter groups has a representation which is 5% of the size of the faculty (total 25%), (ii) the Rectors’ Council, which consists of the Rector, the two vice-rectors, one representative of the students and one representative of the administrative personnel and (iii) the Senate consisting of the Rector and the vice-rectors, the deans of the university faculties, the heads of the autonomous departments, one representative of the teaching staff, one representative of undergraduate students from each department, one representative of administrative personnel and a number of representatives of the post-graduates students. All representatives are elected. The Senate is regarded as the top administrative agent of the University. Each faculty, comprising of relevant departments, is administered by: (a) the Dean, who is elected for three years by the General Assembly of the faculty, (b) a Council which comprises the dean, heads of the departments and one undergraduate student from each department and (c) the General Assembly of the faculty which consists of the General Assemblies of the departments.
Each department is administered by: (a) the head, who is elected for two years, (b) the Administrative Council which consists of the head, the directors of departmental sections and representatives of the students and of the technical or administrative personnel, and (c) the General Assembly of the department. The director of each sector, who is elected for one year, and the General Assembly of the sector are the administrative agents.
* A National Academy of Letters and Sciences (EAGE) and a National Council of Higher Education (S.A.P.) as already described, were established by the new law, as advisory bodies to the Government and as a co-ordinating supervisory agencies on teaching, research, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, evaluation and appointment of academic personnel, creation of new universities or units in them, allocations of funds etc. However, the National Academy of Letters and Sciences has never functioned because of the negative reaction to it of the professorial body.
* The undergraduate studies were reorganised into "semester courses" and a basic structure for the promotion of graduate programmes was set up.

As stated above, Law 2083 in 1992, modified Law 1268 of 1982. The main modifications were the following:
# The participation of students in the procedures for the selection of administrative bodies of higher institutions and in decision-making bodies was reduced to 50% of the faculty.
# The election of the Vice-Rectors became a separate procedure from that of Rectors.
# A four-year plan for the creation and advertisement of teaching staff positions was established.
# The role of administrative bodies with a small number of members was strengthened.
# Members of the teaching staff were ranked according to the service they provide (full time or part-time employment).
# Two cycles of undergraduate studies were established. The first cycle has four semesters. Passing the examinations in all subjects taught during the first cycle is a prerequisite for the continuation of studies in the second cycle.
# Students who fail to complete their studies within the prescribed period of time, extended by two extra years, were not entitled to any kind of financial aid awarded by the state.
# Postgraduate studies and the functioning of research programmes was reorganised.
# Free distribution of academic textbooks was restricted only to students with low annual income.
# New academic institutions such as the Centre for the Greek Language, the Open University and the Committee for Evaluation of Higher Education were created.

The above measures have been further modified or abolished by Law 2188/94 (Minister of Education D.Fatouros) as follows (retaining the numbering above):
# The participation of students in the procedures for the selection of administrative bodies of higher institutions and in decision-making bodies was increased to 80% of the faculty.
# The election of the Vice-Rectors is not a separate procedure from that of Rectors.
# A one-year plan for the creation and advertisement of teaching staff positions was established.
Points 5, 6, 7 and 9 were deleted; 8, and 10 remained the same
Special regulations concerning "guest" students and the mobility of teaching staff and students were also introduced by the new law. This is an attempt to adjust the legal framework of Greek higher education to the context of European Union and to promote co-operation with other countries.
Finally, both the organisation and the functioning of the Technological Education Institutions (TEIs) is based on the Law 1404/1983, and Presidential and Ministerial decisions issued in connection with this Law. The TEIs are distinguished from the AEIs, in terms of their purpose, function (including their administration), staff qualifications and hierarchy, the length of programmes and the fact that they offer no postgraduate courses.
However, their organisation and operation is similar to those of the AEIs. TEIs are oriented towards the application of recent technological knowledge and practice, while AEIs are more science and research-based institutions. Thus, the TEIs have direct links with various productive enterprises where most of the students’ practical work is carried out.
TEIs are self-governing bodies enjoying academic freedom and freedom of teaching and
research. They are divided into schools and departments similar to those of AEIs. Each
TEI together with its schools and departments is administered by members elected by
the General Assemblies in which the teaching staff, an important number of students'
representatives and a number of support personnel representatives participate. The permanent teaching staff are grouped according to three scales: laboratory professors, assistant professors and professors. Possession of a doctorate is a necessary prerequisite for appointment to the rank of professor.
The new law for TEIs provides for the establishment of two Advisory Services at the MoE to offer TEIs advisory support. They are: (a) the Council for Technological Education (Symboulio Technologikis Ekpedefsis - STE), (b) the Institute for Technological Education (ITE). In addition there are Regional Technological Councils whose role is to facilitate the formation of links between TEIs and productive units for economic and any other support .
The legal basis for the organization of university, is the Article 16 of the Greek Constitution which declares that education is a fundamental mission for the State. In addition, it states that higher education can be provided exclusively by institutions which are legal and independent entities under the public law, and it forbids to private institutions to provide university courses. The current situation is changing: in the Greek Parliament there are extensive debates on the amendment of this article, that will enable private non-profit HEI, with some prerequisites for quality .
This new Law “The Reform of the Institutional Framework for the Structure and Operation of Higher Education Institutions” was submitted to the Plenary of the Greek Parliament and was approved on 8 March 2007.
This law regulates the structure of secondary education and is based on Law 1268/1982 that covers only the university sector. The technology sector has a different legislative framework (Law 1404/1983) and up to 2001 the TEI were not regarded as institutions of higher education. The new Law 3549/2007 specifies that the university education comprises two parallel sectors, university and technology, and refers to both types of institutions. This law wants to transfer more responsibility to the HEI, through the internal regulation. The status of the rector is valued: he can be elected by all students and staff and will have the power to exercise legal control and appoint the academic staff.

The most important innovations introduced by the new Law 3549/2007 obligate HEIs:
* to compile internal regulations in order to ensure their even operation and enhance their autonomy;
* to compile a four-year academic-development programme, where their mid-term and long-term goals will be defined and their strategy will be planned;
* to elect their leadership through immediate and collective participation of the academic community groups in the election procedure. The position of HEI Secretary has been introduced for the better management of administrative and financial matters;
* to redefine the concept of academic immunity (asylum);
* to enhance student support services and assign tutors to students;
* to adopt measures in support of students from weaker financial classes such as: compensative scholarships, interest-free educational loans as well as support provided to disabled students;
* to enhance their libraries;
* to establish social accountability and transparency procedures;
* to enhance the European and international dimension of Greek higher education.

Other issues, which should be defined by the internal regulations, are added in the new Law 3549/2007:
# the deontological rules for all the members of the academic community as well as the procedures and the control bodies established for their observance;
# the operation rules of the collective bodies and the obstacles to the participation in those bodies;
# the participation in research or other programmes;
# the operation of the student support services and the exercise of a tutor’s duties by teaching and research staff members;
# the general rules for operating libraries, study and reading rooms of an institution;
# the extent, procedures and requirements for awarding exchange scholarships to students;
# the procedures and requirements for ensuring the safeguarding of the institution and its property in the most efficient way;
# the proportion between obligatory and optional courses of the syllabus and the necessary requirements for students’ participation in all exams;
# the procedure for designing and revising the four-year academic and development program as well as the annual report;
# the specialization of the prerequisites and procedures for the election, advancement or permanent appointment of teaching and research staff members or research staff members;
# the way representatives of the teaching and research staff members or of research staff members from every section are appointed in the General Assembly of a department;
# the composition of the support secretariat for the Secretary of the institution, the qualifications, the selection procedures and the competencies of the Secretary of the institution;
# the way the electoral procedures are conducted for the emergence of the collective bodies of the institution; and
# the integration of the decision made by the qualified body of the HEI with regard to the designation of the HEI’s areas covered by academic asylum.

“''Our aim is to ensure that our HEIs have the necessary resources to continue to fulfill their full range of purposes. Those purposes include: preparing students for life as active citizens in a democratic society; preparing students for their future careers and enabling their personal development; creating and maintaining a broad, advanced knowledge base; and stimulating research and innovation.”''
[Ministers for Higher Education, London Communique, 18 May 2007]

=== The Bologna Process ===

Greece is a founding member of the Bologna Process (1999). Beginning with 2004, intensive efforts have been made in order to implement everything agreed within the framework of the Bologna Process. While in all the other European countries reforms were rapidly implemented, in Greece delays occurred. Today, 46 countries, including Greece, actively participate in the creation and establishment of the European Higher Education Area; Greece is a member of the Bologna Follow-Up Group and was a member of the Board during 2005-2006. Greece also takes part in the Stocktaking Group and in the External Dimension Group (2005-2007). As a member of the European Union, Greece participates, within the framework of the Lisbon Strategy, in the effort to “make Europe the most dynamic Knowledge Society worldwide” and can only go along with the decision of the heads of states and governments made in Barcelona in 2002, which sets the Bologna Process as the basis for cooperation in higher education.

The most important legislative reforms and developments relating to the Bologna Process since Bergen are the following:

'''''Quality Assurance, ECTS, Diploma Supplement'''''

Law 3374/2005 regulates quality assurance in higher education, the establishment of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System and the Diploma Supplement. The law establishes for the first time a national system of quality assurance in Greek higher education, which addresses both universities and TEIs. It also realizes the commitments undertaken by the Ministers of Education in Berlin (2003), complies with the European Standards and Guidelines suggested by ENQA and its partners (EUA, EURASHE, ESIB)
and adopted by the Ministers of Education in Bergen (2005), fully respects the autonomy of the institutions and ensures student participation. The above law determined the obligatory application of a credit system, fully compatible with the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), for all undergraduate and postgraduate study programmes.
Moreover, Law 3404/2005 , which regulates operational and study issues, further contributed to the improvement of the quality of TEIs and established new permanent positions for the educational staff.

'''''Recognition of Degrees'''''

Law 3328/2005 for the establishment of a new Agency for Degree Recognition (DOATAP) was created in order to simplify the procedures for recognition of degrees and study periods. DOATAP is a member of the NARIC network.

'''''The European Dimension, Recognition of Joint Study Programmes and Mobility of Students and Staff'''''

Law 3404/20055, Article 23 on Joint Postgraduate Study Programmes and Joint Doctorates, gives universities the possibility to award double, multiple and joint degrees and allows the use of a language other than Greek in postgraduate study programmes. Thus, it enhances the cooperation between Greek and European HEIs, the mobility of students and academic staff and the European dimension of Higher Education. Moreover, Law 3549/2007 also stipulates the possibility to organize undergraduate study programmes in languages other than Greek.

'''''Lifelong Learning'''''

Within the National Strategic Development Plan (2007-2013), an intergraded lifelong learning policy has been planned because Greece has significantly fallen behind compared to the other European countries. Thus, with the cooperation of the Ministers of Education and Employment, the National System of Connecting Vocational Education and Training was established and the framework for the organization of lifelong learning was created with Law 3369/2005. This law was recently supplemented with Law 3577/2007 .
As far as higher education is concerned, Law 3369/2005 on Lifelong Learning enables the universities to establish and run lifelong learning institutes and have additional revenues, since they can charge fees for training courses. The substantial participation of HEIs in lifelong learning places universities at the centre of the social and financial life of the country and of the region where they are located. They provide citizens with new and often innovative and flexible opportunities for regular and distance-learning and, at the same time, they assume a key role for the adaptation of the workforce to the structural and
technological changes rapidly taking place in the professional fields today. Moreover, the Hellenic Open University, whose study programmes are mainly addressed to the working population, has been facing a rapid development as new programmes were added in all three cycles and new training programmes were created.

'''''The External Dimension of the Bologna Process'''''

Law 3391/2005 regulates the establishment of the International Hellenic University and aims at enhancing student mobility. Moreover, as a member of the External Dimension Group of the Bologna Process, Greece organized a Bologna Seminar on “Putting European Higher Education Area on the Map: Developing Strategies for Attractiveness”, which took place in Athens, on 24-26 June 2006. The participants were mainly higher education stakeholders from the countries participating in the Bologna Process, but also representatives of OECD non-European and Mediterranean countries, representatives of the European Commission, consultative members of the Bologna Process as well as
representatives of international and student organisations (ESIB and AEGEE). The Bologna Seminar meant another step forward in defining the external dimension of the Bologna Process, stressed the need to enhance and bring out the quality of the European Higher Education Area and the need for adopting a concrete strategy on the attractiveness of the European Higher Education Area, which will be the European answer to global challenges.

'''''Mobility through Cycles, Access and the Removal of Obstacles'''''

A series of legislations resulted in the upgrading of those institutions belonging to the non-university sector and, with the exception of the higher ecclesiastical academies, are under the main supervision of other ministries. Thus, these institutions will issue Bachelor’s degrees and their graduates will be able to continue studying in the two next cycles at universities.
─ Law 3432/2006 upgrades the status of the higher ecclesiastical academies supervised by the Ministry of National Education and their degrees become equivalent with those of the higher education institutions.
─ Law 3413/2005 allows higher military schools (supervised by the Ministry of Defense) to participate in consortia with universities for the establishment of postgraduate study programmes and research programmes (degrees are awarded by universities).
─ Law 3450/2006 upgrades the status of the merchant maritime academies (supervised by the Ministry of Mercantile Marine) which are currently able to participate in consortia with universities for the establishment of postgraduate study programmes and research programmes (degrees are awarded by universities). Moreover, Law 3475/200612 regulates, among others, the access of secondary vocational education students to the higher technological sector.

'''''Student Participation'''''

Full participation of students in the governance bodies of HEIs has been ensured. Moreover, student unions participate in the National Council of Education, while Law 3374/2005 on quality assurance has also ensured students’ participation in quality assurance procedures. In addition, the Minister of Education and Religious Affairs has
signed Law 3443/200613, which enacts local youth councils and their participation in local governance, so that young people can become active citizens.

== Administration and finance ==

The Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs (ΥΠΕΠΘ/YPEPTH) is responsible for the administration of all the schools in the country: an administration carried out through the Central and Regional Services and through councils of a consultative and scientific nature that have been created and function in the Ministry’s Central and Regional Services.
Higher Education Institutions (AEI), are self-administered legal entities under public law and the Minister exercises supervision and monitors the legality of their actions and decisions through the Ministry’s central services.

'''''National level'''''

The Minister of National Education and Religious Affairs has the main responsibility for the planning and implementation of the education policy. In his/her task is seconded by two Deputy - Ministers who have specific areas of responsibility.
Under the Minister of Education also come: the General Secretariat for Youth (ΓΓΝΓ/GGNG) whose task is to secure and promote the rights of young people; the General Secretariat for Adult Education (ΓΓΕΕ/GSAE) responsible for planning, co-ordinating and implementing policies on a national scale and with regard to Greek expatriates, actions related to Lifelong Learning and especially: basic adult education, general adult education and training, socio-cultural training and education, open distance learning, as well as training of trainers.
Lastly, under the Ministry of Education also falls the General Secretariat of Religious Affairs that supervises the application of the government policy in the field of religion.
The administrative structure of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs
(ΥΠΕΠΘ/YPEPTH) includes a vertical structure of Departments, Directorates, General Directorates and Integrated Administrative Sectors.
There are six Integrated Administrative Sectors (University Education, Administration of Community Support Framework Programmes, Greeks Abroad and Inter-Cultural Education, Studies, Training and Innovation Issues, Technological Higher Education, Audiovisual Teaching Aids, Education TV, Libraries and Historical Archives) headed by Special Secretaries, appointed by a joint decision of the Prime-Minister and the Minister. The Heads of the General Directorates are Directors General that are selected from among the permanent administrative officials by a Special Service Council. They are responsible for planning activities, coordinating the operation of the Directorates and Administrative Sections under them, evaluating the policy pursued in their sphere of competence and drafting proposals to be sent to the political leadership of the Ministry of Education.

'''''Regional Level'''''

In the context of the education decentralisation policy, Administration is exercised at a Regional Level by the Regional Education Directorates while, at a prefectural level, by the Directorates and the Primary and Secondary Education Offices, Regional Service Councils and Education Committees.
For administering and monitoring the operation of Primary and Secondary Education Institutions there is the Regional Education Directorates which relate directly to the Minister of National Education and Religious Affairs. Each Regional Education Directorate consists of the following Departments: a. Administration, b. Scientific-Pedagogic Guidance of Primary Education and c. Scientific-Pedagogic Guidance of Secondary Education.

'''''Local Level'''''

At local level (municipality or community), there are Scholikes Epitropes (School Committees), Municipal or Community Legal Entities, that manage the funds allocated to cover operating expenses for one or more Primary and Secondary schools depending on the local needs as evaluated by the competent local authorities.
The School Committees are assigned to manage the budget for the operational costs of Primary and Secondary Schools and to support the administrative operation of school units.

'''''Funding'''''

The sources of funding of Greek university are the regular state budget and the Program of Public Investment, which has two levels, one national, financed with national funds, and the community one, which includes European funds (Operational Programme for Education and Initial Vocational Training – O.P. “EDUCATION”, 2000-2006).
This second type of funds include the modernization of university education and the creation of new infrastructures, studies and materials and funds for research.
The Minister of Economy and Finance, Minister of Education, Universities and TEI are the entities involved in the distribution of funds, both those of the state budget and those of the Program of Public Investment. Although it is an informal process, as a good practice, the Minister of Education along with the Rectors’ Conference and the Conference of the TEIs’ Presidents agree upon the total amount and the allocation of funds. Then, each individual HEI cooperates with the Ministry of National Education in order to define the annual amount based on the Unified System of Allocation Criteria of the regular state budget.
The budget allocated to education is increasing year after year, and a satisfactory rate is assigned to university education. In compliance with the OECD, in 2003 was dedicated to education university the 1,3% of GDP: according to Eurostat data, Greece is the European country to increase their funding for higher education, with a approximately 98% (EU average: 82.8%); on the contrary, the contributions that come from households and private funds are approximately 1% .
In fact, Greece is one of six states of the European Union that does not require charging for university education. The funds for universities and TEI come regularly from the national budget and are used primarily for operating expenses that include: the payment of teachers and research staff, students’ blackboards and textbooks and teaching materials. In relation to the budget of 2007, about 1.5 billions of euros have been allocated to universities, TEI and to the Academy of Athens, while 832,000 euros are for the Hellenic Quality Assurance Agency. The funds of the Public Investment Program is intended to infrastructure, studies and educational materials.

== Quality assurance ==

Until 2005 there was no system of quality assurance in university education, until it was enacted with the 3374 Law .
This law has established a quality assurance system for the entire university education, which includes both the technology sector and the university one. This law complies with the European standards and guidelines suggested by the European Association of Quality Assurance (ENQA) and its partners (EUA, EURASHE, ESIB / ESU), which were adopted first by the Ministry of Education in Bergen.
The Greek Quality Assurance System includes:
* internal assessment
* external review
* publication of results
* participation of students
* peer review

The university system evaluation is coordinated and supported nationally by an independent and specific authority for the assessment, called the Hellenic Quality Assurance Agency (HQAA) and supervised by the Ministry of Education.
The Hellenic Quality Assurance Agency (HQAA), established by Law 3374/2005, also has a consultancy role since it keeps the competent bodies of the state and the higher education institutions informed on current international developments and trends in the relevant issues.

This agency is based in Athens and is made up of 15 members appointed by the Minister of Education who remain in office for 4 years and can not fill this role for more than twice, whether consecutive or not, and are also allowed foreign experts. The President must be an academic with an internationally recognized authority and with a significant research activity, preferably with experience on qualitative issues and on the development of the education system. The other members are representatives of the academic staff of universities and technology institutes, students, researchers and social partners.
This agency ensures the transparency of the evaluation procedures and its mission is to support the organisation of the university education through the implementation of procedures: improving the quality of university education by informing the state and HEIs on international developments and trends, promoting research in the area.
In particular, some of the major responsibilities for HQAA are:
* The HQAA plans, coordinates and supports HEIs’ evaluation procedures;
* Employs guidelines and standards to specify and review the form of HEIs’ evaluation reports, as well as the evaluation criteria and indices;
* Compiles, keeps and revises the Register of independent Greek and international experts and specialists in the area of Quality Assurance;
* Collects information and maintains a database with data from the evaluation reports of all Greek HEIs;
* Performs studies and carries out research in order to develop the methodology, techniques and applications of quality assurance and keeps all competent bodies of the state and the Greek HEIs up-to-date;
* Maintains mutual cooperation with corresponding foreign organizations and represents Greece in international quality assurance networks;
* Publishes the evaluation results and the measures adopted for quality assurance and improvement of higher education.

The law divides the evaluation process into two levels: the internal and external evaluation.
The internal evaluation is the first step for the external assessment and is carried out by each academic unit (that is the subject of the evaluation) and consist of the systematic assessment and recording of instruction, research or other activities in relation to the objectives and mission of the HEI . To take part in this internal evaluation, which lasts two semesters, are research and teaching staff members, scientific and administrative staff member and student representatives.
The criteria and evaluation indices concern the quality of teaching and research activities, the quality of study programs and other services provided by HEI. These indices and criteria are standardized and specified under the guidelines of HQAA and depend on the field of studies of each academic unit.

The '''internal evaluation''' is being conducted under the responsibility of each academic unit in cooperation with the Quality Assurance Unit, a body found in every HEI to coordinate and support the assessment procedures.
An internal evaluation report contains cumulative information with quantitative data on students, teaching-research staff, educational and other scientific staff, administrative staff, infrastructure, student welfare etc. The HEI’s Internal Evaluation Report is compiled every two years by the QAU and sent to the HQAA.
The external evaluation process is repeated every four years at the latest with the cooperation of HEIs and the HQAA. The external evaluation is carried out by the External Evaluation Committee (EEC), which consists of five members from the register of independent experts kept at the HQAA. One of the members of the EEC may be nominated by the academic unit under evaluation but the remaining members are elected by the HQAA. The participation of at least one foreign expert and one representative from a professional or other scientific union in the External Evaluation Committee is also desirable. The EEC takes into consideration the self-evaluation report and makes an in situ visit to the evaluated academic unit, which has to facilitate as much as possible the committee’s work with supplementary information, discussions and contacts with the members of the academic unit. The EEC compiles the draft external evaluation report with the secretarial and administrative support of the HQAA and this draft report is then notified to the academic unit under evaluation, which then has to submit its remarks within a fifteen-day time limit from the date of the notification of the draft.

The '''external evaluation''' is completed within four months with the External Evaluation Report which is submitted to the HQAA. After the evaluation processes have been completed the HQAA makes the External Evaluation Report public. The External Evaluation Report includes the independent experts’ analyses, findings, and recommendations for the measures that need to be taken in order to improve the quality of the task of the institution.
There is only one body with the task of the recognition of foreign degrees and periods of study: the National Academic Recognition and Information Center (Hellenic NARIC – DOATAP): it is responsible for the recognition of study titles issued by foreign higher education institutions, both universities and foreign technological institutions and for providing information on studying in Greek HEIs. The Hellenic NARIC is located in Athens and is supervised by the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs. The Hellenic NARIC also has a consultancy role on issues concerning the recognition of foreign degrees and is the responsible body for the elaboration of the Action Plan for Recognition submitted in the London Ministerial Conference .

== Greece's HEIs in the information society ==

=== Towards the information society ===

Today one of the main priorities of Greek educational policy is continuous improvement, with respects to the integration of ICT, into the educational sector. Numerous actions have been implemented and are being further developed in relation to ICT integration; such actions are coordinated by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs in the framework of the Information Society Programme .
In the framework of this programme, the infrastructure (broadband connections across the country, networks, and computer equipment) is being further developed and maintained, digital content and services (educational software, educational portals, educational services, e-management) are being enriched and expanded and teacher training
continues to emphasise the exploitation of new technologies in educational practice.
Moreover, the following pilot Actions are being planned and implemented:
the distribution of laptops to students, the development of the “ideal school lab”, the development of virtual teacher training, virtual learning environments and virtual content management systems, on-line interactive educational TV.
At the same time, the Hellenic Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs has launched a coordinate effort for the utilization of ICTs and their incorporation into the everyday educational procedure. This effort is implemented in the fields of the third Community Support Framework mainly from the Operational Program of Information Society, (OPIS) under the direct supervision of the General Secretary of the Hellenic Ministry of Education and with the support of the Hellenic Ministry of Education Information Society office and the "Strategy for ICTs in Education" Committee.
It is constructed onto four lines of action:
* Installation and support of network and computational equipment.
* Development of software and digital content for educational and administrative purposes (educational software, information systems, Internet content e.t.c.).
* Training of the educational community on ICTs, targeting to the utilization of the above areas.
* Modernization of administration areas.

The aims of this Strategy are:
* The incorporation of ICTs in the teaching process.
* The support of the Informatics lesson taught in high school, senior high school and technical school.
* The support of every cognitive area through the use of ICTs.
* The elimination of digital illiteracy and variations on ICT skills.

=== Information society strategy ===

Since 2002, there are activities targeted to the elaboration of a systematic approach towards :
* Compliance with EC directives regarding e-Accessibility
* Initiatives related to e-Inclusion in the context of the Operational Programme "Information Society" of the 3rd Community Support Programme (Secretariat for the Information Society, Hellenic Ministry of Economy and Finance) in the domains of: Education and Culture, Health, Employment, Public Administration, Telecommunications.
The Digital Strategy 2006-2013 is addressed to the challenges of the 4th Community Support Programme and i2010:
* Infrastructures (broadband access, development of accessible one –stop shops, subsidies for ICT equipment for specific population groups)
* Education (incentives for the development of accessible educational content and distant learning)
* Health (Accessible regional e-health services, universally accessible health records and other related information)
* Public administration (accessible e-services for the regional government, digital content and information services, an important example is the International Call for Tenders conducted by the Greek Pedagogical Institute in 2006. It aims for the development of a digital library and its best practices in certification and implementation of educational software).
The digital strategy 2006 – 2013 replaces the “white paper” for the information society and strengthens the role of the existing Operational Program for the Information Society, by re-examining its goals. At the same time, the new digital strategy meets the challenges of the 4th Operational Period (2007-2013) and is compatible with the new European policy for the Information Society “i2010” and with the “Jobs and Growth” action plan, both of which were outlined in the first semester of 2005.

== Virtual Campuses in HE ==

=== Interesting Virtual Campus Initiatives ===

==== The [[Hellenic Open University]] ====
In 1992, while attempting to reform the institutional framework of higher education the establishment of the Hellenic Open University (Elliniko Anoichto Panepistimio - ΕΑΠ/EAP) was decided. HOU is the only HEI that providing distance education at all three levels (undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate) as well as training courses. It was finally established in 1997 and began operating in 1998. Like all the other public universities in Greece, the Open University is a legal entity of public law, completely independent and autonomous . It was established by Law 2083/92 and it is seated in Patras but various activities such as consultative meetings and exams are organized in eight Greek cities (Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Heraklio, Ioannina, Xanthi, Piraeus and Larissa).
HOU’s overarching characteristics were defined and formed by the first administrative committee’s decisions (time period 1995 to1997) and was significantly informed by the British Open University model. This historical legacy significantly influenced the formation and operation of the institution .
The model of the tutor-counselor, as employed at the British Open University (Sewart, 1980), has also been adopted by the HOU. HOU’s planning and organization of its program offerings are based on explicit goals, clear guidelines, and detailed instructions to guide its students and its tutors. According to its instructional publications, HOU adopted Holmberg (1989) ideas on the central role distance learning materials play in students’ mastery of distance learning studies. HOU also faces internal and administrative challenges, some of which do not support or assist in developing its distance learning methods that can be easily delivered via ICT. The HOU, nonetheless, is welcomed and supported by most Greeks, primarily because it offers them a second choice and, sometimes, a chance at accessing the fruits of education. In the academic year 2006-2007, HOU served 15,026 undergraduate and 8,624 graduate students enrolled in six undergraduate and 24 graduate courses .

The mission of the Hellenic Open University (ΕΑΠ/EAP) is to provide distance undergraduate and postgraduate education and adult education, by developing and utilising appropriate educational materials and teaching methods. Among the goals of the HOU is to promote scientific research in a flexible and innovative way and to develop technology and methodology in the field of distance learning and also to offer University studies to those who cannot attend classes or laboratories for whatever reason.
The ΕΑΠ/EAP organises:
* Undergraduate study programmes leading to a degree.
* Postgraduate training programmes that lead to certification of training.
* Postgraduate training programmes that lead to a postgraduate specialisation degree or doctoral degree.

During the process of student selection, priority is given to applicants who are over twenty-three years of age, therefore, most of the students are employed and their average age is of 30-40 years old. Moreover, students with special needs are admitted to the Hellenic Open University and the available places for them amount to an additional three percent of the set number of places for undergraduate study programmes. For admission to an undergraduate programme a high school degree is necessary. The number of applicants is usually much greater than the number of offered places and this why candidates are selected by electronic lot in the presence of a district attorney for ensuring transparency.
HOU has introduced some innovations in the Greek higher education system. These are :
# Studying exclusively through distance learning.
# The application of a modular system and the replacement of courses by the flexible form of modular courses, which can be easily altered, according to the social and educational needs at the time.
# Introduction of a five-level educational system that covers all levels from post-secondary vocational training to doctorate level.
# Foundation of a University Laboratory for Educational Material and Methodology Research.
# Foundation of a University Evaluation Unit.
# The simplification of governance structures with the abolition of the Rectors’ Council and the establishment of a flexible Senate.
# The introduction of HOU’s basic functional unit, the Course Modules that cover a specific study field at undergraduate or postgraduate level. Each course module is equivalent to three semesters in a Greek university.
HOU consists of four schools: the School of Humanities, the School of Social Science, the School of Science and Technology and the School of Applied Arts. These schools award Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees and certificates of training or of attendance. The average time for studies is six or seven years for the undergraduate studies and four years for the postgraduate studies. HOU is a rapidly developing higher education institution. Only two study programmes in 1998 compare to the thirty-one that operate today (2006-2007).

At the same time, there is a rapid yearly increase in the number of students, and the number of applicants exceeds the offered places of study.

[[Image:Greece_HOI.jpg|center]]

===== Teaching Method =====
The objectives of the Hellenic Open University (ΕΑΠ/EAP) are achieved through the use of methods of teaching and learning from a distance. These methods are based on high quality educational material which must be appropriately developed in terms of both form and content in such a way as to guarantee high quality self-education and frequent assessment of students. This material is traditional (books, notes, evaluation forms), audio-visual (sound tapes, videotapes, optic discs) and in any other electronic form (multimedia and Internet).
Most educational materials used by HOU are original, that is they are created by a team of experts. This team, for example, determined responsibilities and frames within which each team member operated. Members included: a writer, who wrote the material following particular specifications demanded by form and content; an academic responsible for each program; a reader, who ‘fact checked’ the study texts for scientific quality; and, finally, a DE expert who ensured that all texts complied with the pedagogical principles needed to support effective DE delivery. Construction of distance pedagogical scientific knowledge, within the creation of original educational material produced by HOU, reflects: a) strong classification of material based on strict specifications and the involvement of special scientists in the scientific area that ensure the scientific validity and reliability of HOU’s learning materials, b) strong framing because the relationship and terms of collaboration are pre-determined and everyone works on specific, known, and irrefutable rules. In certain cases were the writers were unable to adapt their work to the specifications required, projects were cancelled .
The pedagogical practices, as formulated in the HOU, with the criterions of the ‘power of framing’ and ‘PECS’ are now examined :
# In the HOU, educational material packages consist of: books, cassettes, videos, CD-Rom, and educational software supported through the use of ICT (Act 1/7-11-1995). The creation of an electronic bank of educational material (i.e., learning objects) is currently under consideration (Act 18/11-12-1996).
# Modules are accompanied by detailed timetables of study and students deliverables in the form of written work and tests (HOU, 2002). Thus, the following are determined:
#* Lock-step sequencing of DE contents provides students a timeline for learning and knowledge acquisition. Students are also given instructions on the applicability of additional learning materials available to them to help them master the subject material on a deeper level (i.e., additional texts, books, and audiovisual materials that are not part of the course per say, but are nonetheless helpful).
#* HOU students learn in a paced environment. HOU’s academic year is divided to 32 weeks, beginning the first week of October. Students are made aware of the time they need to spend to study of each chapter (e.g., one or two weeks) and of deadlines and timelines they must meet in handing in their written work and assignments.
# By regulating all facets of students’ studies, evaluative criteria are determined. That is, the questions concerning the rights and obligations of teachers and students in sub-areas such as ‘communication’ are defined. For example, teachers must be available for student consultations during specific times; moreover, all comments on all written assignments must be returned to students within 15 days of receipt. In terms of quality assurance, HOU evaluates its teachers via a student questionnaire that asks pointed questions as to whether or not teachers failed, met, or exceeded students’ expectations on basic criteria such as timeliness, accessibility, and instructional efficacy.

HOU uses a comprehensive regulatory framework to support its students. As such, strong framing exists concerning ‘relationships’ cultivated inside the institution itself. Indeed, HOU is uses clearly defined hierarchical relations of power on two levels:
# First, HOU’s administrative committee decides the general policy of the institution. The chairman plays a central role in providing direction and guidance to the administrative committee. For example, A. Lykourgiotis, the first chairman of the administrative committee, when taking into consideration the opinions of committee, formally articulated HOU’s educative and organizational features (Koustourakis, 2006). This shows strong framing in the rule sequencing/ pacing and criteria and in the regulative rules between academic personnel, tutors, and HOU’s administrative committee.
# The second level concerns the operation of HOU’s various programs and modules. In this case, HOU’s program directors and module coordinators coordinate and supervise how established instructional policies will guide HOU’s various programs and study modules. Sub-committee teams comprised of instructional personnel (i.e., teachers and tutors) working on specific modules, participate in this process. At first glance, this appears to show relatively weak framing in terms of communication among the teachers/ tutors. The coordinator of each module, however, is typically a member of the HOU’s academic personnel, and their decision is central in that this person determines and directs daily the work flow of the overall team that must deal with HOU’s day-to-day procedural affairs, such as the formulation and/ or choice of subjects on offer, pedagogical approaches that should be best taken, and the development and administration of final written examinations.

The methodology used for EAΠ/EAP Undergraduate Programmes of Study is that of distance learning, which for each thematic unit includes:
* five (5) meetings of tutors with students;
* four (4) to six (6) compulsory assignments which are sent to the tutor;
* distance counselling communication between the tutor and students;
* laboratory practice of students at the laboratories of the EAP at Patras (wherever this is provided in the Curriculum);
* final and repeat examinations held for each thematic unit all over Hellas at the same time.

The undergraduate students can attend the programme of studies of their choice from wherever they live in any region of the country or abroad. The tutors’ meetings with the students will be held in the following cities: Patras (ΕΑΠ/EAP head offices), Athens, Thessaloniki, Herakleio, Ioannina, Xanthi, Piraeus and Larisa.
As regards the ΕΑΠ/EAP Postgraduate Programmes of Study leading to a Postgraduate Specialisation Diploma (ΜΔΕ/MDE) or to a Certificate of Postgraduate Study, the methodology used is also that of distance learning, which for each thematic unit includes:
* five (5) meetings of tutors with students;
* four (4) to six (6) compulsory assignments which are sent to the tutor;
* distance counselling communication between the tutor and students;
* final and repeat examinations.
The postgraduate students can attend the programme of studies of their choice from wherever they live in any region of Hellas or abroad. The tutors’ meetings with the students will be held in the following cities: Patras (ΕΑΠ/EAP head offices), Athens and Thessaloniki.

===== Courses offered =====
'''Degrees'''

* Studies in the Physical Sciences
* Information Science
* Administration of Businesses and Organisations
* Studies in Hellenic Culture
* Studies in European Culture
* Spanish Language and Culture

To complete the undergraduate programme and be awarded a degree, the student must successfully complete and be examined in at least twelve (12) Thematic Units. The student selects from one (1) to three (3) Thematic Units per year .

'''Postgraduate Specialisation Diplomas (ΜΔΕ/MDE)'''

* Administration of Tourist Enterprises
* Administration of Health Units
* Administration of Health Services of the National Health System
* Banking
* Administration of Cultural Units
* Environmental Planning of cities and buildings
* Environmental Planning of infrastructure works
* Quality Assurance
* Postgraduate Specialisation for English Language Teachers
* Postgraduate Specialisation for German Language Teachers
* Postgraduate Specialisation for French Language Teachers
* Studies in Education
* Adult Education
* Seismic engineering and anti-seismic structures
* Technical Works Management
* Postgraduate specialization in computer systems
* Studies in Orthodoxy
* Graphic arts – Multimedia
* Waste management
* Advanced studies in Physics
* Environmental degradation and protection
* Postgraduate specialization for Physical Sciences Teachers
* Postgraduate studies in Mathematics
* Business Administration (MBA)

For students to complete their postgraduate studies and receive their MDE, they must have completed and been successfully examined in four (4) thematic units. Another requirement is a thesis that reflects the content of one or two Thematic Units according to the programme. For students to complete their postgraduate studies and receive their Certificate of Postgraduate Study, they must complete and have been successfully examined in one (1) Thematic Unit (duration of studies at least one academic year).

Comparing the educational practices between HOU and conventional Greek universities, however, is like comparing apples to oranges. While traditional universities operate in a teacher-centered context, HOU students are placed at the epicenter of HOU’s educational process. HOU students must learn how to learn at a distance. Clearly, this demands more flexible practices on the part of HOU in terms of providing student support, from writing student-centered educational materials designed to meet the needs of adult learners learning at a distance, to the level and dynamics of online communication between students and tutors, to the support of student-centered learning, to the deployment of Group Advisory Meetings, and most importantly motivating students to cognitively process and synthesize and learn the course materials by themselves with only a tutor there as a “guide on the side” to help them succeed in their learning journey. In the last case, elements of interpretative epistemology enter the HOU, which is aimed at making the institution friendly and accessible to its students by supporting and encouraging their self-driven effort for education and training.
The majority of HOU’s students are busy adults juggling family and work responsibilities, while studying part time. HOU’s role of the tutor, which is based on the British Open University exemplar, currently shows weak framing in terms of students-tutor relationships. This is why the development and deployment of ICT is helpful for the success of HOU’s students. Such technologies not only help build working relationships between tutors and students, but also help students to help themselves to the panoply of online resources and educational materials that can help them learn at a distance. Unfortunately, HOU currently lags behind many other open and distance education institutions in the world, specifically in terms of incorporating and using ICT to support and aid students in their learning. The lack of suitable online educational (digital) materials, coupled with the reality that computer and Internet usage in Greece – primarily due to high cost of access – remains low, means that HOU faces significant challenges in terms of supporting students using ICT. The good news, however, is that this is slowly changing, as reflected in the high-level use of ICT by the HOU for administrative purposes.

=== Interesting Programmes ===

'''Aristotle University of Thessaloniki'''

Aristotle University in Thessaloniki is innovative since 1995 where takes place the first pilot applications for the exploitation of new technologies in education within the 1st EE funded project. Since 1997, there is an important effort to transform the bigger university in Greece in dual mode university that can provide a great part of graduate and postgraduate programs with both traditional methods and distance learning, with the creation of 6 virtual tele-classes and one tele-conference room. Academic community members can participate in distance learning activities, educational seminars and conferences with experts. A great number of teleconferences sessions took place within these last 8 years between Aristotle University and other academic units all over the world, where students and faculty from all participating universities had the opportunity to attend lectures, to participate in international conferences and to effectively train through seminars professionals such as teachers in all levels of education in new technology aspect.

'''University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki'''

The University of Macedonia, located in Thessaloniki, has a great laboratory with a significant experience and expertise in coordinating and participating in a large number of national and international research projects under FP5/IST, FP6/IST, Interreg. The laboratory has also provided consulting services for the European Commission as well a number of national organizations e.g. Ministry of Interior, Prefecture of Thessaloniki, Region of Central Macedonia etc. and it has collaborated with a large number of major academic institutions, research organizations, private enterprises and public authorities in Europe. There are many completed and running projects in this area, both Greek and European; for example, Innovative Enterprise Architecture Education and Training Based on Web 2.0 Technologies (EATrain2).
The aim of the EATrain2 is to identify the training and educational needs of employees in both public and private sector and of university students and to fulfil these using innovative pedagogies and practices based on Web 2.0 technologies and active, problem-based learning approaches. The main result of the project is expected to be: the empowering of Universities, VET organizations, students and employees through innovative training, teaching methods and practices based on Web 2.0 technologies. EA training and teaching material for students, public employees and private employees and an education and training platform based on Web 2.0 technologies.

'''The National & Kapodistrian University of Athens'''

The Asynchronous eLearning Platform is a complete Course Management System that supports Asynchronous eLearning Services via a simple web browser. Its goal is the incorporation and constructive use of the Internet and web technologies in the teaching and learning process. It supports the electronic management, storage and presentation of teaching materials, independently of the spatial and time limiting factors of conventional teaching and creating the necessary conditions for a dynamic teaching environment.
The introduction of eLearning into the traditional teaching process provides new capabilities and allows new means of interaction between students and teachers, through a contemporary technological peak environment.
The Open eClass platform, used by the University, is a complete Course Management System. It is the solution offered by the Greek Academic Network GUnet to support Asynchronous eLearning Services. It is mainly designed, developed and supported by the GUnet Asynchronous eLearning Group and is distributed for free as open-source software.
The incorporation of asynchronous eLearning services offers new possibilities in education, providing interaction and constant teacher-student communication. It is said, at the same time, that electronic organization, storing and presentation of educational material, regardless the limiting factors of place and time of typical teaching, is supported, forming the conditions of a dynamic educational setting. The Open eClass platform is designed with the goal to bring new actions that promote its corporate utility in the already existing educational patterns into effect.
The main user role is that of the teacher who can create practical and functional electronic courses easily and quickly, using the educational material provided (note, presentations, texts, pictures, etc). At the same time, students attain an alternative entry channel to the knowledge offered. Finally, the Open eClass platform supports all asynchronous eLearning services without boundaries and limitations, and the platform access is achieved via a simple web browser without any demand of specialized technical knowledge .
The adult education modules based on the Distance Learning model were designed in response to increased education requirements in various job environments. They spin around 5 thematic units in the field of finance and last from 5 to 9 months. Upon successful completion of the academic requirements, adult students receive a Certificate of Studies. In particular, the University awards Certificates of Training and Certificates of Specialisation, each reflecting specific programme choices by the students. Eligible candidates to the University’s adult education programme are University and T.E.I. graduates and secondary education graduates with previous experience. Candidates are selected on the following criteria: Grade Point Average of Degree or Graduation Diploma (Apolyterio) and priority with respect to application filed. Candidates are required to have access to a personal computer and the Internet. Fees vary with respect to the thematic unit selected .

'''Pandeion University for Social and Political Sciences'''

The Pandeion University for Social and Political Sciences in Athens in order to provide complete long life education and training for Social and Political sciences issues has proceeded in the production and development of various educational applications, such as distance learning, telematics and multimedia. These applications aim to educate and train the instructors that are necessary for the implementation of the multiple purpose training and seminar carriers all over the country.

'''Athens University of Economics and Business'''

The Tele-education Centre of the Athens University of Ecomomics and Business materializes an application for the development of distance learning environment through the Lab. of Business Information Technology. The pilot web courses in the asynchronous distance learning environment concern web courses for :Internet and E-commerce, Database for Business applications, Principles for the design and Implementation of Information systems and Business Information Systems, specifically created to support the needs of executives.
The Teleducation Center is fully operational, serving the current needs of the Institution. The scope of the Tele-education Center is:
* the supply of distance learning services to the University students, either by supporting the courses with additional distance learning material, or by giving the whole course with the use of the tele-education method;
* the continuous education and training of executives, working in Greek organizations, public or private, free lancers and unemployed;
* the export of distance learning services to other countries;
* the operation of the Tele-education Center as a link for gathering the national resources concerning the education technology development and the education service supply;

During the last few years, a real-time multimedia, distance learning classroom has been created. This specially designed classroom can function either independently as a multimedia classroom, equipped with audiovisual and digital devices, which assist and improve educational process or as a virtual, distance learning classroom. The classroom is equipped with state-of-the-art network and audiovisual devices, which allows for full duplex communication among this and other classrooms. The design and the equipment of the classroom enables high interaction among participants of a course delivered simultaneously in different classrooms, by simulating all operations taking place in a traditional classroom, thereby creating a virtual classroom.

'''University of Piraeus'''

The University of Piraeus through its Network Center supports a number of WWW course tools, available only for potential students. In order to enter the specific web tutorial page the student has to create a personal account. It is an asynchronous distance learning environment. These specific web courses refer to various issues such as cardiological events and tooth hygiene.
The Computer Centre of the University of Piraeus aims at facilitating the educational, administrative and research work of the University. Students of all departments are having Computer Science courses and practice in four fully equipped laboratories at the Computer Center with 85 workstations. In addition, the Computer Center supports the research work of the University by providing every possible assistance in both the uses of computer applications and equipment.
In almost every administrative function of the University there have been applied modern methods of organisation using computer systems. More specifically, many applications have been developed covering the needs in student’s records, in the main University library and in the other Administrative Departments (Accounting, Finance, Personnel etc).
It should be specially mentioned that modern office automation computer systems and desktop publishing applications are extensively used by the academic and administrative staff thus providing high level services.
Most of the research projects are supported by the University Central Computer system (DEC 5810 Risk) in which there have been installed many Relational Data Base Management Systems, programs for economics and statistical analysis, expert systems, computer language compilers etc.
This main system is connected through the Ethernet Network with Unix Workstations over 200 PC’s used in education, 50 Apple Macintosh systems for office automatic projects and other special devices such aw plotters, scanners etc.
The Computer Center also provides communication facilities with other Universities, Institutions and Research Centers all over Greece and abroad, mainly through its Internet Server System DEC Alpha 1000.
The Network Management Centre (NMC) of the University of Piraeus is located in its central building and is responsible for:
* The management of the data and voice network
* The design, implementation and evolution of the University network System and user support
* The provision of teleconference services
* The provision of internet and web (www) services
* The provision of dial-up access services
The University continually invests on improving its network structure using up to – date technologies and on developing telematic applications for teaching and research purposes.

'''University of Ioannina'''

The University of Ioannina provides a Computer and Media Centre that organises all computer services for teaching and research operations and administers the campus-wide network, which includes access to global computer networks. More than one hundred personal computers are directly accessible to students. Regularly offered information courses and a number of supervisors provide all necessary assistance for users. There are also facilities provided by the Media & Documentation Centre that include a variety of production capacities as well as archive materials in the field of audio-visual media. Among these is a fully equipped broadcasting studio, equipment for electronic editing, and video producing, and a photo lab. Besides lecturers, students do have access to all facilities if they work on supervised projects.
In the University of Ioannina there is also a Open and Distance Learning Centre: as regional office of the German Open University, the Centre gives support to students who are enrolled at the Open University by supervising their studies and preparing for exams. A stock of self-learning material (print and audio-visual media) is available to both Open University and University of Lueneburg students.

'''University of Thessaly'''

The University of Thessaly Network Management Centre, in cooperation with GUNET, offers the following pilot services: videoconference and tele-education over IP, videoconference, Video on Demand, concerning the live transmission of TV programs and local radio station program through Internet. The Network Centre of the University has already set up a fully-equipped videoconference room in Trikala, for the Department of Physical Training Science. The video teleconference room has already been successfully used for synchronous distance education sessions in physical training science issues for the students and for similar post- graduate courses attendance.

'''Information Technology Laboratory'''

Information technology education is a necessity of modern times. The introduction of IT in education is based on two paradigms:
• IT as an autonomous knowledge-base that needs to be introduced in the curriculum.
• IT as an interdisciplinary research and learning tool.

The availability of instant access to IT allows both teachers and students to familiarize themselves with technology and supports educational needs of the department (demonstration, group work, communication, information database access …).

'''Network Operation Centre'''

The aim of this Centre is the creation and maintenance of network of support of unified services that interlink all the buildings of University Thessaly, in all the cities of Thessaly in which the University allocates installations, as well as the offer of high quality of services of telephony, transport of data, and picture.
More concretely the work aims in the concretisation:
* Structured wiring in all the buildings of University Thessaly, that aims at as the easy connection of any user or with the network of data via computer or with the network of telephony.
* System of transport of data of high output, on the connection of all computers of Papenjsti'mjo Thessaly via long distance and urban engaged lines and regional networks of last technology (FDDi, ATM, Ethernet).
* Internal telecommunications network for the support of advanced services of digital telephony and multimedias make where it allows the complete and reliable cover of corresponding needs of means of Academic community.
* Points of access (Access Point) in the network of Academic institutions (GUNet) Public network ISDN and but national and international networks of communication as well as with the Internet.
* Management and extension of Network according to the needs of Academic community.
* Benefit of Services of information via the international networks of information and with use PC (WWW USENET News, Ftp, Search Engines etc).
* Aid and education of users of University Thessaly for the effective use of Network.

The network of support of unified Services provides in all the members of Academic community the possibility of most rapid connection with the Internet and access in world scale sources of information. It offers the possibility rapid and qualitative communication between the installations of University Thessaly. It allows the import of new technologies in the education (multimedias, education by distance) research and administration. It upgrades the Programs of Study and strengthens the collaboration with other Academic institutions of country and abroad. It contributes in the interconnection of University with local productive and administrative institutions.

'''University of the Aegean'''

The University of the Aegean has been the first Greek University to fully utilise Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)into its everyday activities, and thus implementing the Information Society in Hellenic higher education. The University of Aegean has achieved to connect through the Aegean-net all university units in different islands on the Aegean Sea, the islands of Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Rhodes. The Aegean-net project offers the proper infrastructure and know-how to these remote geographically locations and aims to use for research/educational purposes.

'''The Pedagogical Institute (P.I.)'''

The Pedagogical Institute operates a Distance Learning Centre which provides distance training to educators of Primary and Secondary Education who access the P.I. server either from their schools or home. The relevant services offered spin around the following axes:
* Self-education: access to (search & retrieve) training material and information on a wide range of subjects that may be of interest to educators, pupils and parents.
* Co-operative learning: on-line participation in various discussion groups and joint projects.
* Virtual classrooms: interactive, real-time classroom sessions using dedicated ISDN connections.

'''Greek Schools Network'''

The Greek Schools' Network is the educational intranet of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs (www.ypepth.gr), which interlinks all schools and provides basic and advanced telematic services. Thus, it contributes to the creation of a new generation of educational communities, which takes advantage of the new Informatics' and Communication Technologies in the educational procedure.
The implementation of the Greek Schools' Network is funded by the Framework Programme for the Information Society , in close cooperation between the Ministry of Education as well as 12 Research Centers and Highest Education Institutes, specialized in network and Internet technologies.
Educational Exploitation of the Greek Schools Network
The current design and implementation of the Greek Schools Network focuses in providing useful services to all members of the basic and middle education community, fulfilling among others the following goals:
* Access to telecommunication and informatics services
* Access to digitized educational material
* Distance learning, e-learning
* Encourage collaboration
* Information and opinion exchange
* Conduct of thematic discussions, seminars, lectures, etc.
* Access to digital library services
* Communication and Cooperation of all educational degrees
* Communication with European educa-tional networks
* Facilitate complimentary educational programs
* Provide education to individuals with special needs or disabilities
* Inform, educate, entertain

== Lessons learnt ==

== References ==

* [http://www.gnto.gr/pages.php?pageID=14&langID=2 Hellenic Republic - Ministry of Tourism - Greek National Tourism Organisation – General Information ]
* [http://europa.eu/abc/european_countries/eu_members/greece/index_en.htm Europe – Gateway to the European Union]
* [http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page?_pageid=1996,39140985&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&screen=detailref&language=en&product=REF_TB_population&root=REF_TB_population/t_popula/t_pop/t_demo_gen/tps00001 Eurostat - Data on Population]
* [http://www.parlalex.it/documentazione/gre.rtf Greek Constitution]
* [http://promitheas.iacm.forth.gr/i-curriculum/Assets/Docs/NatReports/Greek%20Report.pdf Greek Educational System – The implementation of ICT in the Greek Curriculum in Compulsory Education – IACM/FORTH, November 2003]
* [http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/ressources/eurydice/eurybase/pdf/0_integral/EL_EN.pdf Eurybase – The Educational System in Greece, 2005-2006, Eurydice, Directorate-General for Education and Culture]
* [http://www.cepes.ro/publications/pdf/Greece.pdf Kyriazis, Asderaki, Higher Education in Greece, UNESCO, 2008]
* [http://www.stat-athens.aueb.gr/~jpan/oecd-background-report.html Educational Policy Review – Background Report to OECD on education]
* [http://www.ypepth.gr/docs/site_apologismos_pepr.pdf Our Actions on Education, 2004-2007 (in Greek)]
* [http://www.infosoc.gr/infosoc/en-uk The official Greek portal for I.S.]
* [http://www.epractice.eu/resource/2037 Greece Information]
* Eurybase (The Information Database on Education Systems in Europe – The Educational System in Greece, 2005-2006, Directorate-General for Education and Culture
* Kontogiannopoulou-Polydorides, G. Mylonas, Th. Solomon, J., & Vergidis, D. (1994). “Greece: System of education.” In T.N. Postlethwaite International Encyclopedia of Education. Oxford: Pergamon.
* Koustourakis, G. (2006). An attempt formation of the framework for the organization and functioning of the Hellenic Open University: A sociological approach. [In Greek]. In A. Lionarakis (Ed). Open and Distance Education: Elements of theory and praxis (pp. 42-77). Athens: Propobos.
* Koustourakis, G., Panagiotakopoulos, C., & Vergidis, D. 2008. A Contribution to the Hellenic Open University: Evaluation of the pedagogical practices and the use of ICT on distance education. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning [Online] 9:2. Available: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/424
* Soutas, Andreopoulou, Ipsilandis “[http://www.onlined.org/papers/000185.pdf Distance Learning in Higher Education and Perspectives in Greece]”
* Vergidis, D., & Panagiotakopoulos, C. 2002. Student Dropout at the Hellenic Open University: Evaluation of the Graduate Program, "Studies in Education". [http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/101/563 The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning]

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Case studies

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Switzerland

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For entities in Switzerland see [[:Category:Switzerland]].

==Switzerland in a nutshell==

[[Image:800px-KARTE schweiz verwaltungsgliederung.png |thumb|left|300px|Switzerland and its "Cantone"]]Switzerland (German: Schweiz, French: Suisse, Italian: Svizzera), officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked alpine country of roughly 7.6 million people in Western Europe with an area of 41,285 km². Switzerland is a federal republic consisting of 26 states called cantons. Berne is the seat of the federal authorities, while the country's economic centres are its two global cities, Geneva and especially Zürich. Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world.

It is bordered by Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. Switzerland has a long history of neutrality — it has not been at war since 1815 — and hosts many international organizations, including the Red Cross, the World Trade Organization and one of the U.N.'s two European offices. Switzerland is multilingual and has four national languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh. The country's formal name is Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft in German, Confédération suisse in French, Confederazione Svizzera in Italian and Confederaziun svizra in Romansh. The establishment of Switzerland is traditionally dated to August 1, 1291; the first of August is the national holiday.

The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton has its own constitution, legislature, government and courts. Most of the cantons' legislatures are unicameral parliaments, their size varying between fifty-eight and two hundred seats. A few legislatures are general assemblies known as Landsgemeinden. The cantonal governments consist of either five or seven members, depending on the canton. For the names of the institutions, see List of legislative and executive councils of the Cantons of Switzerland.

The Swiss Federal Constitution declares the cantons to be sovereign to the extent their sovereignty is not limited by federal law. The cantons also retain all powers and competencies not delegated to the Confederation by the Constitution. Most significantly, the cantons are responsible for healthcare, welfare, law enforcement and public education; they also retain the power of taxation. The cantonal constitutions determine the degree of autonomy accorded to the municipalities, which varies but almost always includes the power to levy taxes and pass municipal laws. The sizes of the cantons vary from 37 km² to 7,105 km²; the populations vary from 14,900 to 1,244,400.

As on the federal level, all cantons provide for direct democracy. Citizens may demand a popular vote to amend the cantonal constitution or laws, or to veto laws or spending bills passed by the parliament. General popular assemblies (Landsgemeinde) are now limited to the cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden and Glarus. In all other cantons democratic rights are exercised by secret ballot.

==Swiss education policy==

The competences in the educational system are distributed between the Confederation, cantons and the municipalities. The responsibility for the legal implementation, financing and execution vary depending on the type of educational level and the respective educational facility. The primary responsibility for education lies within the cantons.
A goal of the Federal constitution is that "children and adolescents as well as those who have reached an employable age can receive education, vocational education and further education according to their capabilities", and that "children and adolescents shall be encouraged in their development into independent and socially responsible individuals and shall be supported in their social, cultural and political integration" (Federal Constitution Article 41, Paragraph 1 Letters f and g).

===Responsibilities of the cantons and the municipalities===

* According to the Confederation constitution, the cantons are According to the Federal constitution, the cantons are responsible for school education. "They must ensure that there is adequate primary school tuition available for all children. The primary school tuition is obligatory and is subject to state management or supervision. This is free of charge in public schools" (Federal Constitution Article 62). The cantons and their municipalities are wholly responsible for the decision making process, financing and execution of the primary Level and the compulsory schools.
* The cantons and the Confederation carry their respective responsibilities for the public education system at the Secondary Level. The Confederation regulates vocational education, the cantons organise its implementation and bear the majority of the financial expenses. The cantons and the Confederation regulate the Matura Schools jointly, the cantons manage the Matura Schools. The cantons are responsible for further general education schools on this level.
* In the area of the universities as well as in the rest of the tertiary area, the responsibility of the cantons and the Confederation is partly legislatory, partly as responsible body for the universities, with their efforts coordinated. The cantons are solely responsible for the universities of teacher education (Pädagogische Hochschulen - PH), which are also subject to inter-cantonal legislation. Furthermore, the individual cantons themselves are responsible for their cantonal universities.

The cantonal school law is implemented largely via the educational department in the cantons. The educational departments determine the curricula, official teaching material and the sizes of the classes.
Amongst other institutions, the municipalities manage the kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools, and are supported in this by the school commission and the Schulpflege (school council). These represent the local school authorities and have the responsibility for the premises and the acquisition of teaching aids. In some cases they also select the teachers or possess control functions. Parents may also be represented in the school commission and school council.

===Cooperation between the cantons and the school concordat===

The inter-cantonal cooperation and school coordination is one of the tasks of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK). All cantonal government members responsible for education, literacy, culture and sport are represented in the EDK. The EDK encourages and obligates the cantons to cooperation and harmonisation (e.g. with regard to reforms, cooperation in the area of planning, research, school statistics). Basic instruments of the EDK are the intern-cantonal agreements and the concordat supported recommendation.
Inter-cantonal agreements are government contracts between the cantons (qualification agreements and the terms of their implementation, e.g. the recognition regulation for the professional training of teachers, financing and freedom of movement agreements such as the inter-cantonal university agreement). Furthermore, the EDK releases curricula for certain vocational studies.
The school concordat of 1970 is the legal basis of the EDK. This generally obliges the cantons to cooperative measures in the field of education. The school concordat regulates the beginning and duration of the school year, the age of enrolment at school and the length of the compulsory schooling. An enhancement of the school concordat from 1970 is being planned. The new intern-cantonal agreement for the harmonisation of the compulsory school of the EDK will regulate important new benchmarking figures of the compulsory school (enrolment age, earlier and more flexible school enrolment, length of compulsory schooling period) and provides the educational standards that must be accomplished.

===Responsibility of the Confederation===

The Confederation issues regulations for the professional education system at the upper secondary level as well as the tertiary level and is responsible for the Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH) (including research promotion). The Confederation is also responsible for the universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen - FH). The Confederation and the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK) regulate the Matura recognition jointly.
On a federal level, the Federal Department for Home Affairs (EDI) - and in particular the State Secretariat for Education and Research (SER) - are responsible for the following areas: Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH), university aid, scholarships, science and research as well as the reorganisation of the Swiss university system, in collaboration with the cantons and the universities. The Federal Department for Economics (EDV) or the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology (BBT) regulates vocational education and manages the universities of applied sciences. The Federal Department for Defence, Civil Protection and Sports (VBS) or the Federal Office of Sports (BASPO) is responsible for sport.

== Description of the Educational System in Switzerland==
[[Image:Grafik bildung e a.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The Swiss Education System © EDK CDIP CDEP CDPE, October 2008]]

The education system in Switzerland is very diverse, because the constitution of Switzerland delegates the authority for the school system to the cantons (Federal Constitution Article 62). The Swiss constitution sets the foundations, namely that primary school is obligatory for every child and is free in public schools and that the confederation can run or support universities. Swiss people have voted on May 21, 2006 to reform the education system in one common program for all the cantons. Because of its diversity, there are many private international schools in Switzerland that encourage respect for all cultures.

The minimum age for primary school is about six years in all cantons but Obwalden, where it is five years and three months. Any boy or girl can take part in school if they choose to, but kids are separated depending on whether they speak French, German or Italian. Primary school continues until grade four or five, depending on the school.

At the end of primary school (or at the beginning of secondary school), pupils are separated according to their capacities in several (often three) sections. The best students are taught advanced classes to be prepared for further studies and the matura, while students who assimilate a little bit more slowly receive an education more adapted to their needs. In PISA science literacy assessment, 15-year-old students in Switzerland had the 16th highest average score of 57 countries.

The first university in Switzerland was founded in 1460 in Basel, with a faculty of medicine. This place has a long tradition of chemical and medical research in Switzerland. Other large universities are the ETHZ in Zürich and the EPFL in Lausanne. There are 14 Universities in Switzerland, 10 of which are maintained at cantonal level and usually offer a range of non-technical subjects. Switzerland has the second highest rate of foreign students in tertiary education, after Australia.

Many Nobel prizes were awarded to Swiss scientists, for example to the world-famous physicist Albert Einstein or more recently to Heinrich Rohrer also in the field of physics. Geneva host the world's largest particle physics laboratory, the CERN. An other important research center is the Paul Scherrer Institute which is under the responsibility of the Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology.

===Primary level===

After visiting Kindergarten children in Switzerland enter primary school at minimum age of six. The school attendance is obligatory and free of charge and lasts six years in 20 of the cantons and in the other cantons four or five years. The organization and financing of the primary schools is incumbent on responsibility of cantons and municipalities. The children attend principally schools in their place of residence. At the primary level is no classification concerning types of schools with achievement groups.

===Lower secondary level===

The obligatory school system includes in addition to primary education also a lower secondary level (secondary education I). The lower secondary level provides a basic general education free of charge. There gained knowledge shall prepare for apprenticeship or attendance of secondary schools (“Maturitätsschulen“, “Fachmittelschulen”). Analogue to primary level the cantons and municipalities support the schools of the lower secondary level. In addition the cantons determine the learning targets and regulate the curricula. In 20 cantons the lower secondary level begins with the seventh class, in six cantons with the fifth or sixth class. At the lower secondary level the pupils are usually between 12 and 16 years of age.
The majority of cantons sub-divide the lower secondary level into two to three different types of schools as follows:

* Types of schools with basic courses

This school type provides the practical abilities and the general education of the pupils and prepare for apprenticeship.

* Types of schools with expanded courses

This school type improves the general education and prepare for secondary schools and vocational basic education.

* Types of schools with higher courses

This school type with higher courses exhibits highest level and usually prepares pupils for Matura schools, intermediate diploma schools, for vocational full-time schools, or for more demanding apprenticeship.

This dividing model offers low opportunities of permeability so in the different cantons tests are being made with different models without different types of schools on the lower secondary level.

===Upper secondary level===
After nine years of compulsory education, adolescents can pass over to the upper secondary level. The secondary education level II can be split up into general education and vocational education offers. Students can visit “Matura” schools or specialized middle schools depending on whether they prepare for academic studies or higher vocational education.
The different education offers at upper secondary level lasts from two to four years. Approx. 90% of the adolescents in Switzerland graduate with a certificate.

===Tertiary===

Tertiary education depends on the education chosen in secondary education. For students with a matura, university is the most common one. Apprentices who did a vocational high school will often add a Fachhochschule (university of applied sciences) or a Höhere Fachschule (higher university of applied sciences) to their curriculum. Switzerland has the second highest rate of foreign students in tertiary education, after Australia.

The Swiss higher education system is currently facing a tremdeous change. With the foundation of Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Scienes) and Pädagogische Hochschulen (teacher training colleagues) higher education has been diversified, thus expanding the existing offer. The declaration of Bologna includes a drastic change in the landscape of higher education in Switzerland in order to meet the common goals by the year 2010.

At the moment 10 cantonal universities take part of the higher education system of Switzerland (Neuchâtel, Freiburg, Lausanne, Geneva, Bern, Zürich, St. Gallen, Basel, Luzern, Svizzera italiana), two technichal universities (Lausanne und Zürich), the Pädagogische Hochschule St. Gallen and eight federally accredited Fachhochschulen (Bern, Suisse occidentale, Nordwestschweiz, Zentralschweiz, Ostschweiz, Zürich, Université professionnelle de la Suisse italienne und Kalaïdos). Moreover, some integrated Fachhochschule and a few non-integrated Pädagogische Fachhochschule also belong to the higher education system. Private Institutions are:

* SBS Swiss Business School
* European University (EU)
* Educatis University Switzerland
The Educatis University is accredited by the Swiss Canton of Uri.
* European Graduate School - EGS University The EGS University is accredited by the Swiss Canton of Valais.
* Zentrum fuer Agogik ZAK (Centre for Agogics)
The ZAK is accredited by the Dutch Validation Council (DVC) and by the Netherlands Quality Agency B.V.

Here you can find the [http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/infothek/publ.html?publicationID=2538/ Educational Statistics of 2006] of the swiss Federal Statistical Office (in English language).

==Instituts of Higher Education==

===Universities of applied sciences===

Since 1997 the Swiss higher education landscape has received a second university type in addition to the traditional universities. These are the universities of applied sciences (FH), originating from a concentration of around 70 specialist schools (technical schools, higher commercial schools, etc). The brief of the universities of applied sciences (FH) is to offer practical and application-orientated university-level studies for graduates of vocational education.

Universities of teacher education (PH) also belong to the universities of applied sciences (FH). They are responsible for the training of the teachers.

Main task and general conditions:

* The main assignment of the universities of applied sciences (FH) consists of diploma studies, further education (post diploma studies (ND) or the Master of Advanced Studies [MAS], post diploma courses (NDK), application orientated research and development, services for the benefit of third parties, co-operation with colleges and research institutes in Switzerland and abroad.
* The Swiss Conference of universities of applied sciences, affiliated to the Swiss Conference of the Cantonal Educational Minister (FHR EDK), is the strategic and political body for all matters concerning international co-operation with universities. It coordinates the development planning throughout Switzerland and works together with the Confederation.
* The Conference of the universities of applied sciences (KFH) represents the interests of the universities of applied sciences before the Confederation and the cantons as well as other educational and research political institutions. As a rectors' conference, it is a specialist body within the Swiss Conference of the Cantonal School Ministers (EDK) and maintains close links to the Federal Office for Vocational Training and Technologies (BBT), which regulates and jointly finances the universities of applied sciences (FH) at a Swiss level.

Also available: [[Media:Fachhochschulen.pdf|Size and geographical position of Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences in 2007 (PDF)]], 1 page

===Universities===

The cantonal universities offer courses in theology, humanities and social science, mathematics and natural science, law, economics, medicine and pharmaceuticals, the Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH) offer courses in natural and engineering science, architecture, mathematics, pharmaceutical science as well as sport and military science. 9251 university diplomas / degrees are expected were achieved in 2005.

7889 university diplomas were issued in 2005.
In 2006 a total of 166,449 students attended a Swiss university facility, approx. two thirds of these attended a university and almost one third a university of applied sciences (FH).

The oldest university in Switzerland was founded in 1460 in Basel. Five of the ten cantonal universities are situated in the German-speaking part of Switzerland: the Universities of Basel, Bern, Lucerne, St. Gallen and Zurich. The University of Freiburg is located in the bilingual canton Freiburg (French and German). The Universities of Geneva, Lausanne and Neuchâtel are located in French-speaking Switzerland and the Università della Svizzera Italiana is situated in Ticino in the Italian-speaking part of the country. In addition there are the two Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH) in Lausanne and Zurich as well as the four research institutes belonging to the ETH domain: Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Federal Institute for Material Testing and Research (EMPA) and the Federal Research Institute for Water Supply, Wastewater Treatment and Water Pollution Control (EAWAG).

Also available: [[Media:Swissuniversities.pdf| Situation and size of the "Universitäre Hochschulen" in Switzerland in 2007 (PDF)]], 1 page

===The "Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz" and other Confederation-recognised universities===

In addition to the higher education institutions mentioned above, there is also a private foundation for distance learning, "The Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz" which was recognised by the Confederation in 2004.

The following universities have also been recognised by the Confederation.
* Institut universitaire de hautes études internationales (HEI), Geneva
* Institut de hautes études en administration publique (IDHEAP), Lausanne
* Institut Universitaire Kurt Bösch (The Postgraduate University of the Canton of Valais), Sion

===Core mandates and general requirements===

* Among the core mandates of the universities (cantonale universities and the Federal Institutes of Technology) are teaching, research, and the provision of services.
* The universities have considerable academic, financial, and organisational autonomy. The Swiss University Conference (CUS) is entrusted with their national coordination.

== Higher education reform ==

=== The Bologna Process===

The coordination of implementation of the Bologna-Declaration at institutions of higher education in Switzerland lies since 1999 with [http://www.crus.ch/homenavigation/home.html?L=2 CRUS (Rectors' Conference of Swiss Universities)]while the [http://www.kfh.ch/index.cfm?CFID=12787936&CFTOKEN=63541849 Rector' Conference of the Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences (KFH)] has overall responsibility for this project organisation at universities of applied sciences.

In December 2002 guidelines of implementation standards for universities of applied sciences and universities of education were decreed by the [http://www.edk.ch/dyn/11553.php Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK)].Thus, the entering of two-staged system of study was passed.

The implementation at universities of applied sciences was started in autumn 2005 with enactment of partly revised universities of applied sciences act. Center stage takes the two-staged system of study: Bachelor and Master. Furthermore the course achievement shall taken in account according to the pan-European effective system of credit points (ECTS).
In order to insure the quality of offerings for education the Bologna Process is guided tightly by the Confederate Commission of Universities of Applied Sciences. For this purpose an evalutation of bachelor courses was commissioned to review the capability concepts and requirements.

== Virtual learning Initiatives in Switzerland==

Since 1992 the Canton Valais – situated in the Southwest of Switzerland – pursues as a non-university Canton an active university policy. One of the priorities is the promotion of distance teaching. For this purpose three institutions have been established in the last years:

* [[Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz]] (university distance programs)

* [[Fernfachhochschule Schweiz]] (distance programs for an university of applied science)

Since Switzerland as a small country will not build up a distance university of its own, a co-operation model was chosen.

The Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz has close co-operations with the FernUniversität in Hagen, the French universities of Besançon, Grenoble, Dijon and the Centre National d’Enseignement à Distance, the Canadian Télé-Université, and the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities.

In the area of the university of applied science exist co-operations with different distance teaching networks. As most important partners the following are to be called: The Institut für Verbundstudien der Fachhochschulen (institute for network studies of the universities of applied science) Northrhine-Westphalia Iserlohn, the Zentralstelle für Fernstudien an Fachhochschulen ZFH Koblenz (central office for distance teaching at the university of applied science) and the Fernstudienagentur FHTW, Berlin (distance teaching agency).

By these activities both institutions form a national competence centre within the area of distance study and distance teaching, which includes all educational sectors.

Besides this Swiss students of course can attend all programs of [http://www.virtualschoolsandcolleges.eu/index.php/Germany German], [http://www.virtualschoolsandcolleges.eu/index.php/Italy Italian], [http://www.virtualschoolsandcolleges.eu/index.php/France French] or institutions of higher distance-education of other countries – depending on their language skills.

===Important virtual learning opportunities in Switzerland===

'''Table 1'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:11px;"
|-valign="top" style="background: #ECE5B6;"
!width=""|'''Nr'''
!width=""|'''Name'''
!width=""|'''Institution'''
!width=""|'''City'''
!width=""|'''Type'''
|-valign="top"

|1. || [http://www.fernfachhochschule.ch/ffhs Fernfachhochschule Schweiz / Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences (FFHS), ] || FFHS|| Brig|| Distance Learning.
|-valign="top"
|2. || [http://www.fernuni.ch/ The Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz] || The Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz|| Brig|| University distance programmes.
|-valign="top"
|3. || [http://www.oncampus.de/index.php?id=61 Hochschulverbund Virtuelle Fachhochschule]||Hochschulverbund Virtuelle Fachhochschule|| Brig|| University distance programmes in cooperation.
|-valign="top"
|4. || [http://www.virtualcampus.ch/display.php?lang=1 The Swiss Virtual Campus] || Swiss University Conference|| Bern|| University distance programmes in cooperation.
|-valign="top"
|}

1) Since autumn 1998 the [[FFHS]] offers technical college courses for people in employment in the areas of economy, informatics and engineering according to the method of blended-learning. About 80 per cent of the education occurs in the accompanied correspondence courses; about 20 per cent of the time the students spent in one of the regional centres in Zurich, Bern, Basel or Brig. This study form – a combination of different forms of electronic learning with traditional education- and continuing-education methods and direct practise relation – closes a gap in the Swiss training system: The FFHS trains higher certified occupational people without taking them away from the job market.

Since 2004 the [[Fernfachhochschule Schweiz]] is a part of the Scuola Universitaria profession ale della Svizzera Italiana (SUPSI) approved by the Bundesrat. So it is integrated into the whole strategy of the SUPSI. The offer of the SUPSI is aimed traditionally on the Italian language area of Switzerland. Now with her partial school the SUPSI has got a foot in the door of German-speaking Switzerland. Besides it profits from the correspondence course competence of the FFHS.

Approximately 600 students are enrolled at the FFHS. The number of students is rising. In May 2008 201 people had registred newly for bachelor- or master-degrees.

On average two saturdays a months students (depending on there home-region) meet in regional centres Zürich, Bern, Basel or
Brig for attendance-courses. For this two-week-model it comes to a dilatation of the academic year: A "Semester" (term) starts around one month before a Semester in a typical full-time-Fachhochschule
and takes 18 weeks instead of 15. Students of the FFHS start their studies with 29 years of age in average, 40 per cent of them are married, and only 27 per cent are female. Most are living close to Zürich.

2) 1318 students (1571 including continuing education) were studying with the [[Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz]] in 2007; 955 in German language, 363 in French. The Foundation has got close cooperations with other Swiss and European universities (see above). It runs own bachelor-programs in Swiss Law, psychology and economics and many more in cooperation with German an French universities, especially with the FernUniversität in Hagen. There are study-centres in Brig, Pfäffikon and Sierre.

3) The “virtual” network of universities of applied sciences "[[Hochschulverbund Virtuelle Fachhochschule]]" ([[VFH]]) offers two online-study-programs since winter-term 2001/2002: „Medieninformatik“ (media informatics) and "Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen" (industrial engineering and management).

At the moment seven German universities of applied sciences (from different “Länder”) make part of the alliance as well as two associated institutions – one of them is the Fernfachhochschule Brig (see above).

4) The [[Federal Program Swiss Virtual Campus]] ([[SVC]]) promotes Communication Technology (ICT) based eLearning at Swiss Universities. While boosting e-learning resource production and application efficiency in general the awarding of European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) recognition for successful course completion is targeted.
Thus the strategies of the Swiss Virtual Campus go hand in hand with the implementation of the Bologna resolution.

==References==

[http://www.edk.ch/dyn/11586.php http://www.edk.ch/dyn/11586.php]The Swiss education system

[http://www.educa.ch/dyn/129983.asp http://www.educa.ch/dyn/129983.asp]Detailed overview of the Swiss education system

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Switzerland http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Switzerland] Education in Switzerland from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/15.html http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/15.html] Information by the Federal Office of Statistics

[http://www.educa.ch/dyn/152941.asp http://www.educa.ch/dyn/152941.asp]Overview Swiss Universities

http://www.crus.ch/homenavigation/home.html?L=2 Information by the Rectors´Conference of the Swiss Universities

[http://www.fnm-austria.at/stategie/Dateiablage/view/nml-nib/09-nml-nib-international-laenderbericht-schweiz.pdf| NML-NIB im internationalen Kontext Länderbericht: Schweiz (PDF - DE)] by [http://www.fnm-austria.at/ FNM-Austria]

See also links in the text.

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Switzerland

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For entities in Switzerland see [[:Category:Switzerland]].

==Switzerland in a nutshell==

[[Image:800px-KARTE schweiz verwaltungsgliederung.png |thumb|left|300px|Switzerland and its "Cantone"]]Switzerland (German: Schweiz, French: Suisse, Italian: Svizzera), officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked alpine country of roughly 7.6 million people in Western Europe with an area of 41,285 km². Switzerland is a federal republic consisting of 26 states called cantons. Berne is the seat of the federal authorities, while the country's economic centres are its two global cities, Geneva and especially Zürich. Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world.

It is bordered by Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. Switzerland has a long history of neutrality — it has not been at war since 1815 — and hosts many international organizations, including the Red Cross, the World Trade Organization and one of the U.N.'s two European offices. Switzerland is multilingual and has four national languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh. The country's formal name is Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft in German, Confédération suisse in French, Confederazione Svizzera in Italian and Confederaziun svizra in Romansh. The establishment of Switzerland is traditionally dated to August 1, 1291; the first of August is the national holiday.

The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton has its own constitution, legislature, government and courts. Most of the cantons' legislatures are unicameral parliaments, their size varying between fifty-eight and two hundred seats. A few legislatures are general assemblies known as Landsgemeinden. The cantonal governments consist of either five or seven members, depending on the canton. For the names of the institutions, see List of legislative and executive councils of the Cantons of Switzerland.

The Swiss Federal Constitution declares the cantons to be sovereign to the extent their sovereignty is not limited by federal law. The cantons also retain all powers and competencies not delegated to the Confederation by the Constitution. Most significantly, the cantons are responsible for healthcare, welfare, law enforcement and public education; they also retain the power of taxation. The cantonal constitutions determine the degree of autonomy accorded to the municipalities, which varies but almost always includes the power to levy taxes and pass municipal laws. The sizes of the cantons vary from 37 km² to 7,105 km²; the populations vary from 14,900 to 1,244,400.

As on the federal level, all cantons provide for direct democracy. Citizens may demand a popular vote to amend the cantonal constitution or laws, or to veto laws or spending bills passed by the parliament. General popular assemblies (Landsgemeinde) are now limited to the cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden and Glarus. In all other cantons democratic rights are exercised by secret ballot.

==Swiss education policy==

The competences in the educational system are distributed between the Confederation, cantons and the municipalities. The responsibility for the legal implementation, financing and execution vary depending on the type of educational level and the respective educational facility. The primary responsibility for education lies within the cantons.
A goal of the Federal constitution is that "children and adolescents as well as those who have reached an employable age can receive education, vocational education and further education according to their capabilities", and that "children and adolescents shall be encouraged in their development into independent and socially responsible individuals and shall be supported in their social, cultural and political integration" (Federal Constitution Article 41, Paragraph 1 Letters f and g).

===Responsibilities of the cantons and the municipalities===

* According to the Confederation constitution, the cantons are According to the Federal constitution, the cantons are responsible for school education. "They must ensure that there is adequate primary school tuition available for all children. The primary school tuition is obligatory and is subject to state management or supervision. This is free of charge in public schools" (Federal Constitution Article 62). The cantons and their municipalities are wholly responsible for the decision making process, financing and execution of the primary Level and the compulsory schools.
* The cantons and the Confederation carry their respective responsibilities for the public education system at the Secondary Level. The Confederation regulates vocational education, the cantons organise its implementation and bear the majority of the financial expenses. The cantons and the Confederation regulate the Matura Schools jointly, the cantons manage the Matura Schools. The cantons are responsible for further general education schools on this level.
* In the area of the universities as well as in the rest of the tertiary area, the responsibility of the cantons and the Confederation is partly legislatory, partly as responsible body for the universities, with their efforts coordinated. The cantons are solely responsible for the universities of teacher education (Pädagogische Hochschulen - PH), which are also subject to inter-cantonal legislation. Furthermore, the individual cantons themselves are responsible for their cantonal universities.

The cantonal school law is implemented largely via the educational department in the cantons. The educational departments determine the curricula, official teaching material and the sizes of the classes.
Amongst other institutions, the municipalities manage the kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools, and are supported in this by the school commission and the Schulpflege (school council). These represent the local school authorities and have the responsibility for the premises and the acquisition of teaching aids. In some cases they also select the teachers or possess control functions. Parents may also be represented in the school commission and school council.

===Cooperation between the cantons and the school concordat===

The inter-cantonal cooperation and school coordination is one of the tasks of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK). All cantonal government members responsible for education, literacy, culture and sport are represented in the EDK. The EDK encourages and obligates the cantons to cooperation and harmonisation (e.g. with regard to reforms, cooperation in the area of planning, research, school statistics). Basic instruments of the EDK are the intern-cantonal agreements and the concordat supported recommendation.
Inter-cantonal agreements are government contracts between the cantons (qualification agreements and the terms of their implementation, e.g. the recognition regulation for the professional training of teachers, financing and freedom of movement agreements such as the inter-cantonal university agreement). Furthermore, the EDK releases curricula for certain vocational studies.
The school concordat of 1970 is the legal basis of the EDK. This generally obliges the cantons to cooperative measures in the field of education. The school concordat regulates the beginning and duration of the school year, the age of enrolment at school and the length of the compulsory schooling. An enhancement of the school concordat from 1970 is being planned. The new intern-cantonal agreement for the harmonisation of the compulsory school of the EDK will regulate important new benchmarking figures of the compulsory school (enrolment age, earlier and more flexible school enrolment, length of compulsory schooling period) and provides the educational standards that must be accomplished.

===Responsibility of the Confederation===

The Confederation issues regulations for the professional education system at the upper secondary level as well as the tertiary level and is responsible for the Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH) (including research promotion). The Confederation is also responsible for the universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen - FH). The Confederation and the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK) regulate the Matura recognition jointly.
On a federal level, the Federal Department for Home Affairs (EDI) - and in particular the State Secretariat for Education and Research (SER) - are responsible for the following areas: Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH), university aid, scholarships, science and research as well as the reorganisation of the Swiss university system, in collaboration with the cantons and the universities. The Federal Department for Economics (EDV) or the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology (BBT) regulates vocational education and manages the universities of applied sciences. The Federal Department for Defence, Civil Protection and Sports (VBS) or the Federal Office of Sports (BASPO) is responsible for sport.

== Description of the Educational System in Switzerland==
[[Image:Grafik bildung e a.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The Swiss Education System © EDK CDIP CDEP CDPE, October 2008]]

The education system in Switzerland is very diverse, because the constitution of Switzerland delegates the authority for the school system to the cantons (Federal Constitution Article 62). The Swiss constitution sets the foundations, namely that primary school is obligatory for every child and is free in public schools and that the confederation can run or support universities. Swiss people have voted on May 21, 2006 to reform the education system in one common program for all the cantons. Because of its diversity, there are many private international schools in Switzerland that encourage respect for all cultures.

The minimum age for primary school is about six years in all cantons but Obwalden, where it is five years and three months. Any boy or girl can take part in school if they choose to, but kids are separated depending on whether they speak French, German or Italian. Primary school continues until grade four or five, depending on the school.

At the end of primary school (or at the beginning of secondary school), pupils are separated according to their capacities in several (often three) sections. The best students are taught advanced classes to be prepared for further studies and the matura, while students who assimilate a little bit more slowly receive an education more adapted to their needs. In PISA science literacy assessment, 15-year-old students in Switzerland had the 16th highest average score of 57 countries.

The first university in Switzerland was founded in 1460 in Basel, with a faculty of medicine. This place has a long tradition of chemical and medical research in Switzerland. Other large universities are the ETHZ in Zürich and the EPFL in Lausanne. There are 14 Universities in Switzerland, 10 of which are maintained at cantonal level and usually offer a range of non-technical subjects. Switzerland has the second highest rate of foreign students in tertiary education, after Australia.

Many Nobel prizes were awarded to Swiss scientists, for example to the world-famous physicist Albert Einstein or more recently to Heinrich Rohrer also in the field of physics. Geneva host the world's largest particle physics laboratory, the CERN. An other important research center is the Paul Scherrer Institute which is under the responsibility of the Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology.

===Primary level===

After visiting Kindergarten children in Switzerland enter primary school at minimum age of six. The school attendance is obligatory and free of charge and lasts six years in 20 of the cantons and in the other cantons four or five years. The organization and financing of the primary schools is incumbent on responsibility of cantons and municipalities. The children attend principally schools in their place of residence. At the primary level is no classification concerning types of schools with achievement groups.

===Lower secondary level===

The obligatory school system includes in addition to primary education also a lower secondary level (secondary education I). The lower secondary level provides a basic general education free of charge. There gained knowledge shall prepare for apprenticeship or attendance of secondary schools (“Maturitätsschulen“, “Fachmittelschulen”). Analogue to primary level the cantons and municipalities support the schools of the lower secondary level. In addition the cantons determine the learning targets and regulate the curricula. In 20 cantons the lower secondary level begins with the seventh class, in six cantons with the fifth or sixth class. At the lower secondary level the pupils are usually between 12 and 16 years of age.
The majority of cantons sub-divide the lower secondary level into two to three different types of schools as follows:

* Types of schools with basic courses

This school type provides the practical abilities and the general education of the pupils and prepare for apprenticeship.

* Types of schools with expanded courses

This school type improves the general education and prepare for secondary schools and vocational basic education.

* Types of schools with higher courses

This school type with higher courses exhibits highest level and usually prepares pupils for Matura schools, intermediate diploma schools, for vocational full-time schools, or for more demanding apprenticeship.

This dividing model offers low opportunities of permeability so in the different cantons tests are being made with different models without different types of schools on the lower secondary level.

===Upper secondary level===
After nine years of compulsory education, adolescents can pass over to the upper secondary level. The secondary education level II can be split up into general education and vocational education offers. Students can visit “Matura” schools or specialized middle schools depending on whether they prepare for academic studies or higher vocational education.
The different education offers at upper secondary level lasts from two to four years. Approx. 90% of the adolescents in Switzerland graduate with a certificate.

===Tertiary===

Tertiary education depends on the education chosen in secondary education. For students with a matura, university is the most common one. Apprentices who did a vocational high school will often add a Fachhochschule (university of applied sciences) or a Höhere Fachschule (higher university of applied sciences) to their curriculum. Switzerland has the second highest rate of foreign students in tertiary education, after Australia.

The Swiss higher education system is currently facing a tremdeous change. With the foundation of Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Scienes) and Pädagogische Hochschulen (teacher training colleagues) higher education has been diversified, thus expanding the existing offer. The declaration of Bologna includes a drastic change in the landscape of higher education in Switzerland in order to meet the common goals by the year 2010.

At the moment 10 cantonal universities take part of the higher education system of Switzerland (Neuchâtel, Freiburg, Lausanne, Geneva, Bern, Zürich, St. Gallen, Basel, Luzern, Svizzera italiana), two technichal universities (Lausanne und Zürich), the Pädagogische Hochschule St. Gallen and eight federally accredited Fachhochschulen (Bern, Suisse occidentale, Nordwestschweiz, Zentralschweiz, Ostschweiz, Zürich, Université professionnelle de la Suisse italienne und Kalaïdos). Moreover, some integrated Fachhochschule and a few non-integrated Pädagogische Fachhochschule also belong to the higher education system. Private Institutions are:

* SBS Swiss Business School
* European University (EU)
* Educatis University Switzerland
The Educatis University is accredited by the Swiss Canton of Uri.
* European Graduate School - EGS University The EGS University is accredited by the Swiss Canton of Valais.
* Zentrum fuer Agogik ZAK (Centre for Agogics)
The ZAK is accredited by the Dutch Validation Council (DVC) and by the Netherlands Quality Agency B.V.

Here you can find the [http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/infothek/publ.html?publicationID=2538/ Educational Statistics of 2006] of the swiss Federal Statistical Office (in English language).

==Instituts of Higher Education==

===Universities of applied sciences===

Since 1997 the Swiss higher education landscape has received a second university type in addition to the traditional universities. These are the universities of applied sciences (FH), originating from a concentration of around 70 specialist schools (technical schools, higher commercial schools, etc). The brief of the universities of applied sciences (FH) is to offer practical and application-orientated university-level studies for graduates of vocational education.

Universities of teacher education (PH) also belong to the universities of applied sciences (FH). They are responsible for the training of the teachers.

Main task and general conditions:

* The main assignment of the universities of applied sciences (FH) consists of diploma studies, further education (post diploma studies (ND) or the Master of Advanced Studies [MAS], post diploma courses (NDK), application orientated research and development, services for the benefit of third parties, co-operation with colleges and research institutes in Switzerland and abroad.
* The Swiss Conference of universities of applied sciences, affiliated to the Swiss Conference of the Cantonal Educational Minister (FHR EDK), is the strategic and political body for all matters concerning international co-operation with universities. It coordinates the development planning throughout Switzerland and works together with the Confederation.
* The Conference of the universities of applied sciences (KFH) represents the interests of the universities of applied sciences before the Confederation and the cantons as well as other educational and research political institutions. As a rectors' conference, it is a specialist body within the Swiss Conference of the Cantonal School Ministers (EDK) and maintains close links to the Federal Office for Vocational Training and Technologies (BBT), which regulates and jointly finances the universities of applied sciences (FH) at a Swiss level.

Also available: [[Media:Fachhochschulen.pdf|Size and geographical position of Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences in 2007 (PDF)]], 1 page

===Universities===

The cantonal universities offer courses in theology, humanities and social science, mathematics and natural science, law, economics, medicine and pharmaceuticals, the Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH) offer courses in natural and engineering science, architecture, mathematics, pharmaceutical science as well as sport and military science. 9251 university diplomas / degrees are expected were achieved in 2005.

7889 university diplomas were issued in 2005.
In 2006 a total of 166,449 students attended a Swiss university facility, approx. two thirds of these attended a university and almost one third a university of applied sciences (FH).

The oldest university in Switzerland was founded in 1460 in Basel. Five of the ten cantonal universities are situated in the German-speaking part of Switzerland: the Universities of Basel, Bern, Lucerne, St. Gallen and Zurich. The University of Freiburg is located in the bilingual canton Freiburg (French and German). The Universities of Geneva, Lausanne and Neuchâtel are located in French-speaking Switzerland and the Università della Svizzera Italiana is situated in Ticino in the Italian-speaking part of the country. In addition there are the two Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH) in Lausanne and Zurich as well as the four research institutes belonging to the ETH domain: Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Federal Institute for Material Testing and Research (EMPA) and the Federal Research Institute for Water Supply, Wastewater Treatment and Water Pollution Control (EAWAG).

Also available: [[Media:Swissuniversities.pdf| Situation and size of the "Universitäre Hochschulen" in Switzerland in 2007 (PDF)]], 1 page

===The "Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz" and other Confederation-recognised universities===

In addition to the higher education institutions mentioned above, there is also a private foundation for distance learning, "The Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz" which was recognised by the Confederation in 2004.

The following universities have also been recognised by the Confederation.
* Institut universitaire de hautes études internationales (HEI), Geneva
* Institut de hautes études en administration publique (IDHEAP), Lausanne
* Institut Universitaire Kurt Bösch (The Postgraduate University of the Canton of Valais), Sion

===Core mandates and general requirements===

* Among the core mandates of the universities (cantonale universities and the Federal Institutes of Technology) are teaching, research, and the provision of services.
* The universities have considerable academic, financial, and organisational autonomy. The Swiss University Conference (CUS) is entrusted with their national coordination.

== Higher education reform ==

=== The Bologna Process===

The coordination of implementation of the Bologna-Declaration at institutions of higher education in Switzerland lies since 1999 with [http://www.crus.ch/homenavigation/home.html?L=2 CRUS (Rectors' Conference of Swiss Universities)]while the [http://www.kfh.ch/index.cfm?CFID=12787936&CFTOKEN=63541849 Rector' Conference of the Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences (KFH)] has overall responsibility for this project organisation at universities of applied sciences.

In December 2002 guidelines of implementation standards for universities of applied sciences and universities of education were decreed by the [http://www.edk.ch/dyn/11553.php Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK)].Thus, the entering of two-staged system of study was passed.

The implementation at universities of applied sciences was started in autumn 2005 with enactment of partly revised universities of applied sciences act. Center stage takes the two-staged system of study: Bachelor and Master. Furthermore the course achievement shall taken in account according to the pan-European effective system of credit points (ECTS).
In order to insure the quality of offerings for education the Bologna Process is guided tightly by the Confederate Commission of Universities of Applied Sciences. For this purpose an evalutation of bachelor courses was commissioned to review the capability concepts and requirements.

== Virtual learning Initiatives in Switzerland==

Since 1992 the Canton Valais – situated in the Southwest of Switzerland – pursues as a non-university Canton an active university policy. One of the priorities is the promotion of distance teaching. For this purpose three institutions have been established in the last years:

* Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz (university distance programs)

* Fernfachhochschule Schweiz (distance programs for an university of applied science)

Since Switzerland as a small country will not build up a distance university of its own, a co-operation model was chosen.

The Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz has close co-operations with the FernUniversität in Hagen, the French universities of Besançon, Grenoble, Dijon and the Centre National d’Enseignement à Distance, the Canadian Télé-Université, and the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities.

In the area of the university of applied science exist co-operations with different distance teaching networks. As most important partners the following are to be called: The Institut für Verbundstudien der Fachhochschulen (institute for network studies of the universities of applied science) Northrhine-Westphalia Iserlohn, the Zentralstelle für Fernstudien an Fachhochschulen ZFH Koblenz (central office for distance teaching at the university of applied science) and the Fernstudienagentur FHTW, Berlin (distance teaching agency).

By these activities both institutions form a national competence centre within the area of distance study and distance teaching, which includes all educational sectors.

Besides this Swiss students of course can attend all programs of [http://www.virtualschoolsandcolleges.eu/index.php/Germany German], [http://www.virtualschoolsandcolleges.eu/index.php/Italy Italian], [http://www.virtualschoolsandcolleges.eu/index.php/France French] or institutions of higher distance-education of other countries – depending on their language skills.

===Important virtual learning opportunities in Switzerland===

'''Table 1'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:11px;"
|-valign="top" style="background: #ECE5B6;"
!width=""|'''Nr'''
!width=""|'''Name'''
!width=""|'''Institution'''
!width=""|'''City'''
!width=""|'''Type'''
|-valign="top"

|1. || [http://www.fernfachhochschule.ch/ffhs Fernfachhochschule Schweiz / Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences (FFHS), ] || FFHS|| Brig|| Distance Learning.
|-valign="top"
|2. || [http://www.fernuni.ch/ The Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz] || The Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz|| Brig|| University distance programmes.
|-valign="top"
|3. || [http://www.oncampus.de/index.php?id=61 Hochschulverbund Virtuelle Fachhochschule]||Hochschulverbund Virtuelle Fachhochschule|| Brig|| University distance programmes in cooperation.
|-valign="top"
|4. || [http://www.virtualcampus.ch/display.php?lang=1 The Swiss Virtual Campus] || Swiss University Conference|| Bern|| University distance programmes in cooperation.
|-valign="top"
|}

1) Since autumn 1998 the [[FFHS]] offers technical college courses for people in employment in the areas of economy, informatics and engineering according to the method of blended-learning. About 80 per cent of the education occurs in the accompanied correspondence courses; about 20 per cent of the time the students spent in one of the regional centres in Zurich, Bern, Basel or Brig. This study form – a combination of different forms of electronic learning with traditional education- and continuing-education methods and direct practise relation – closes a gap in the Swiss training system: The FFHS trains higher certified occupational people without taking them away from the job market.

Since 2004 the [[Fernfachhochschule Schweiz]] is a part of the Scuola Universitaria profession ale della Svizzera Italiana (SUPSI) approved by the Bundesrat. So it is integrated into the whole strategy of the SUPSI. The offer of the SUPSI is aimed traditionally on the Italian language area of Switzerland. Now with her partial school the SUPSI has got a foot in the door of German-speaking Switzerland. Besides it profits from the correspondence course competence of the FFHS.

Approximately 600 students are enrolled at the FFHS. The number of students is rising. In May 2008 201 people had registred newly for bachelor- or master-degrees.

On average two saturdays a months students (depending on there home-region) meet in regional centres Zürich, Bern, Basel or
Brig for attendance-courses. For this two-week-model it comes to a dilatation of the academic year: A "Semester" (term) starts around one month before a Semester in a typical full-time-Fachhochschule
and takes 18 weeks instead of 15. Students of the FFHS start their studies with 29 years of age in average, 40 per cent of them are married, and only 27 per cent are female. Most are living close to Zürich.

2) 1318 students (1571 including continuing education) were studying with the [[Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz]] in 2007; 955 in German language, 363 in French. The Foundation has got close cooperations with other Swiss and European universities (see above). It runs own bachelor-programs in Swiss Law, psychology and economics and many more in cooperation with German an French universities, especially with the FernUniversität in Hagen. There are study-centres in Brig, Pfäffikon and Sierre.

3) The “virtual” network of universities of applied sciences "[[Hochschulverbund Virtuelle Fachhochschule]]" ([[VFH]]) offers two online-study-programs since winter-term 2001/2002: „Medieninformatik“ (media informatics) and "Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen" (industrial engineering and management).

At the moment seven German universities of applied sciences (from different “Länder”) make part of the alliance as well as two associated institutions – one of them is the Fernfachhochschule Brig (see above).

4) The [[Federal Program Swiss Virtual Campus]] ([[SVC]]) promotes Communication Technology (ICT) based eLearning at Swiss Universities. While boosting e-learning resource production and application efficiency in general the awarding of European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) recognition for successful course completion is targeted.
Thus the strategies of the Swiss Virtual Campus go hand in hand with the implementation of the Bologna resolution.

==References==

[http://www.edk.ch/dyn/11586.php http://www.edk.ch/dyn/11586.php]The Swiss education system

[http://www.educa.ch/dyn/129983.asp http://www.educa.ch/dyn/129983.asp]Detailed overview of the Swiss education system

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Switzerland http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Switzerland] Education in Switzerland from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/15.html http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/15.html] Information by the Federal Office of Statistics

[http://www.educa.ch/dyn/152941.asp http://www.educa.ch/dyn/152941.asp]Overview Swiss Universities

http://www.crus.ch/homenavigation/home.html?L=2 Information by the Rectors´Conference of the Swiss Universities

[http://www.fnm-austria.at/stategie/Dateiablage/view/nml-nib/09-nml-nib-international-laenderbericht-schweiz.pdf| NML-NIB im internationalen Kontext Länderbericht: Schweiz (PDF - DE)] by [http://www.fnm-austria.at/ FNM-Austria]

See also links in the text.

----

> [[Countries]]

[[Category:Switzerland| ]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:OECD]]
[[Category:German-speaking countries]]

Hochschulverbund Virtuelle Fachhochschule

2009-06-04T12:37:06Z

Roman: New page: The “virtual” network of universities of applied sciences "Hochschulverbund Virtuelle Fachhochschule" (VFH) offers two online-study-programs since winter-term 2001/2002: „Medieninfor...

The “virtual” network of universities of applied sciences "Hochschulverbund Virtuelle Fachhochschule" (VFH) offers two online-study-programs since winter-term 2001/2002: „Medieninformatik“ (media informatics) and "Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen" (industrial engineering and management).

[[Category:Switzerland]]
[[Category:Universities]]
[[Category:Open universities]]
[[Category:Consortia]]

The Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz

2009-06-04T12:34:47Z

Roman: New page: 1318 students (1571 including continuing education) were studying with the Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz in 2007; 955 in German language, 363 in French. The Foundation has got close coope...

1318 students (1571 including continuing education) were studying with the Foundation Fernstudien Schweiz in 2007; 955 in German language, 363 in French. The Foundation has got close cooperations with other Swiss and European universities (see above). It runs own bachelor-programs in Swiss Law, psychology and economics and many more in cooperation with German an French universities, especially with the FernUniversität in Hagen. There are study-centres in Brig, Pfäffikon and Sierre.

FFHS

2009-06-04T12:33:05Z

Roman: Redirecting to Fernfachhochschule Schweiz

#REDIRECT [[Fernfachhochschule Schweiz]]

Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences

2009-06-04T12:32:36Z

Roman: Redirecting to Fernfachhochschule Schweiz

#REDIRECT [[Fernfachhochschule Schweiz]]

Fernfachhochschule Schweiz

2009-06-04T12:31:54Z

Roman:

Since autumn 1998 the FFHS offers technical college courses for people in employment in the areas of economy, informatics and engineering according to the method of blended-learning. About 80 per cent of the education occurs in the accompanied correspondence courses; about 20 per cent of the time the students spent in one of the regional centres in Zurich, Bern, Basel or Brig. This study form – a combination of different forms of electronic learning with traditional education- and continuing-education methods and direct practise relation – closes a gap in the Swiss training system: The FFHS trains higher certified occupational people without taking them away from the job market.

Since 2004 the Fernfachhochschule Schweiz is a part of the Scuola Universitaria profession ale della Svizzera Italiana (SUPSI) approved by the Bundesrat. So it is integrated into the whole strategy of the SUPSI. The offer of the SUPSI is aimed traditionally on the Italian language area of Switzerland. Now with her partial school the SUPSI has got a foot in the door of German-speaking Switzerland. Besides it profits from the correspondence course competence of the FFHS.

Approximately 600 students are enrolled at the FFHS. The number of students is rising. In May 2008 201 people had registred newly for bachelor- or master-degrees.

On average two saturdays a months students (depending on there home-region) meet in regional centres Zürich, Bern, Basel or Brig for attendance-courses. For this two-week-model it comes to a dilatation of the academic year: A "Semester" (term) starts around one month before a Semester in a typical full-time-Fachhochschule and takes 18 weeks instead of 15. Students of the FFHS start their studies with 29 years of age in average, 40 per cent of them are married, and only 27 per cent are female. Most are living close to Zürich.

[[Category:Switzerland]]
[[Category:Universities]]
[[Category:Open universities]]

Fernfachhochschule Schweiz

2009-06-04T12:30:48Z

Roman: New page: Since autumn 1998 the FFHS offers technical college courses for people in employment in the areas of economy, informatics and engineering according to the method of blended-learning. About...

LOI

2009-06-03T17:48:47Z

Roman: Redirecting to Leidse Onderwijsinstellingen

#REDIRECT [[Leidse Onderwijsinstellingen]]

Netherlands from Re.ViCa

2009-06-03T17:44:07Z

Roman: /* Important Dutch virtual learning initiatives in higher education */

The Netherlands is the host of the [http://www.ou.nl/ Open Universiteit Nederland] (Dutch Open University) and of the former Dutch Digital University.

== The Netherlands in a nutshell ==

[[Image:Nl-map.gif|thumb|left|200px|The Netherlands]]

The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands, the [[Netherlands Antilles]] and [[Aruba]] in the Caribbean. The Netherlands is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy, located in Western Europe. It is bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, [[Belgium]] to the south, and [[Germany]] to the east.

The [[Netherlands]] is often called Holland. This is formally incorrect as North and South Holland in the western Netherlands are only two of the country's twelve provinces. Still, many Dutch people colloquially refer to their country as Holland in this way, as a synecdoche.

The Netherlands is a geographically low-lying and the 25th most densely populated country in the world, with 395 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,023 sq mi)—or 484 people per square kilometre (1,254/sq mi) if only the land area is counted, since 18.4% is water. The population in total is 16.3 million.

The Netherlands has an international outlook; among other affiliations the country is a founding member of the European Union (EU), NATO, the OECD, and has signed the Kyoto protocol. Along with [[Belgium]] and [[Luxembourg]], the Netherlands is one of three member nations of the Benelux economic union. The country is host to five international (ised) courts: the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Court and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. All of these courts (except the Special Tribunal for Lebanon), as well as the EU's criminal intelligence agency (Europol), are situated in The Hague, which has led to the city being referred to as "the world's legal capital."

=Education System=
==The different levels of education in the Netherlands==

Education in the Netherlands is characterized by division: education is oriented toward the needs and background of the pupil. Education is divided over schools for different age groups, some of these are in turn divided in streams for different educational levels. Schools are furthermore divided in public and special (religious) schools. The Programme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by the OECD, ranks the education in the Netherlands as the 9th best in the world as of 2008, being significantly higher than the OECD average.

'''Education policy''' is coordinated by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, together with municipal governments.

Compulsory education (leerplicht) in the Netherlands starts at the age of five, although in practice, most schools accept children from the age of four. From the age of sixteen there is a partial compulsory education (partiële leerplicht), meaning a pupil must attend some form of education for at least two days a week. Compulsory education ends for pupils age eighteen and up.

There are public, special (religious), and private schools. The first two are government-financed and officially free of charge, though schools may ask for a parental contribution (ouderbijdrage).

Public schools are controlled by local governments. Special schools are controlled by a school board. Special schools are typically based on a particular religion. There are government financed Catholic and Protestant elementary schools, high schools, and universities, furthermore there are government financed Jewish and Muslim elementary schools and high schools. In principle a special school can refuse the admission of a pupil if the parents indicate disagreement with the school's educational philosophy. This is an uncommon occurrence. Practically there is little difference between special schools and public schools, except in traditionally religious areas like Zeeland and the Veluwe (around Apeldoorn). Private schools do not receive financial support from the government.

There is also a considerable number of publicly financed schools which are based on a particular educational philosophy, for instance the Montessori Method, Pestalozzi Plan, Dalton Plan or Jena Plan. Most of these are public schools, but some special schools also base themselves on any of these educational philosophies.

In elementary and high schools the students are assessed annually by a team of teachers, who determine whether the pupil has advanced enough to move on to the next grade. If the pupil has not advanced enough he or she may have to retake the year (blijven zitten, English: stay seated); this is an uncommon occurrence. Highly intelligent children are sometimes granted the opportunity to skip an entire year, yet this happens rarely and usually in elementary schools.

All school types (public, special and private) are under the jurisdiction of a government body called Onderwijsinspectie (Education Inspection) and can be forced to make changes in educational policy or risk closure.

==Schools==

[[Image:250px-Dutch_Education_System-en.svg.png |thumb|right|300px|The Dutch Education System]]

===Basisonderwijs===

Between the ages of four to twelve, children attend basisschool (elementary school; literally, "basis school"). This school has eight grades, called groep 1 (group 1) through groep 8. School attendance is compulsory from group 2 (at age five), but almost all children commence school at four (in group 1). Groups 1 and 2 used to be called kleuterschool (nursery). From group 3 on, children will learn how to read, write and do maths. In group 7 and 8 many schools start with teaching English to their students. In group 8 the vast majority of schools administer the Citotoets (Cito test, developed by the Centraal instituut voor toetsontwikkeling[3]) to recommend what type of secondary education should be followed. In recent years this test has gained authority, but the opinion of the group 8 teacher has remained the most crucial factor in this recommendation.

===Voortgezet Onderwijs===

After attending elementary education, children aged 12 years old attend voortgezet onderwijs (high school; literally "continued education"). Depending on the advice of the elementary school and the score of the Cito test, pupils are assigned to either vmbo, havo or vwo.

The first year of all levels is referred to as the brugklas (litt. bridge class), as it connects the elementary school system to the secondary education system. During this year, pupils will gradually learn to cope with differences such as dealing with an increased personal responsibility.

When it is not clear which type of secondary education best suits a pupil, there is an orientation year for both vmbo/havo and havo/vwo to determine this. In addition, there is a second orientation year for havo/vwo when inconclusive.

Furthermore it is possible for pupils who have attained the vmbo diploma to attend two years of havo-level education and sit the HAVO-exam, and for pupils with a havo-diploma to attend two years of vwo-level education and then sit the VWO exam.

====Vmbo====

The vmbo (voorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs, literally, "preparatory middle-level vocational education") education lasts four years, from the age of twelve to sixteen. It combines vocational training with theoretical education in languages, mathematics, history, arts and sciences. Sixty percent of students nationally are enrolled in vmbo. Vmbo itself has four different levels, in each a different mix of practical vocational training and theoretical education is combined.

* Theoretische leerweg (literally, "theoretical learning path") is the most theoretical of the four, it prepares for middle management and vocational training in the mbo-level of tertiary education and it is needed to enter havo.
* Gemengde leerweg (literally, "mixed learning path") is in between the Theoretische- and Kaderberoepsgerichte Leerwegen.
* Kaderberoepsgerichte Leerweg (literally, "middle management-oriented learning path") teaches theoretical education and vocational training equally. It prepares for middle management and vocational training in the mbo-level of tertiary education.
* Basisberoepsgerichte Leerweg (literally, "basic profession-oriented learning path") emphasizes vocational training and prepares for the vocational training in the mbo-level of tertiary education.
* Praktijkonderwijs (literally, "practical education") consists out of mainly vocational training. It is meant for pupils who would otherwise not obtain their vmbo-diplomas. After obtaining this diploma pupils can enter the job market without further training.

For all of these levels there is Leerweg Ondersteunend Onderwijs (literally, "learning path supporting education"), which is intended for pupils with educational or behavioural problems. These pupils are taught in small classes by specialized teachers.

====Havo====

The havo (hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs, literally, "higher general continued education") has five grades and is attended from age twelve to seventeen. A havo diploma provides access to the HBO-level (polytechnic) of tertiary education.

The first three years together are called the Basisvorming (literally, "basis forming"). All pupils follow the same subjects: languages, mathematics, history, arts and sciences. In the third year pupils must choose one of four profiles. A profile is a set of different subjects that will make up for the largest part of the pupil's timetable in the fourth and fifth year, that are together called the Tweede Fase (literally, "second phase"). A profile specializes the pupil in an area, and some hbo and wo studies therefore require a specific profile. Students must also choose one to three additional subjects. Furthermore, Dutch and one foreign language (most often English), as well as some minor subjects, are compulsory. In all profiles mathematics is compulsory, but the level of difficulty differs for each profile. Pupils still have some free space, which is not taken by compulsory and profile subjects: here they can pick two subjects from other profiles. Sometimes pupils choose more than two subjects, this can result in multiple profiles.

These are the profiles:

* Cultuur en Maatschappij (literally, "culture and society") emphasizes on arts and foreign languages (French, German and less frequently Spanish, Russian, Arabic and Turkish). In the province of Friesland, West Frisian is also taught. The mathematics classes focus on statistics and stochastics. This profile prepares for artistic and cultural training at the hbo.
* Economie en Maatschappij (literally, "economy and society") emphasizes on social sciences, economy, and history. The mathematics classes focus on statistics and stochastics. This profile prepares for social science and economy training at the HBO.
* Natuur en Gezondheid (literally, "nature and health") emphasizes on biology and natural sciences. The mathematics classes focus on algebra, geometry and calculus. This profile is necessary to attend medical training at the HBO.
* Natuur en Techniek (literally, "nature and technology") emphasizes on natural sciences. The mathematics classes focus on algebra, geometry and calculus. This profile is necessary to attend technological and natural science training at the HBO.

====Vwo====

The vwo (voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs, literally, "preparatory scientific education") has six grades and is attended from age twelve to eighteen. A vwo diploma provides access to wo training, although universities may set their own admittance criteria (e.g. based on profile or on certain subjects). The vwo shares the profiles system described above with the HAVO route. The distinctions that can be made are that the difficulty level is higher, and that the Tweede Fase lasts three years instead of two.

The vwo is divided in Atheneum and Gymnasium. A Gymnasium programme is similar to the Atheneum, except that Latin and Greek are typically compulsory until the third year. Not all schools teach the ancient languages throughout the entire Basisvorming. Latin may start in either the first or the second year, while Greek may start in second or third. At the end of the third year, a pupil may decide to take either or both languages in the Tweede Fase, where the education in ancient languages is combined with education in ancient culture. The subject that they choose, although technically compulsory, is subtracted from their free space.

Vwo-plus, which is also known as Atheneum-plus, Vwo+ or Lyceum, offers extra subjects like philosophy, extra foreign languages and courses to introduce students to scientific research.

===Vavo===

Vavo (voortgezet algemeen volwassenen Onderwijs, literally, "prolonged general adult education") is ghvmbo, havo or vwo taught for adults.

===Vervolgonderwijs===

====Mbo====

Mbo (middelbaar beroepsonderwijs, literally, "middle-level vocational education") is oriented towards vocational training. Many pupils with a vmbo-diploma attend mbo. Mbo lasts three to four years. After mbo, pupils can enroll in hbo or enter the job market.

====Hbo====

With an mbo, havo or vwo diploma, pupils can enroll in hbo (Hoger Beroeps Onderwijs, literally "higher professional education"). It is oriented towards higher learning and professional training, which takes four to six years. The teaching in the hbo is standardized as a result of the Bologna process. After obtaining enough credits (ECTS) pupils will receive a 4 years (professional) Bachelor's degree. They can choose to study longer and obtain a (professional) Master's degree in 1 or 2 years.

====Wo====

With a vwo-diploma or a propedeuse in hbo, pupils can enroll in wo (wetenschappelijk onderwijs, literally "scientific education"). Wo is only taught at a university. It is oriented towards higher learning in the arts or sciences. The teaching in the wo, too, is standardized due to the Bologna process. After obtaining enough credits (ECTS), pupils will receive a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Laws degree. They can choose to study longer in order to obtain a Master's degree of different fields. At the moment, there are three variants: Master of Arts, Sciences, and Master of Laws. A theoretical Master typically lasts one year, however the majority of practical (e.g. medical), technical and research Masters require two or three years.

==Grading==

In The Netherlands, grades from 1.0 up to 10.0 are used, with 1 being worst and 10 being best. Generally one decimal place is used and a +/− means a quarter, rounded to either 0.8 or 0.3. Thus, a 6.75 could be written as 7− and count as an 6.8, whereas a 7+ would be a 7.25 and count as an 7.3.

The grade scale with the labels:

* 10 (perfect)
* 9 (excellent)
* 8 (very good)
* 7 (good)
* 6 (sufficient)
* 5 (insufficient)
* 4 (strongly insufficient)
* 3 (very strongly insufficient)
* 2 (bad)
* 1 (very bad)

Depending on the grade, several honors are available: total average of grades 8 with no grade under 7 and finishing in time: cum laude. For an average better than 7, but not meeting the criteria for cum laude, met genoegen (with honor), is sometimes awarded. This honor system is typically only used at universities.

Usually 5.5 and up constitute a pass whereas 5.4 and below constitute a fail. If no decimal places are used, 6 and up is a pass and 5 and below a fail. Sometimes, when no decimal place is used, an additional grade, 6−, is used as "barely passed". This is what would have been a 5.5 if a decimal place were used.

==Dutch higher education==

There are two types of higher education in the Netherlands (see also above). The universities prepare students for independent scientific and scholarly work in an academic or professional setting. The hogescholen are universities of applied sciences that prepare students for a wide variety of careers in seven sectors: agriculture, engineering and technology, economics and business administration, health care, education/teacher training, social welfare, and fine and performing arts. This type of higher education is known in Dutch as HBO (hoger beroepsonderwijs). At present there are 14 universities in the Netherlands and 45 universities of applied sciences.

The differences between the universities of applied sciences and the research universities have become less marked in the course of time. Nevertheless, a number of differences remain. Universities of applied sciences offer four-year programmes, leading to a Bachelor's degree, which are strongly geared towards practical training. The programmes focus on specific occupations and include traineeships or work placements that provide students with practical work experience. Universities of applied sciences also offer an increasing number of programmes that lead to a Master's degree.

===Academic Calendar===

The Dutch academic year officially starts on the first Monday of September and is effectively 42 weeks long. The academic year is built up of two semesters of each 21 weeks. The semester switch takes place at the end of January.

There are a few one or two week breaks in the course of the academic year, which are not included in the 42 study weeks. The summer holidays therefore do not start until mid July.

Study programmes may deviate slightly from the official opening and closing dates of the academic year. Check the information that you will receive from your department or check with the International Student Office for the academic calendar of your study programme.

== Higher education reform ==

=== The Bologna Process ===

In September 2002, the Bachelor/Master degree structure was officially introduced in Dutch higher education. The new degree structure is the result of the decision of the European ministers of education, made in Bologna in 1999. The aim is to harmonize the various degree systems that exist across Europe by introducing a system of higher education consisting of three cycles (undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate). The undergraduate cycle leads to a Bachelor's degree; the graduate cycle leads to a Master's degree; the post-graduate cycle leads to a PhD degree. All students who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree programme at a university of applied sciences after 1 September 2002 will be allowed to use the title of Bachelor.

== Quality assurance ==

Degree programmes offered by Dutch universities and universities of applied sciences are accredited by the Dutch-Flemish Accreditattion Organisation (NVAO), which is responsible for assessing the quality of study programmes offered by higher education institutions in the Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium). The NVAO uses a validation framework, containing the topics, facets and criteria to be assessed. A positive validation report indicates that potentially a study programme satisfies the requirements of basic quality.

In the Netherlands, accreditation is a precondition for government funding of Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programmes, for the right of awarding recognised diplomas and for granting financial assistance for students. In the light of the internationalisation of education and the labour market, accreditation provides for comparable quality assurance of higher education.

== Virtual learning initiatives in the Netherlands==

In the Higher Education and Research Plan 2000 (HOOP 2000) of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, a cutback of NLG 15 million (£4.3 million) in the annual governmental contribution was announced for the Open University of the Netherlands (OUNL). This decision was based on both the decline in enrolment rates of the OUNL and also on the fact that the proportion of OUNL students that had al-ready obtained a higher education degree had increased in the 1990s. The OUNL was established in 1984, its most important objective was to provide higher education to adults that had not yet had the opportunity to attend higher education (the so-called second-chancers). A report in 1995 observed that part of this objective was reached, but it also pointed to the increasing student population that was not within the official target group but rather consisted of highly educated and highly skilled professionals, updating and expanding their knowledge base.

Due to new legislation in 1997, the OUNL gained a second core function: contributing to the innovation of higher education. Although the OUNL had carried out several efforts to shape this new core task, in the HOOP 2000 it was observed that, given the limited capacity of the OUNL and its expanding tasks, a new arrangement was needed for the organisation of distance education in the Netherlands. The need to reorganise the distance-education sector was further increased due to the fact that other “traditional” HEIs were also developing innovative ways of delivering and improving higher education.
These observations eventually resulted in two possible scenarios for the future of the Open University of the Netherlands and its relationship to the national organisation of distance education:
* A merger with the University of Maastricht (located near the OUNL).
* A broad consortium in which universities, HBO institutions and private enter-prises participate.
On the basis of a scenario study by PricewaterhouseCoopers in July 2000, the Ministry decided that the consortium scenario would be the most attractive and feasible option. The envisaged consortium would be based upon two main objectives: contributing to educational innovation on the one hand, and providing digital education both as part of regular higher education and for new target groups on the other. The broad financial base of the consortium option played a major role in this decision. Immediately afterwards, the OUNL, three universities and nine HBO institutions signed a letter of intent to participate in the consortium.

The main rationale for establishing a consortium was the range of operations, which were considered too broad for separate institutions to handle, as individual institutions had neither the resources nor the experience and expertise. Co-operation was therefore seen as necessary to keep up with contemporary and future developments. For the participating institutions, a variety of motivations could be distinguished. The Digital University (DU) could have led to cost reductions through the joint development of products and the sharing of infrastructure facilities. Furthermore, the DU provided access to new markets, to expertise that was not present within the institution, and to new content. Participating institutions hoped to enjoy a “first mover advantage” and to make a profit by selling products to non-participants. The DU was officially established on 6 April 2001 in Utrecht. But the concept did not succeed: Three years later it closed.

A survey of virtual university activity in the Netherlands was produced in 2001 for HEFCE and updated in summer 2004. It is called [http://www.matic-media.co.uk/ukeu/EUNI-chap05-Netherlands-2004.doc Impact of the Internet on Higher Education in the Netherlands] and was written by Petra Boezerooy and Eric Beerkens with the assistance of Professor Betty Collis, Jeroen Huisman and Professor Jef Moonen. It is now rather out of date.

===Important Dutch virtual learning initiatives in higher education===

'''Table 1'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:11px;"
|-valign="top" style="background: #ECE5B6;"
!width=""|'''Nr'''
!width=""|'''Name'''
!width=""|'''Institution'''
!width=""|'''City'''
!width=""|'''Type'''
|-valign="top"

|1. || [http://www.loi.nl Leidse Onderwijsinstellingen (LOI) ] || LOI|| Leiden|| Commercial Distance learning /continuing education.
|-valign="top"
|2. || [http://www.OU.nl/ Open University of the Netherlands] || OUNL|| Heerlen|| Distance Learning University.
|-valign="top"
|}

1)

2) The [[Open Universiteit Nederland]] (or Open University of the Netherlands) was founded in 1984, welcoming its first students in September 1984. It is an independent government-funded institute. The administration is based in Heerlen, in the province of Limburg, in the very south of The Netherlands. Dispersed over the Netherlands, the Open Universiteit has twelf study centres and three support centres, as well as six study centres in Dutch-speaking Flanders (Belgium) and 1 study centre in the Netherlands Antilles.
29,104 students are enrolled (in 2007) at all study or support centres in the Netherlands. 51 per cent of the students are female, 10 per cent are between 18 and 25 years old, 32 per cent between 26 and 35, 33 between 36 and 45 and 25 per cent are above age 45. 60 per cent of the student body has a full-time job and 44 per cent are second-chance students, who have never completed a higher professional (hbo) or university-level programme at a Dutch educational institution before (10,542 students).

The Open Universiteit Nederland in 2007 offered 299 academic courses, 6 bachelor programmes, 10 master programmes, 16 short higher education programmes, 3 programmes at professional education (hbo) or graduate (post-hbo) level and one MBA-programme.

The Open Universiteit uses a variety of methods for distance learning, including written materials, the internet, and occasional evening seminars or day sessions.

===Aims===
The Dutch government's purpose in founding the Open Universiteit Nederland was to make higher education accessible to anyone with the necessary aptitudes and interests, regardless of formal qualifications.
The Open Universiteit identifies four further aims:
* to create a cost-effective form of higher education,
* to encourage innovation in Dutch higher education, in terms of both curriculum and teaching methods,
* to reduce the teacher shortage in Dutch primary and secondary schools, and
* to be a recognized player in (commercial) distance and e-learning training programmes and consultancy.

===Organisation===
'''Departments & faculties'''

The Open Universiteit is divided into four departments. The Educational department develops and provides educational materials and conducts educational programmes. It consists of six faculties, grouped according to their general focus:
* School of Management,
* School of Cultural Studies,
* School of Informatics,
* School of Natural Sciences,
* School of Psychology,
* School of Law.
Furthermore, the university has a School of Education and an Educational Technology Expertise Centre, which assists the faculties in developing courses and programmes and develops innovative teaching methods for distance education and higher education in general.
Each faculty - except for the School of Education - is headed by a dean of studies, who supervises teams of subject specialists and educational technologists engaged in developing courses and programmes, often in co-operation with specialists from other educational institutes or from trade and industry.
The other two departments are the department of Business Services and the department of Support Services, which provides operational services, ranging from staff administration to the distribution of course materials.

'''Study programmes'''

The Open Universiteit offers three types of study programmes:
1) Bachelor and Master degree programmes. The Open Universiteit offers fully accredited Bachelor or Master degree programmes in Law, Economics, Business and Public administration, Engineering, Environmental science, Cultural studies and Psychology. The university converted its programmes to the Bachelor-Master structure in September 2002.
2) Short programmes. Students can also follow short programmes. These include short vocational training courses, postgraduate courses and short undergraduate programmes, which are developed in co-operation with universities of professional education, academic universities, professional bodies or commercial companies.
3) Courses. Besides these academic programmes, students can choose from over 300 modular courses. This modular course system implies that student can enrol either for full-length degree programmes or choose to study one of over 400 individual courses.
Most course-material is in Dutch, but more and more material is becoming available in English. Examinations are in general in Dutch and have to be taken at one of the locations of the Open Universiteit, that is, either at a study centres or at a support centres in the Netherlands, Flanders or the Netherlands Antilles. For individuals there are possibilities to have (under strict supervision conditions) an exam taken at an alternative location, such as at Dutch embassies, in prisons or on a ship.

==References==
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_the_Netherlands http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_the_Netherlands]

[http://www.hanze.nl/home/International/International+Programmes/Higher+education+in+the+Netherlands http://www.hanze.nl/home/International/International+Programmes/Higher+education+in+the+Netherlands]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_University_(Netherlands) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_University_(Netherlands)]

[http://www.ou.nl/Docs/Universiteit/5608329_Factsheet%202007_ENG.pdf http://www.ou.nl/Docs/Universiteit/5608329_Factsheet%202007_ENG.pdf]

[http://www.matic-media.co.uk/ukeu/EUNI-chap05-Netherlands-2004.doc Impact of the Internet on Higher Education in the Netherlands]

[http://www.fnm-austria.at/stategie/Dateiablage/view/nml-nib/08-nml-nib-international-laenderbericht-niederlande.pdf NML-NIB im internationalen Kontext Länderbericht: Niederlande (PDF - EN)] by [http://www.fnm-austria.at/ FNM-Austria]

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> [[Countries]]
 
>> [[Main Page]]

[[Category:Netherlands| ]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:European Union]]
[[Category:OECD]]
[[Category:Dutch-speaking countries]]

SDT

2009-06-03T17:38:26Z

Roman: Redirecting to Sulinet Digital Knowledge Base (SDT)

#REDIRECT [[Sulinet Digital Knowledge Base (SDT)]]

Sulinet Digital Knowledge Base

2009-06-03T17:37:59Z

Roman: Redirecting to Sulinet Digital Knowledge Base (SDT)

#REDIRECT [[Sulinet Digital Knowledge Base (SDT)]]

Central European University

2009-06-03T17:17:31Z

Roman: Redirecting to CEU

#REDIRECT [[CEU]]

Estonian e-Vocational School

2009-06-03T16:37:43Z

Roman:

The [http://www.e-ope.ee/ Estonian e-Vocational School] was founded in 2005 in cooperation of six professional education institutions, 31 vocational education institutions, the Ministry of Education and Research and the Estonian Information Technology Foundation to promote lifelong learning under the principles of regional development and in the framework of ten thematic networks. It functions under the Estonian Information Technology Foundation and is financed by the membership fees, the state budget and by Measure 1.1 of the EU’s Social Fund.

In 2006, the Estonian e-Vocational School had been financed with a total of € 63,911 since 2005. Together with the Estonian e-University, it is one of the two main consortia of EITSA. The e-Vocational School consortium accounts for 68 % of the total number of students of the e-Learning Development Center member schools.

[[Category:Estonia]]
[[Category:Universities]]
[[Category:Consortia]]

Estonian e-Vocational School

2009-06-03T16:36:44Z

Roman:

Tiger University Program

2009-06-03T16:36:08Z

Roman:

'''The Nations Support Program for the ICT in Higher Education "Tiger University"''' was approved by the Estonian Government in January 2002. Its administration was delegated to the Estonian Information Technology Foundation.

The '''Tiger University Program goals''' are to:

* Support for the development of the ICT infrastructure at higher educational establishments,
* Support for the development of ICT academic staff and degree courses' infrastructure.

The '''priorities''' are:

* development of ICT infrastructure (upgrading the academic backbones and networks, PC procurements, equipping the labs, providing software),
* development of ICT-related curricula (new curricula, creation of study materials, e-University, e-learning, literature and electronic resources),
* motivating the academic staff (mentoring PhD students, academic sabbaticals, lecturers' and PhD students mobility scheme, internships, visiting lecturers).

'''Program Council''' has been set up to coordinate and run the program. Together with the staff it announces the competitions, appoints experts, reviews submissions, is authorised to make allocations, and later monitors and follows up on the results.

[[Category:Estonia]]
[[Category:Universities]]

University of Tartu

2009-06-03T16:35:01Z

Roman:

The [http://www.ut.ee/index.aw/set_lang_id=2 University of Tartu] is said to have been the alma mater for the entire educational system and the scientific research in Estonia. It was founded already in 1632. However, it became a national university - ''Tartu Ülikool'' - only in 1919. Nowadays, the university has some 11 faculties, 3 reasearch institutes and 6 colleges with more than 70 departments, institutes and clinics. The number of students is over 18,000 and the number of teaching staff some 1,300.

====Open University====

The [http://www.ut.ee/aveng/info/openuni Open University] was established in 1996. The mission of the Open University was:

* to improve access to education;
* to diversify study opportunities;
* to make the education more student-centred, taking the student's needs into greater account;
* to provide high quality education under maximum flexibility, with course offerings being independent of time and place.

Today the Open University is a successful hallmark of the University of Tartu, covering both degree education and continuing education programs through distance education or other "unconventional" learning environments. Training under the trademark of Open University is provided by the faculties and colleges at University of Tartu. The activities, in turn, are coordinated by the Open University Centre and the Academic Affairs Office.

====E-learning at University of Tartu====

Year 1995 may be considered the beginning of e-learning at University of Tartu. It was the year, when the first e-mail based course was delivered in the Faculty of Mathemathics, and only three years later (1998), the Multimedia Center obtained videoconference facilities with the support of the PHARE Multi-country Project in Distance Education. In 1998, also first web-based course in the WebCT environment was developed and delivered at the university. And since then, the number of web-based courses has indeed increased. At the end of year 2007, the number of web-based courses was approximately 600. However, entirely web-based curricula did not yet exist.

In January 2000, the University Council gave priority to ICT-based learning acclaiming that it should be important to inculcate ICT-based learning in all study moulds, to start the development program of ICT-based courses and assigning the Distance Education Centre as a structural unit with the responsibility for developing ICT-based learning at the University of Tartu.

In 2001, the Multimedia Center started to create CDs for study purposes. In November 2002, the Multimedia Center launched a project of video lectures that received financial support from EITSA (Estonian Information Technology Foundation) in 2003. They used both real time video streaming as well as storage and archival of lectures. The project was continued in 2004 by replacing the outdated video conference equipment with the support from EITF.

In February 2002, [http://www.ut.ee/e-ope the E-University portal] of University of Tartu was opened. Besides offering learning opportunities and support for learners, this portal provided both technical and methodological help for academic staff (professors and tutors) for elaborating ICT-based courses, etc.

In February 2003, the University of Tartu initiated in cooperation with other universities, the Ministry of Education and Research and the Estonian Information Technology Foundation, the [http://www.e-uni.ee/index.php?main=120 Estonian e-University], which has since grown into a consortium under EITF to support the universities and coordinate the development of e-learning.

The university's first education technologist was employed in year 2000 (and seven more a few years later) to assist the teaching staff in the development of web-based courses. At the end of year 2005, the University of Tartu then approved its first e-learning strategy ([http://www.ut.ee/orb.aw/class=file/action=preview/id=322181/e-oppe_strateegia_eng2.pdf E-learning strategy 2006-2010]), which sets the tasks of developing e-learning in 3 categories:

:I Support high-quality studies centred on the student and involvement of new target groups;
:II Increase the e-learning competence of teaching staff, students and assistance personnel and develop the cooperation models for e-learning;
:III Ensure the high level of infrastructure and support services for e-learning.

[[Category:Estonia]]
[[Category:Universities]]
[[Category:Open universities]]

Tallinn University

2009-06-03T16:34:11Z

Roman:

[http://www.tlu.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn University] is the third largest university in Estonia, consisting of 18 institutes and 4 colleges. It has more than 8,500 students as well as more than 400 faculty members and research fellows. It is the fastest growing university in Estonia.

Tallinn University, like any other public university in Estonia, uses the 3+2 system (i.e. three years of bachelor studies + two years of master studies). There are 49 specialist areas at the bachelor level, 70 at the master level and 12 at the doctoral level. The university and its curricula have been accredited by the Estonian Higher Education Quality Assessment Council.

The university’s programs are unique in Estonia for the high degree of academic freedom they allow. One quarter to one third of the subjects at every level are freely available and a significant number of specialist subjects are also included as electives. Thus, students are able to design their own study plan quite independently.

Tallinn University is one of the main providers of web-based courses in Estonia. It has a great role in developing LMSs, CMSs and ICT-supported learning methodology. Tallinn University has also developed teachers’ support system in the field of web-based learning and several digital learning materials for general schools.

====[[Tallinn Virtual University]]====

[http://tlu.toru.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn Virtual University] is a new initiative at the Tallinn University. It was opened in December 2008 and its aim is to make recordings of different open lectures, interviews with lecturers and university visitors, materials of seminars, summer schools, conferences among other things available to everyone. The materials can be watched online or downloaded to one's computer. The Web environment of Tallinn Virtual University is based on [http://toru.ee/ Toru] technology and it is administered by Nagi OÜ. All videos are located in the Toru video site and can also be found through Toru search.

[[Category:Estonia]]
[[Category:Universities]]
[[Category: Open universities]]

Tallinn University of Technology

2009-06-03T16:33:05Z

Roman: New page: Founded in 1918 as an engineering college (university status was granted in 1936), [http://www.ttu.ee/?lang=en Tallinn University of Technology (TUT)] has now become one of the largest uni...

Founded in 1918 as an engineering college (university status was granted in 1936), [http://www.ttu.ee/?lang=en Tallinn University of Technology (TUT)] has now become one of the largest universities in Estonia.

The University is structured into eight faculties, three colleges and six research and development institutions. The faculties are: Civil Engineering, Power Engineering, Humanities, Information Technology, Chemical and Materials Technology, Economics and Business Administration, Science and Mechanical Engineering. The application oriented bachelor-level programs in different technical and economic fields of study are offered in the three colleges - Business College, Kuressaare College and Virumaa College.

TUT has over 13,000 students and personnel of 1,970 (incl. affiliated institutions). Instruction is conducted in Estonian, however, during the first two years, Russian-based general studies are also possible. Selected courses are delivered in English. Tallinn University of Technology is also one of the main providers of ICT education in Estonia. The share of e-courses within total courses is aimed at 15 % in 2010 (4 % in 2005).

[[Category:Estonia]]
[[Category:Universities]]
[[Category:Open universities]]

Tallinn University

2009-06-03T16:31:35Z

Roman: New page: [http://www.tlu.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn University] is the third largest university in Estonia, consisting of 18 institutes and 4 colleges. It has more than 8,500 students as well as more tha...

University of Tartu

2009-06-03T16:30:10Z

Roman: New page: The [http://www.ut.ee/index.aw/set_lang_id=2 University of Tartu] is said to have been the alma mater for the entire educational system and the scientific research in Estonia. It was found...

Tiger University Program

2009-06-03T16:29:16Z

Roman: New page: '''The Nations Support Program for the ICT in Higher Education "Tiger University"''' was approved by the Estonian Government in January 2002. Its administration was delegated to the Estoni...

Estonian e-Vocational School

2009-06-03T16:27:27Z

Roman: New page: The [http://www.e-ope.ee/ Estonian e-Vocational School] was founded in 2005 in cooperation of six professional education institutions, 31 vocational education institutions, the Ministry of...

TLF

2009-06-03T16:24:18Z

Roman: Redirecting to Tiger Leap Foundation

#REDIRECT [[Tiger Leap Foundation]]

Tiger Leap Foundation

2009-06-03T16:23:20Z

Roman: New page: The [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/ Tiger Leap Foundation (TLF)] has been the initiator and funder of several research activities on ICT in education since 1997. The mission of the foundation i...

The [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/ Tiger Leap Foundation (TLF)] has been the initiator and funder of several research activities on ICT in education since 1997. The mission of the foundation is to help to improve the quality of education in Estonia through application of ICT. Focusing mainly on three areas – computers and internet connections for schools, educational software development and teacher in-service training - TLF has been the main driving force of change in Estonian schools. With the help of TLF, all schools in Estonia are connected to the Internet and have original educational software available for most subjects, 75 % of teachers have been trained twice in ICT skills. The foundation also operates the Estonian Schoolnet website www.koolielu.ee.

Since 2004, Tiger Leap Foundation, a partner in the European Schoolnet, is coordinating and funding several EC educational programs: eTwinning, Springday Europe and Netdays Europe among others. New challenges for the foundation are promoting design and technology as well as media studies in Estonian schools. TLF is a non-profit organisation funded by the Estonian Ministry of Education and sponsors.

[[Category:Estonia]]
[[Category:Private providers]]

EITSA

2009-06-03T16:21:38Z

Roman: Redirecting to Estonian Information Technology Foundation

#REDIRECT [[Estonian Information Technology Foundation]]

Estonian Information Technology Foundation

2009-06-03T16:20:30Z

Roman: New page: [http://www.eitsa.ee/?url=eitf Estonian Information Technology Foundation (EITSA)] is a non-profit organization founded by the Estonian Republic, University of Tartu, Tallinn University of...

[http://www.eitsa.ee/?url=eitf Estonian Information Technology Foundation (EITSA)] is a non-profit organization founded by the Estonian Republic, University of Tartu, Tallinn University of Technology, Eesti Telekom and the Association of Estonian Information Technology and Telecommunications Companies. The 5-member Council of EITSA is made up of the representatives of the aforementioned founders. They appoint the 3 members of the Executive Board. The Foundation is annually audited by a sworn auditor.

EITSA's aims are to assist in preparation of the highly qualified IT specialists and to support ICT-related development in Estonia. For these purposes the Foundation established and manages the Estonian IT College and administers the National Support Program for ICT in Higher Education "Tiger University."

[[Category:Estonia]]
[[Category:Private nonprofit providers]]

OEF

2009-06-03T16:18:56Z

Roman: Redirecting to Open Estonia Foundation

#REDIRECT [[Open Estonia Foundation]]

Open Estonia Foundation

2009-06-03T16:17:28Z

Roman: New page: The [http://www.oef.org.ee/en/ Open Estonia Foundation (OEF)], a charitable foundation established in 1990 with the help and funding of Georg Soros, made a remarkable contribution to eLear...

The [http://www.oef.org.ee/en/ Open Estonia Foundation (OEF)], a charitable foundation established in 1990 with the help and funding of Georg Soros, made a remarkable contribution to eLearning especially in the early stages during the 1990s. OEF funded several extensive educational projects promoting ICT infrastructure in schools and universities as well as teacher training with a budget of about € 300,000.

Today however, the main responsibility of implementation of services for eLearning is in the hands of non-profit organisations – Estonian Information Technology Foundation and Tiger Leap Foundation. The activities of both institutions are based on special programs with respective budgets.

[[Category:Estonia]]
[[Category:Private nonprofit providers]]

Tallinn Virtual University

2009-06-03T16:14:14Z

Roman: Redirecting to Tallinn University

#REDIRECT [[Tallinn University]]

Tallinn Virtual University

2009-06-03T16:13:56Z

Roman: Redirecting to Tallinn Virtual University

#REDIRECT [[Tallinn Virtual University]]

Estonia

2009-06-03T16:13:09Z

Roman: /* Open University */

== Partners situated in Estonia ==

None.

== Estonia in a nutshell ==

(mainly sourced from: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estonia Wikipedia] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

[[Image:Ee-map.png|left|thumb|250px|Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Atlas_of_Estonia]]

Estonia, officially the '''Republic of Estonia''' is a country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Its territory covers only 45,227 km² and is divided into 15 counties. Estonia is a democratic parliamentary republic. Its capital and largest city is Tallinn. Estonia was a member of the League of Nations from 1921, has been a member of the United Nations since 1991, of the European Union since 2004 and of NATO since 2004. With only 1.4 million inhabitants, Estonia comprises one of the smallest populations of the EU countries.

In 1918, the Estonian Declaration of Independence was issued, to be followed by the Estonian War of Independence (1918-1920), which resulted in the Tartu Peace Treaty recognizing Estonian independence in perpetuity. During World War II, Estonia was occupied and annexed first by the Soviet Union and subsequently by the Third Reich, only to be re-occupied by the Soviet Union in 1944. Estonia regained its independence in 1991 and it has since embarked on a rapid program of social and economic reform. Today, the country has gained recognition for its economic freedom, its adaptation of new technologies and as one of the world's fastest growing economies.

The official language in Estonia is Estonian, which belongs to the Finno-Ugric language family and is closely related to Finnish. Along with Finnish, English, Russian and German are also widely spoken and understood. The major minority language is Russian with its speakers making up about 30 % of the population. Russian-language education is provided in public and also in private schools at all levels: pre-school, basic and secondary schools, as well as vocational schools higher education institutions. About 24 % of all Estonian school children attend Russian-language basic and secondary schools. Some 10 % of higher education students study in Russian.

==Estonian education policy==

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/culture/education.htm The Estonia Page] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

The Estonian Constitution states that everybody has the right to an education. Attending school is compulsory for all school-age children to the extent established by law, and is free in general education schools established by state and local governments. In order to make education accessible, the state and local governments are financially responsible for maintaining the necessary number of educational institutions. The law allows the establishment and operation of other types of educational institutions, including private schools.

Everybody has the right to an education in the Estonian language. In an educational institution in which minority students predominate, the language is chosen by the educational institution. Education is under the supervision of the state.

The Education Act has established that the objective of education is:

* creating favorable conditions for the development of individuals, family, the Estonian nation, national minorities and Estonian economic, political and cultural life in the context of the world economy and culture;
* developing a law-abiding citizenry;
* providing conditions for continuing education.

A wide network of schools and supporting educational institutions has been established in Estonia. The Estonian educational system consists of state, municipal, public and private educational institutions. The Education Act states that in accordance with the UNESCO international standard of education classification, education has the following levels: pre-primary education, basic education, secondary education and higher education.

Each level has its established requirements, which are called the state educational standards and are presented together with state curricula. The curricula contain the mandatory study programs, time scheduled to cover the programs, and descriptions of compulsory knowledge, skills, experience and behavioral norms.

==Estonian education system==

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/culture/education.htm The Estonia Page] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

Basic education is established by a national curriculum of basic and secondary education. On the basis of the national curriculum, schools compile their own curricula. Basic education covers grades from one to nine. Basic education in Estonia is compulsory. Basic education is mainly taught at municipal schools (basic school classes at primary, basic and secondary schools). Local governments determine a service area for each school where it is obliged to guarantee all school-age children the opportunity to study.

Secondary education is voluntary and free at state and municipal educational institutions. General secondary education is acquired at upper-secondary schools (grades 10-12), and vocational education at vocational education institutions. Secondary education is governed by a national curriculum of basic and secondary education (general secondary education) or by a national vocational education curriculum and national curricula of vocations (vocational secondary education).

Access to higher education is regulated by the Universities Act and the Institutions of Professional Higher Education Act. Students having either a general secondary school-leaving certificate (12 years of schooling) or a secondary vocational school-leaving certificate (based on qualifications of different length) and the State Examination Certificate have access to higher education. In addition, those having a corresponding foreign qualification can gain access. But access for all students is subject to discretion of higher education institutions. Merit plays the dominant role in the access to the specific programs.

There are three types of educational institutions that provide higher education: universities (''ülikool'') - institutions of research, development, study and culture at all higher education levels in several fields of study; professional higher education institutions (''rakenduskõrgkool'') - educational institutions of professional higher education and Magister-study; and vocational education schools (''kutseõppeasutus'') - institutions of secondary vocational.

The different legal forms of HEIs are: public, state and private. Private institutions can be owned by a public limited company or private limited company entered in the commercial register or by a foundation or non-profit association entered into the non-profit associations and foundations register. Both public (or state) and private higher education institutions are authorized to operate.

==Higher education in Estonia==

(mainly sourced from: ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

See also the following OECD reports for more information about the Estonian higher education:
:[http://www.oecd.org/document/13/0,3343,en_2649_39263238_35585357_1_1_1_1,00.html Thematic Review of Tertiary Education - Country Reviews];
:[http://www.oecd.org/document/16/0,3343,en_2649_39263238_35580240_1_1_1_1,00.html Thematic Review of Tertiary Education - Country Background Reports].

In the period since the restoration of independence in 1991, remarkable changes took place in the system of Estonian higher education. This was visible not only in the rise in number of HEIs, but also in the development in the areas of funding, human resources management, quality assurance, research and innovation, equity, links to the labor market and internationalization.

'''The universities offer Bachelor (three years, 180 ECTS – or exceptionally 240 ECTS credits), Master (one-two years, 60-120 ECTS) and PhD programs (three to four years).''' Medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, architecture and civil engineering are exempted from the Bachelor-Master structure. These programs (still) have integrated tiers, leading directly to the Master degree (300-360 ECTS).

'''State professional higher education institutions offer mostly four-year Bachelor programs, but some programs are three years, some others four-and-a-half. Students can continue their studies at universities but often need bridging courses.''' The state institutions are allowed to offer Master programs (under some conditions) but, as of 2006 - 2007, there were only six Master programs registered by three state professional higher education institutions (Tartu Aviation College, the Estonian Maritime Academic and the Estonian National Defence College). Private professional higher education institutions offer mostly three-year programs, some offer Master programs as well.

'''Vocational education schools offer professional higher education programs.''' However, the recent Estonian Higher Education Strategy 2006-2015 envisages to close down most of these programs or to have the schools upgraded to professional higher education institutions.

In academic year 2005 – 2006, there were 39 HEIs in Estonia. Although the number of institutions seems high for a country the size of Estonia, this number has already been reduced due to the increase of quality and financial requirements in the legislation. In the course of the academic year 2006 - 2007, the number was further decreased to 35. The highest number of HEIs that the country has had was 49 in academic years 2001 – 2002 and 2002 – 2003.

There are six public universities in Estonia: Tallinn University (with 7,350 students in 2005), the University of Tartu (18,536) – the oldest in the country (created in 1632), Tallinn University of Technology (10,700), the Estonian University of Life Sciences (4 752), the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (567) and the Estonian Academy of Art (962). Although these institutions already existed in 1991, significant changes in their operation have occurred since then. Additionally, several of them have established a number of semi-independent (regional) colleges in the past 15 years. The public universities together catered for about two-thirds of the 68,287 students enrolled in Estonian HEIs in 2005.

There are five, relatively small private universities, most of which offer programs in just a few disciplines. The most important fields offered are business administration, law, media, arts and humanities and information technology. Their number of students in 2005 ranged from 116 to 2,547, in
total they had 6,467 students. Eight professional higher education institutions constitute the public part of this sector catering for 7,142 students in 2005. Their size ranges from 166 to 2,111 students. Additionally, there are thirteen private professional higher education institutions (with a total of 7,452 students), all of very small size, although the largest of the privates is bigger than the largest public professional higher education institution (i.e. 2,538 students). Like private
universities, also the private professional higher education institutions focus mostly on business administration, information technology, arts and humanities, but also on theology.

The third sector, vocational education schools, consists of six public institutions and one private institution. The total number of students in this sector is 4,359. They range in size from 30 to 1,322 students. These institutions offer not only tertiary education but also secondary-level education.

The governance of HEIs is under the auspices of the [http://www.hm.ee/index.php?148558 Ministry of Education and Research] with three exceptions – The Estonian National Defense College ([http://www.mod.gov.ee/?setlang=eng Ministry of Defense]) and the Public Service Academy ([http://www.siseministeerium.ee/?lang=en Ministry of Interior Affairs]). The Baltic Defense College (situating in Tartu) is operating under the agreement of three Baltic Ministers of Defense and is not part of the formal higher education system.

==Higher education reform==

(mainly sourced from: ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

Major developments in the Estonian higher education policy may be outlined in three phases. The first phase (1989 – 1995) implied separating from the Soviet system and building up a new legal framework. Much effort was also put in realizing the 1995 University Act, paving the way for the 1996 Standard of Higher Education. The second phase (1996 – 1999) saw the expansion of the higher education system in combination with the development of legal frameworks and quality assurance mechanisms for the different sectors. The third phase (2000 – 2004) indicated the next wave of reforms, hallmarked by the higher education reform plan 2002.

The most recent strategy document (2006 – 2015) was approved by the Government in June 2006. This ''Estonian Higher Education Strategy 2006-2015'' addresses three main challenges for the sector in the coming years. First, the number of students entering higher education is expected to diminish by about 60 % by 2016. Second, there is a clear need to strengthen the international dimension of higher education institutions. Third, additional funding – both for infrastructure and human resources – is of vital importance for the sustainability of the system. Estonia was also among the countries that signed the Bologna Declaration in 1999.

==Administration and finance==

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/culture/education.htm The Estonia Page] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

Estonian HEIs receive funding from the public budget for the provision of graduates (so-called state-commissioned places), for capital investment and for other expenditure (foreign aid projects, education allowances for students, library expenditure, etc.). Finance from the public budget is provided primarily in the form of the state commission: approximately 80 % of public funding over the period 1995 - 2004. Both public and private institutions receive funding through the state commission. However, private institutions are allocated a very small number of state commissioned places, in a restricted range of disciplines. In some cases, this allocation occurs in areas where supply by public institutions is deemed lacking, while in other cases it is intended to reflect public recognition of the quality of the programs.

Both public and private institutions gain income for their teaching activities from student union fees. Public institutions may charge tuition fees to students, who do not gain access to state-commissioned places and, are free to set the level of fees. The one restriction on public universities is that they may mot increase fees by more than 10 % each year.

Students in Estonia fall into one of two distinct groups. Either they occupy state-commissioned places and pay nothing for their tuition or they do not and pay the full costs of their tuition. A third group is emerging: students admitted free of charge at the expense of tertiary institutions. This trend is especially visible at the PhD level.

State-commissioned places are allocated by higher education institutions to students studying full-time on the basis of academic performance. Places are allocated to commencing students on the basis of their performance in relevant entrance exams (essentially the state exams at the end of secondary school). Should a student in a state-commissioned place fail to meet the requirements of full-time study he or she loses the right to occupy such a place and may be replaced by a better performing student undertaking study at the same level. The tuition fees paid by students in fee-paying places vary by type of course and institution.

==Quality assurance==

(mainly sourced from: ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

The growth of the system has led Estonian society to the realisation that the quality of higher education varies both by the type of institution and by field of study. Estonia started to build its national quality assurance system in the mid 1990s, in answer to the rapid expansion of the higher education sector. Its goals were to increase the information on higher education offerings and to provide the academic community with support for selfimprovement

Since 1996, by governmental decree, the Standard of Higher Education regulates the establishment of higher education institutions and determines the requirements they and their programmes must meet in order to obtain an education license. This licensing process is carried out by the Ministry of Education and Research.

Quality assurance arrangements are based on an accreditation scheme, which is voluntary but essential both for having the right to issue officially recognised higher education credentials and to have access to state funding. Evaluation is the responsibility of the Higher Education Quality Assessment
Council (HEQAC), established in 1995 and composed of twelve members, appointed by the government on the recommendation of the Ministry of Education and Research (which takes into account the proposal of higher education institutions, academic unions and employers).

HEQAC determines the quality standards, organises external reviews and makes a recommendation to the Ministry regarding universities, professionally- or vocationally-oriented higher education institutions and their operation. The accreditation decision belongs to the Ministry, which normally approves the
recommendation of the HEQAC; however, it can reject it, in which case a new review must be carried out.

The Ministry of Education and Research’s Strategy for Higher Education 2006 - 2015 places a strong emphasis on quality and the means to assure it. Its objectives focus on the competitive quality of Estonian higher education and the need for it to serve the country’s development interests and innovation. Consistent with these objectives, the actions highlight the need to strengthen quality assurance by promoting internal assessment and improvement strategies within educational institutions and establishing quality requirements and supervision of quality by the state.

==Estonian HEIs in the information society==

(mainly sourced from: ''ICT Infrastructure and E-readiness Assessment Report: ESTONIA.'' and ''Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013.'')

When regaining independence in August 1991, Estonia was a relatively backward country technologically. State infrastructure (institutions and people) had to be built up almost from scratch, monetary reform in 1992 established the stable currency. Heavy industry machinery and infrastructure established during the Soviet era found almost no use after the privatization and technological upgrading by the new owners. The access to Russian market was increasingly more difficult due to the politically set trade barriers by the Russian Federation, and the quality of Estonian products was not good enough to compete in the Western markets.

In spite of these unfavorable conditions, Estonian industrial structure started to depart from the factor-driven stage into the investment-driven economy in the early 1990s. The main reasons behind this development most probably were (1) the proximity of technologically advanced Finland and Sweden, (2) large amount of foreign direct investments into Estonian companies, (3) a population with high level of technical education (in the Soviet era, only hard sciences were ideologically free), and (4) a large part of the population ready to consume and adopt modern technology as a part of one’s lifestyle. Additionally, the number of computer and Internet users in Estonia was growing heavily. In recent years, also ICT equipment and services have become much more affordable.

So in light of all these developments, what have been the crucial factors supporting the development of Estonian information society and the growth of ICT centered activities both in public and private sector? According to Krull, '''1) building up modern infrastructure; 2) Tiger’s Leap Project in computerizing schools and universities; 3) adopting regulations for information society; 4) government IT-programs; 5) collaboration between the government, private sector and non-governmental initiatives; and last but not least 6) luck''' have been these main drivers.

In the educational sector, the Tiger Leap program has played an important role in the virtuous circle of making IT popular first among children and through them among the whole society. Almost all children (93 %) have access to the Internet either at school, in the neighborhood or at home. Pupils use the Internet mainly at school (79%). In 2000, there were no basic or upper secondary schools without computers in Estonia, 75% of schools also had online Internet connections.

Additionally, the overall impact of governmental actions has been crucial in the development of Estonian information society. From creating favorable legal environment and leading the way with computerizing the whole public administration, some of the major e-services for the public sector were also developed. Principles for the development of the information society in Estonia were first set out in 1998. However, the first strategic document was established only in 2006.

In Estonia, the development of the information society is, indeed, based on the Principles of Estonian Information Policy, adopted by the Estonian Parliament in 1998. A follow-up to the document, the Principles of Estonian Information Policy 2004 – 2006, was elaborated and approved by the Government of the Republic in 2004. The [http://ec.europa.eu/idabc/servlets/Doc?id=28163 Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013], in turn, entered into force in January 2007. It is a sectoral development plan, setting out the general framework, objectives and respective action fields for the broad employment of ICT in the development of knowledge-based economy and society in Estonia in 2007 – 2013.

Estonian developments to the direction of information society have been adequate concerning the initiatives started by the public sector. The level and quality of ICT infrastructure and the access to it has gone through a major improvement during the last decade. The role of ICT in the society and Internet’s growing role in providing information, business transactions, interaction between the state and citizens allows to assume that the e-readiness of Estonia is improving with every essential application and service delivered through the Internet. An emphasis made on computerizing the schools and providing vocational education to grownups has been essential.

==Virtual initiatives in HE==

===[[Open Estonia Foundation]]===

The [http://www.oef.org.ee/en/ Open Estonia Foundation (OEF)], a charitable foundation established in 1990 with the help and funding of Georg Soros, made a remarkable contribution to eLearning especially in the early stages during the 1990s. OEF funded several extensive educational projects promoting ICT infrastructure in schools and universities as well as teacher training with a budget of about € 300,000.

Today however, the main responsibility of implementation of services for eLearning is in the hands of non-profit organisations – Estonian Information Technology Foundation and Tiger Leap Foundation. The activities of both institutions are based on special programs with respective budgets.

===[[Estonian Information Technology Foundation]]===

[http://www.eitsa.ee/?url=eitf Estonian Information Technology Foundation (EITSA)] is a non-profit organization founded by the Estonian Republic, University of Tartu, Tallinn University of Technology, Eesti Telekom and the Association of Estonian Information Technology and Telecommunications Companies. The 5-member Council of EITSA is made up of the representatives of the aforementioned founders. They appoint the 3 members of the Executive Board. The Foundation is annually audited by a sworn auditor.

EITSA's aims are to assist in preparation of the highly qualified IT specialists and to support ICT-related development in Estonia. For these purposes the Foundation established and manages the Estonian IT College and administers the National Support Program for ICT in Higher Education "Tiger University."

===[[Tiger Leap Foundation]]===

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/?setlang=eng Tiger Leap Foundation])

The [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/ Tiger Leap Foundation (TLF)] has been the initiator and funder of several research activities on ICT in education since 1997. The mission of the foundation is to help to improve the quality of education in Estonia through application of ICT. Focusing mainly on three areas – computers and internet connections for schools, educational software development and teacher in-service training - TLF has been the main driving force of change in Estonian schools. With the help of TLF, all schools in Estonia are connected to the Internet and have original educational software available for most subjects, 75 % of teachers have been trained twice in ICT skills. The foundation also operates the Estonian Schoolnet website www.koolielu.ee.

Since 2004, Tiger Leap Foundation, a partner in the European Schoolnet, is coordinating and funding several EC educational programs: eTwinning, Springday Europe and Netdays Europe among others. New challenges for the foundation are promoting design and technology as well as media studies in Estonian schools. TLF is a non-profit organisation funded by the Estonian Ministry of Education and sponsors.

===[[Estonian e-University]]===

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.e-uni.ee/index.php?main=120 Estonian e-University] and [http://www.e-uni.ee/Minerva/2.2.2.html The UNIVe Project])

The [[Estonian e-University]] ([[EeU]]) was officially founded in February 2003. The EeU is a consortium of universities and applied universities and it consists of':

* Estonian Ministry of Education and Research
* Estonian Information Technology Foundation
* University of Tartu
* Tallinn Technical University
* Tallinn University
* Estonian University of Life Sciences
* Estonian Business School
* Estonian Information Technology College
* University Nord

Other Estonian HEIs can also apply for the e-University membership. There are associated and full members, former having no right in e-university decision processes. An associated member can become a full member after a one-year membership in the e-University. All decisions (including questions of membership, strategy, budget, allocating of tasks to board) are done by the e-University council that consists of representatives of all full members. The board of e-University is the body that fulfils the tasks set up by the e-University council.

The Estonian e-University is a member of [http://www.eadtu.nl/ EADTU], [http://events.eife-l.org/ EIfEL], [http://www.qualityfoundation.org/ EFQUEL], [http://www.eden-online.org/eden.php EDEN] and [http://x316.bui-av.haw-hamburg.de/bsvc2006/index.php Baltic Sea Virtual Campus]. Its functions are:

* of profound studies,
* increasing the availability of quality education for students and other people willing to learn, for example adults, handicapped people, Estonians abroad and foreign students,
* educating lecturers of universities to compile and practice quality and efficient e-courses,
* providing lecturers with necessary technical equipment, as well as improving the reputation of university education in Estonia and creating contacts for cooperation between foreign universities and business circles.

The history of Estonian e-University dates back to the beginning of 1990s when first enthusiastic people in universities started using email and web-pages as the first e-learning initiatives. Videoconferences over ISDN and web-based courses in a specially designed environment followed in 1998. However, there can be seen three main reasons for the actual establishment of Estonian e-University. Firstly, e-learning had been rather widely used in Estonian universities, but in most cases it was a low financed and not well coordinated initiative of a few enthusiastic people in a few faculties and open universities. Secondly, need for coordinated and institutionalized interuniversity cooperation in the field of open and distance learning had been perceived and discussed for years. And thirdly, similar initiatives in neighboring countries (Finland and Sweden) a few years earlier had given good examples.

The cooperation between universities needs, perhaps, an explanation on a slightly wider background. Estonian universities are very independent institutions, and there are very few initiatives or procedures in the area of HE coordinated by the state. The limited state control and liberal rules in HE resulted in the emergence of numerous private universities and applied HEIs in the 1990s when also the student numbers increased rapidly. The rapid growth in student numbers was by large due to the increasing number of adult students.

There were several reasons for vastly increasing interest for HE among adults. The reasons could simply be classified into two groups. Firstly, great need for new skills arising from enormous changes in the labor market and society – many people did not manage with ‘an old education’ obtained in the 1960 – 1980s in ‘the new society’. The second group of reasons why more adult students came to universities was most likely related to opportunities, i.e., increasing openness of the HE system and curricula. Besides the increased number of different HE providers, public universities adopted a third mission of providing services to the society – they considerably diversified their forms of tuition, opened numerous new (mainly master-level) curricula oriented to adult students, made major efforts in regional development by opening colleges in regions far distant from the two biggest cities Tallinn and Tartu.

Thus, rather than relying on state-coordinated program to bring in more adults to the universities, universities themselves independently and also slightly differently responded to the needs of the changing society and introduced flexible, part-time adult education curricula for training and retraining of adults. Many of them did it under the name of ''open university'' that included all kind of university level Lifelong Learning activities ranging from special initiatives and courses for secondary school students, university continuing education, summer schools, part-time degree education or degree education given in the form of distance learning, public lectures, regional development initiatives, etc. As a rule, the open universities were also responsible for the development of ICT-based teaching in universities.

First open universities were launched in 1996, and in 1998, the first project tackling the need for interuniversity cooperation in this field initiated (Tempus project for ‘Developing Open University Infrastructure in Estonia’ 1998 – 2001) with three biggest public universities as partners. Another cooperation initiative started by the universities was the establishment of the [http://www.ut.ee/23061 Estonian Network for University Continuing Education (ENUCE)] in January 2001. Several seminars discussing different open university models culminated in January 2002 where conference titled ‘Estonian Open University – interuniversity cooperation for the development of open distance learning in Estonia’ was held with representatives from seven universities and the Ministry of Education and Research. This conference decided to make a concrete action plan for further development of the idea.

In summer 2002, Rectors’ Council approved the general idea, already called Estonian e-University at that time. In autumn 2002, the Minister of Education and Research summoned a working group for agreeing on activities and financing principles of the e-University. The process culminated in February 2003 when the Estonian e-University was officially launched by signing the ''Protocol of Good Will'' by the rectors of six universities, the Minister of Education and Research and the chair of the board of the Estonian Information Technology Foundation. By that time, plenty of work had already been done including e.g. submitting the first international project of Estonian e-University (the [http://www.e-uni.ee/Minerva/ UNIVe]) to Socrates Minerva program.

The target groups of Estonian e-University can be identified at different levels:

'''Students'''

The final target group for all activities is, of course, the current and potential students and learners of the universities of e-university members, both full-time and part-time students, learners at retraining programs and shorter continuing education courses. However, as widening access to high quality education is one of the main aims, the main target group among all students is adult students who live outside of bigger centers or who due to work obligations cannot participate in ordinary university studies. E-university also aims its activities at disadvantaged groups, including people with disabilities, for whom e-learning can make higher education more accessible. E-university also aims its activities at foreign students, thus, supporting the strategic aim of internationalization of several universities. Most e-University activities are not directly aimed at students but rather at teachers and universities. An e-course database is directly aimed at students that should become '''(1) a gateway to Estonian universities e-learning opportunities'''.

'''Universities'''

Although students are the final target group of the e-University activities, the latter does not offer tuition itself. Therefore, its activities are mainly aimed at helping universities, i.e. supporting and facilitating them in e-learning initiatives. This said, it does not mean that the e-University has a passive role in relation to universities. E-university is, and aims also to be in the future, the initiator and developer of e-learning initiatives taking into account the interests of the state, universities and students. Initiating and supporting interuniversity cooperation in e-learning initiatives is one of the strategic aims of e-University. From the HEIs’ perspective, e-University is '''(2) the developer and provider of a necessary technological environment needed for e-learning:'''
* portal (including a database for courses and learning objects),
* learning environment,
* exchange system for courses,
* necessary infrastructure for e-learning (incl. regional centers);

'''(3) support and development centre for e-learning (The UNIVe Project):'''
* initiation of research,
* innovation and development activities,
* initiation and management of projects,
* financial etc. support for realising e-learning initiatives,
* international marketer of e-courses/curricula in the future.

'''Academic staff'''

Besides developing infrastructure and procedures, plenty of e-University activities are directly or via support to universities aimed at academic staff support and development. From the university teachers’ point of view, e-University is primarily '''(4) an e-learning support centre:'''
* information and training to conduct e-courses,
* database for learning objects,
* contests and grants for developing e-learning.

'''State'''

'''NB! Up to date state of the art and the latest figures and facts can be found at the [[Estonian e-Learning Development Centre]] page.'''

Better usage of limited financial and intellectual HE resources, better and more equal access to higher education, better cooperation between universities, clear and unified trademark of Estonian higher e-education initiatives at international arena, competence when realizing state initiatives in e-learning etc. are, of course, of value for each particular university, but these can firstly be seen as the benefits of e-University for the state and society.

The Estonian e-University is financed by the membership fees, projects, and direct funding. The budget for the first year was nearly 4.5 million EEK (€ 300,000), whereas the budget for year 2004 was over 6 million EEK (€ 400,000). Every member covers its costs related to e-University initiatives within its own university by itself. Membership fee is divided to fixed and proportional parts. The last is calculated on the basis of full-time equivalent student numbers.

In year 2004, the e-University database included some 250 courses. Approximately, 9,000 people participated in different e-courses, most of them being university students. Most courses were in Estonian, with the exception of a few English courses. There are no curricula that one could study fully via the internet.

===[[Estonian e-Vocational School]]===

The [http://www.e-ope.ee/ Estonian e-Vocational School] was founded in 2005 in cooperation of six professional education institutions, 31 vocational education institutions, the Ministry of Education and Research and the Estonian Information Technology Foundation to promote lifelong learning under the principles of regional development and in the framework of ten thematic networks. It functions under the Estonian Information Technology Foundation and is financed by the membership fees, the state budget and by Measure 1.1 of the EU’s Social Fund.

In 2006, the Estonian e-Vocational School had been financed with a total of € 63,911 since 2005. Together with the Estonian e-University, it is one of the two main consortia of EITSA. The e-Vocational School consortium accounts for 68 % of the total number of students of the e-Learning Development Center member schools.

===[[Tiger University Program]]===

'''The Nations Support Program for the ICT in Higher Education "Tiger University"''' was approved by the Estonian Government in January 2002. Its administration was delegated to the Estonian Information Technology Foundation.

The '''Tiger University Program goals''' are to:

* Support for the development of the ICT infrastructure at higher educational establishments,
* Support for the development of ICT academic staff and degree courses' infrastructure.

The '''priorities''' are:

* development of ICT infrastructure (upgrading the academic backbones and networks, PC procurements, equipping the labs, providing software),
* development of ICT-related curricula (new curricula, creation of study materials, e-University, e-learning, literature and electronic resources),
* motivating the academic staff (mentoring PhD students, academic sabbaticals, lecturers' and PhD students mobility scheme, internships, visiting lecturers).

'''Program Council''' has been set up to coordinate and run the program. Together with the staff it announces the competitions, appoints experts, reviews submissions, is authorised to make allocations, and later monitors and follows up on the results.

===[[University of Tartu]]===

The [http://www.ut.ee/index.aw/set_lang_id=2 University of Tartu] is said to have been the alma mater for the entire educational system and the scientific research in Estonia. It was founded already in 1632. However, it became a national university - ''Tartu Ülikool'' - only in 1919. Nowadays, the university has some 11 faculties, 3 reasearch institutes and 6 colleges with more than 70 departments, institutes and clinics. The number of students is over 18,000 and the number of teaching staff some 1,300.

====Open University====

The [http://www.ut.ee/aveng/info/openuni Open University] was established in 1996. The mission of the Open University was:

* to improve access to education;
* to diversify study opportunities;
* to make the education more student-centred, taking the student's needs into greater account;
* to provide high quality education under maximum flexibility, with course offerings being independent of time and place.

Today the Open University is a successful hallmark of the University of Tartu, covering both degree education and continuing education programs through distance education or other "unconventional" learning environments. Training under the trademark of Open University is provided by the faculties and colleges at University of Tartu. The activities, in turn, are coordinated by the Open University Centre and the Academic Affairs Office.

====E-learning at University of Tartu====

Year 1995 may be considered the beginning of e-learning at University of Tartu. It was the year, when the first e-mail based course was delivered in the Faculty of Mathemathics, and only three years later (1998), the Multimedia Center obtained videoconference facilities with the support of the PHARE Multi-country Project in Distance Education. In 1998, also first web-based course in the WebCT environment was developed and delivered at the university. And since then, the number of web-based courses has indeed increased. At the end of year 2007, the number of web-based courses was approximately 600. However, entirely web-based curricula did not yet exist.

In January 2000, the University Council gave priority to ICT-based learning acclaiming that it should be important to inculcate ICT-based learning in all study moulds, to start the development program of ICT-based courses and assigning the Distance Education Centre as a structural unit with the responsibility for developing ICT-based learning at the University of Tartu.

In 2001, the Multimedia Center started to create CDs for study purposes. In November 2002, the Multimedia Center launched a project of video lectures that received financial support from EITSA (Estonian Information Technology Foundation) in 2003. They used both real time video streaming as well as storage and archival of lectures. The project was continued in 2004 by replacing the outdated video conference equipment with the support from EITF.

In February 2002, [http://www.ut.ee/e-ope the E-University portal] of University of Tartu was opened. Besides offering learning opportunities and support for learners, this portal provided both technical and methodological help for academic staff (professors and tutors) for elaborating ICT-based courses, etc.

In February 2003, the University of Tartu initiated in cooperation with other universities, the Ministry of Education and Research and the Estonian Information Technology Foundation, the [http://www.e-uni.ee/index.php?main=120 Estonian e-University], which has since grown into a consortium under EITF to support the universities and coordinate the development of e-learning.

The university's first education technologist was employed in year 2000 (and seven more a few years later) to assist the teaching staff in the development of web-based courses. At the end of year 2005, the University of Tartu then approved its first e-learning strategy ([http://www.ut.ee/orb.aw/class=file/action=preview/id=322181/e-oppe_strateegia_eng2.pdf E-learning strategy 2006-2010]), which sets the tasks of developing e-learning in 3 categories:

:I Support high-quality studies centred on the student and involvement of new target groups;
:II Increase the e-learning competence of teaching staff, students and assistance personnel and develop the cooperation models for e-learning;
:III Ensure the high level of infrastructure and support services for e-learning.

===[[Tallinn University]]===

[http://www.tlu.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn University] is the third largest university in Estonia, consisting of 18 institutes and 4 colleges. It has more than 8,500 students as well as more than 400 faculty members and research fellows. It is the fastest growing university in Estonia.

Tallinn University, like any other public university in Estonia, uses the 3+2 system (i.e. three years of bachelor studies + two years of master studies). There are 49 specialist areas at the bachelor level, 70 at the master level and 12 at the doctoral level. The university and its curricula have been accredited by the Estonian Higher Education Quality Assessment Council.

The university’s programs are unique in Estonia for the high degree of academic freedom they allow. One quarter to one third of the subjects at every level are freely available and a significant number of specialist subjects are also included as electives. Thus, students are able to design their own study plan quite independently.

Tallinn University is one of the main providers of web-based courses in Estonia. It has a great role in developing LMSs, CMSs and ICT-supported learning methodology. Tallinn University has also developed teachers’ support system in the field of web-based learning and several digital learning materials for general schools.

====[[Tallinn Virtual University]]====

[http://tlu.toru.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn Virtual University] is a new initiative at the Tallinn University. It was opened in December 2008 and its aim is to make recordings of different open lectures, interviews with lecturers and university visitors, materials of seminars, summer schools, conferences among other things available to everyone. The materials can be watched online or downloaded to one's computer. The Web environment of Tallinn Virtual University is based on [http://toru.ee/ Toru] technology and it is administered by Nagi OÜ. All videos are located in the Toru video site and can also be found through Toru search.

===[[Tallinn University of Technology]]===

Founded in 1918 as an engineering college (university status was granted in 1936), [http://www.ttu.ee/?lang=en Tallinn University of Technology (TUT)] has now become one of the largest universities in Estonia.

The University is structured into eight faculties, three colleges and six research and development institutions. The faculties are: Civil Engineering, Power Engineering, Humanities, Information Technology, Chemical and Materials Technology, Economics and Business Administration, Science and Mechanical Engineering. The application oriented bachelor-level programs in different technical and economic fields of study are offered in the three colleges - Business College, Kuressaare College and Virumaa College.

TUT has over 13,000 students and personnel of 1,970 (incl. affiliated institutions). Instruction is conducted in Estonian, however, during the first two years, Russian-based general studies are also possible. Selected courses are delivered in English. Tallinn University of Technology is also one of the main providers of ICT education in Estonia. The share of e-courses within total courses is aimed at 15 % in 2010 (4 % in 2005).

==References==

* Estonian Ministry of Education and Research (2006)
:OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.

*Krull Andre (2003)
:ICT Infrastructure and E-readiness Assessment Report: ESTONIA

* Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications (2003)
:Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013

* [http://www.boldic.net/document/Estonia/BOLDIC_Estonia_report.pdf BOLDIC - National Report on Estonia. Open and Distance Learning in Estonia], PDF - 28 pages.

* [http://ftp.jrc.es/EURdoc/JRC42865.pdf The Development of e-Services in an Enlarged EU: e-Learning in Estonia. JRC Scientific and Technical Reports], PDF - 125 pages.

* [http://www.e-uni.ee/documents/strat_final_en_web.pdf E-learning Development Center - Strategy 2007-2012. Estonian Information Technology Foundation], PDF - 32 pages.

'''Relevant websites'''

* [http://www.eitsa.ee Estonian Information Technology Foundation]
* [http://www.e-uni.ee/index.php?main=120 Estonian e-University]
* [http://www.esis.ee/ist2004/12.html Estonian Information Society in Facts and Figures]
* [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/home.htm The Estonia Page]
* [http://nettskolen.nki.no/in_english/megatrends/index.html MegaTrends in E-Learning Provision]
* [http://www.oef.org.ee/en/ Open Estonia Foundation]
* [http://www.tlu.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn University]
* [http://www.ttu.ee/?lang=en Tallinn University of Technology]
* [http://tlu.toru.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn Virtual University]
* [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/ Tiger Leap Foundation]
* [http://www.e-uni.ee/Minerva/index.html The UNIVe Project]
* [http://www.ut.ee/index.aw/set_lang_id=2 University of Tartu]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Wikipedia]

----
> [[Countries]]
 
>> [[Main Page]]

[[Category:Estonia| ]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:European Union]]

Estonia

2009-06-03T16:12:29Z

Roman: /* Open University */

== Partners situated in Estonia ==

None.

== Estonia in a nutshell ==

(mainly sourced from: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estonia Wikipedia] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

[[Image:Ee-map.png|left|thumb|250px|Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Atlas_of_Estonia]]

Estonia, officially the '''Republic of Estonia''' is a country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Its territory covers only 45,227 km² and is divided into 15 counties. Estonia is a democratic parliamentary republic. Its capital and largest city is Tallinn. Estonia was a member of the League of Nations from 1921, has been a member of the United Nations since 1991, of the European Union since 2004 and of NATO since 2004. With only 1.4 million inhabitants, Estonia comprises one of the smallest populations of the EU countries.

In 1918, the Estonian Declaration of Independence was issued, to be followed by the Estonian War of Independence (1918-1920), which resulted in the Tartu Peace Treaty recognizing Estonian independence in perpetuity. During World War II, Estonia was occupied and annexed first by the Soviet Union and subsequently by the Third Reich, only to be re-occupied by the Soviet Union in 1944. Estonia regained its independence in 1991 and it has since embarked on a rapid program of social and economic reform. Today, the country has gained recognition for its economic freedom, its adaptation of new technologies and as one of the world's fastest growing economies.

The official language in Estonia is Estonian, which belongs to the Finno-Ugric language family and is closely related to Finnish. Along with Finnish, English, Russian and German are also widely spoken and understood. The major minority language is Russian with its speakers making up about 30 % of the population. Russian-language education is provided in public and also in private schools at all levels: pre-school, basic and secondary schools, as well as vocational schools higher education institutions. About 24 % of all Estonian school children attend Russian-language basic and secondary schools. Some 10 % of higher education students study in Russian.

==Estonian education policy==

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/culture/education.htm The Estonia Page] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

The Estonian Constitution states that everybody has the right to an education. Attending school is compulsory for all school-age children to the extent established by law, and is free in general education schools established by state and local governments. In order to make education accessible, the state and local governments are financially responsible for maintaining the necessary number of educational institutions. The law allows the establishment and operation of other types of educational institutions, including private schools.

Everybody has the right to an education in the Estonian language. In an educational institution in which minority students predominate, the language is chosen by the educational institution. Education is under the supervision of the state.

The Education Act has established that the objective of education is:

* creating favorable conditions for the development of individuals, family, the Estonian nation, national minorities and Estonian economic, political and cultural life in the context of the world economy and culture;
* developing a law-abiding citizenry;
* providing conditions for continuing education.

A wide network of schools and supporting educational institutions has been established in Estonia. The Estonian educational system consists of state, municipal, public and private educational institutions. The Education Act states that in accordance with the UNESCO international standard of education classification, education has the following levels: pre-primary education, basic education, secondary education and higher education.

Each level has its established requirements, which are called the state educational standards and are presented together with state curricula. The curricula contain the mandatory study programs, time scheduled to cover the programs, and descriptions of compulsory knowledge, skills, experience and behavioral norms.

==Estonian education system==

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/culture/education.htm The Estonia Page] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

Basic education is established by a national curriculum of basic and secondary education. On the basis of the national curriculum, schools compile their own curricula. Basic education covers grades from one to nine. Basic education in Estonia is compulsory. Basic education is mainly taught at municipal schools (basic school classes at primary, basic and secondary schools). Local governments determine a service area for each school where it is obliged to guarantee all school-age children the opportunity to study.

Secondary education is voluntary and free at state and municipal educational institutions. General secondary education is acquired at upper-secondary schools (grades 10-12), and vocational education at vocational education institutions. Secondary education is governed by a national curriculum of basic and secondary education (general secondary education) or by a national vocational education curriculum and national curricula of vocations (vocational secondary education).

Access to higher education is regulated by the Universities Act and the Institutions of Professional Higher Education Act. Students having either a general secondary school-leaving certificate (12 years of schooling) or a secondary vocational school-leaving certificate (based on qualifications of different length) and the State Examination Certificate have access to higher education. In addition, those having a corresponding foreign qualification can gain access. But access for all students is subject to discretion of higher education institutions. Merit plays the dominant role in the access to the specific programs.

There are three types of educational institutions that provide higher education: universities (''ülikool'') - institutions of research, development, study and culture at all higher education levels in several fields of study; professional higher education institutions (''rakenduskõrgkool'') - educational institutions of professional higher education and Magister-study; and vocational education schools (''kutseõppeasutus'') - institutions of secondary vocational.

The different legal forms of HEIs are: public, state and private. Private institutions can be owned by a public limited company or private limited company entered in the commercial register or by a foundation or non-profit association entered into the non-profit associations and foundations register. Both public (or state) and private higher education institutions are authorized to operate.

==Higher education in Estonia==

(mainly sourced from: ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

See also the following OECD reports for more information about the Estonian higher education:
:[http://www.oecd.org/document/13/0,3343,en_2649_39263238_35585357_1_1_1_1,00.html Thematic Review of Tertiary Education - Country Reviews];
:[http://www.oecd.org/document/16/0,3343,en_2649_39263238_35580240_1_1_1_1,00.html Thematic Review of Tertiary Education - Country Background Reports].

In the period since the restoration of independence in 1991, remarkable changes took place in the system of Estonian higher education. This was visible not only in the rise in number of HEIs, but also in the development in the areas of funding, human resources management, quality assurance, research and innovation, equity, links to the labor market and internationalization.

'''The universities offer Bachelor (three years, 180 ECTS – or exceptionally 240 ECTS credits), Master (one-two years, 60-120 ECTS) and PhD programs (three to four years).''' Medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, architecture and civil engineering are exempted from the Bachelor-Master structure. These programs (still) have integrated tiers, leading directly to the Master degree (300-360 ECTS).

'''State professional higher education institutions offer mostly four-year Bachelor programs, but some programs are three years, some others four-and-a-half. Students can continue their studies at universities but often need bridging courses.''' The state institutions are allowed to offer Master programs (under some conditions) but, as of 2006 - 2007, there were only six Master programs registered by three state professional higher education institutions (Tartu Aviation College, the Estonian Maritime Academic and the Estonian National Defence College). Private professional higher education institutions offer mostly three-year programs, some offer Master programs as well.

'''Vocational education schools offer professional higher education programs.''' However, the recent Estonian Higher Education Strategy 2006-2015 envisages to close down most of these programs or to have the schools upgraded to professional higher education institutions.

In academic year 2005 – 2006, there were 39 HEIs in Estonia. Although the number of institutions seems high for a country the size of Estonia, this number has already been reduced due to the increase of quality and financial requirements in the legislation. In the course of the academic year 2006 - 2007, the number was further decreased to 35. The highest number of HEIs that the country has had was 49 in academic years 2001 – 2002 and 2002 – 2003.

There are six public universities in Estonia: Tallinn University (with 7,350 students in 2005), the University of Tartu (18,536) – the oldest in the country (created in 1632), Tallinn University of Technology (10,700), the Estonian University of Life Sciences (4 752), the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (567) and the Estonian Academy of Art (962). Although these institutions already existed in 1991, significant changes in their operation have occurred since then. Additionally, several of them have established a number of semi-independent (regional) colleges in the past 15 years. The public universities together catered for about two-thirds of the 68,287 students enrolled in Estonian HEIs in 2005.

There are five, relatively small private universities, most of which offer programs in just a few disciplines. The most important fields offered are business administration, law, media, arts and humanities and information technology. Their number of students in 2005 ranged from 116 to 2,547, in
total they had 6,467 students. Eight professional higher education institutions constitute the public part of this sector catering for 7,142 students in 2005. Their size ranges from 166 to 2,111 students. Additionally, there are thirteen private professional higher education institutions (with a total of 7,452 students), all of very small size, although the largest of the privates is bigger than the largest public professional higher education institution (i.e. 2,538 students). Like private
universities, also the private professional higher education institutions focus mostly on business administration, information technology, arts and humanities, but also on theology.

The third sector, vocational education schools, consists of six public institutions and one private institution. The total number of students in this sector is 4,359. They range in size from 30 to 1,322 students. These institutions offer not only tertiary education but also secondary-level education.

The governance of HEIs is under the auspices of the [http://www.hm.ee/index.php?148558 Ministry of Education and Research] with three exceptions – The Estonian National Defense College ([http://www.mod.gov.ee/?setlang=eng Ministry of Defense]) and the Public Service Academy ([http://www.siseministeerium.ee/?lang=en Ministry of Interior Affairs]). The Baltic Defense College (situating in Tartu) is operating under the agreement of three Baltic Ministers of Defense and is not part of the formal higher education system.

==Higher education reform==

(mainly sourced from: ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

Major developments in the Estonian higher education policy may be outlined in three phases. The first phase (1989 – 1995) implied separating from the Soviet system and building up a new legal framework. Much effort was also put in realizing the 1995 University Act, paving the way for the 1996 Standard of Higher Education. The second phase (1996 – 1999) saw the expansion of the higher education system in combination with the development of legal frameworks and quality assurance mechanisms for the different sectors. The third phase (2000 – 2004) indicated the next wave of reforms, hallmarked by the higher education reform plan 2002.

The most recent strategy document (2006 – 2015) was approved by the Government in June 2006. This ''Estonian Higher Education Strategy 2006-2015'' addresses three main challenges for the sector in the coming years. First, the number of students entering higher education is expected to diminish by about 60 % by 2016. Second, there is a clear need to strengthen the international dimension of higher education institutions. Third, additional funding – both for infrastructure and human resources – is of vital importance for the sustainability of the system. Estonia was also among the countries that signed the Bologna Declaration in 1999.

==Administration and finance==

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/culture/education.htm The Estonia Page] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

Estonian HEIs receive funding from the public budget for the provision of graduates (so-called state-commissioned places), for capital investment and for other expenditure (foreign aid projects, education allowances for students, library expenditure, etc.). Finance from the public budget is provided primarily in the form of the state commission: approximately 80 % of public funding over the period 1995 - 2004. Both public and private institutions receive funding through the state commission. However, private institutions are allocated a very small number of state commissioned places, in a restricted range of disciplines. In some cases, this allocation occurs in areas where supply by public institutions is deemed lacking, while in other cases it is intended to reflect public recognition of the quality of the programs.

Both public and private institutions gain income for their teaching activities from student union fees. Public institutions may charge tuition fees to students, who do not gain access to state-commissioned places and, are free to set the level of fees. The one restriction on public universities is that they may mot increase fees by more than 10 % each year.

Students in Estonia fall into one of two distinct groups. Either they occupy state-commissioned places and pay nothing for their tuition or they do not and pay the full costs of their tuition. A third group is emerging: students admitted free of charge at the expense of tertiary institutions. This trend is especially visible at the PhD level.

State-commissioned places are allocated by higher education institutions to students studying full-time on the basis of academic performance. Places are allocated to commencing students on the basis of their performance in relevant entrance exams (essentially the state exams at the end of secondary school). Should a student in a state-commissioned place fail to meet the requirements of full-time study he or she loses the right to occupy such a place and may be replaced by a better performing student undertaking study at the same level. The tuition fees paid by students in fee-paying places vary by type of course and institution.

==Quality assurance==

(mainly sourced from: ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

The growth of the system has led Estonian society to the realisation that the quality of higher education varies both by the type of institution and by field of study. Estonia started to build its national quality assurance system in the mid 1990s, in answer to the rapid expansion of the higher education sector. Its goals were to increase the information on higher education offerings and to provide the academic community with support for selfimprovement

Since 1996, by governmental decree, the Standard of Higher Education regulates the establishment of higher education institutions and determines the requirements they and their programmes must meet in order to obtain an education license. This licensing process is carried out by the Ministry of Education and Research.

Quality assurance arrangements are based on an accreditation scheme, which is voluntary but essential both for having the right to issue officially recognised higher education credentials and to have access to state funding. Evaluation is the responsibility of the Higher Education Quality Assessment
Council (HEQAC), established in 1995 and composed of twelve members, appointed by the government on the recommendation of the Ministry of Education and Research (which takes into account the proposal of higher education institutions, academic unions and employers).

HEQAC determines the quality standards, organises external reviews and makes a recommendation to the Ministry regarding universities, professionally- or vocationally-oriented higher education institutions and their operation. The accreditation decision belongs to the Ministry, which normally approves the
recommendation of the HEQAC; however, it can reject it, in which case a new review must be carried out.

The Ministry of Education and Research’s Strategy for Higher Education 2006 - 2015 places a strong emphasis on quality and the means to assure it. Its objectives focus on the competitive quality of Estonian higher education and the need for it to serve the country’s development interests and innovation. Consistent with these objectives, the actions highlight the need to strengthen quality assurance by promoting internal assessment and improvement strategies within educational institutions and establishing quality requirements and supervision of quality by the state.

==Estonian HEIs in the information society==

(mainly sourced from: ''ICT Infrastructure and E-readiness Assessment Report: ESTONIA.'' and ''Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013.'')

When regaining independence in August 1991, Estonia was a relatively backward country technologically. State infrastructure (institutions and people) had to be built up almost from scratch, monetary reform in 1992 established the stable currency. Heavy industry machinery and infrastructure established during the Soviet era found almost no use after the privatization and technological upgrading by the new owners. The access to Russian market was increasingly more difficult due to the politically set trade barriers by the Russian Federation, and the quality of Estonian products was not good enough to compete in the Western markets.

In spite of these unfavorable conditions, Estonian industrial structure started to depart from the factor-driven stage into the investment-driven economy in the early 1990s. The main reasons behind this development most probably were (1) the proximity of technologically advanced Finland and Sweden, (2) large amount of foreign direct investments into Estonian companies, (3) a population with high level of technical education (in the Soviet era, only hard sciences were ideologically free), and (4) a large part of the population ready to consume and adopt modern technology as a part of one’s lifestyle. Additionally, the number of computer and Internet users in Estonia was growing heavily. In recent years, also ICT equipment and services have become much more affordable.

So in light of all these developments, what have been the crucial factors supporting the development of Estonian information society and the growth of ICT centered activities both in public and private sector? According to Krull, '''1) building up modern infrastructure; 2) Tiger’s Leap Project in computerizing schools and universities; 3) adopting regulations for information society; 4) government IT-programs; 5) collaboration between the government, private sector and non-governmental initiatives; and last but not least 6) luck''' have been these main drivers.

In the educational sector, the Tiger Leap program has played an important role in the virtuous circle of making IT popular first among children and through them among the whole society. Almost all children (93 %) have access to the Internet either at school, in the neighborhood or at home. Pupils use the Internet mainly at school (79%). In 2000, there were no basic or upper secondary schools without computers in Estonia, 75% of schools also had online Internet connections.

Additionally, the overall impact of governmental actions has been crucial in the development of Estonian information society. From creating favorable legal environment and leading the way with computerizing the whole public administration, some of the major e-services for the public sector were also developed. Principles for the development of the information society in Estonia were first set out in 1998. However, the first strategic document was established only in 2006.

In Estonia, the development of the information society is, indeed, based on the Principles of Estonian Information Policy, adopted by the Estonian Parliament in 1998. A follow-up to the document, the Principles of Estonian Information Policy 2004 – 2006, was elaborated and approved by the Government of the Republic in 2004. The [http://ec.europa.eu/idabc/servlets/Doc?id=28163 Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013], in turn, entered into force in January 2007. It is a sectoral development plan, setting out the general framework, objectives and respective action fields for the broad employment of ICT in the development of knowledge-based economy and society in Estonia in 2007 – 2013.

Estonian developments to the direction of information society have been adequate concerning the initiatives started by the public sector. The level and quality of ICT infrastructure and the access to it has gone through a major improvement during the last decade. The role of ICT in the society and Internet’s growing role in providing information, business transactions, interaction between the state and citizens allows to assume that the e-readiness of Estonia is improving with every essential application and service delivered through the Internet. An emphasis made on computerizing the schools and providing vocational education to grownups has been essential.

==Virtual initiatives in HE==

===[[Open Estonia Foundation]]===

The [http://www.oef.org.ee/en/ Open Estonia Foundation (OEF)], a charitable foundation established in 1990 with the help and funding of Georg Soros, made a remarkable contribution to eLearning especially in the early stages during the 1990s. OEF funded several extensive educational projects promoting ICT infrastructure in schools and universities as well as teacher training with a budget of about € 300,000.

Today however, the main responsibility of implementation of services for eLearning is in the hands of non-profit organisations – Estonian Information Technology Foundation and Tiger Leap Foundation. The activities of both institutions are based on special programs with respective budgets.

===[[Estonian Information Technology Foundation]]===

[http://www.eitsa.ee/?url=eitf Estonian Information Technology Foundation (EITSA)] is a non-profit organization founded by the Estonian Republic, University of Tartu, Tallinn University of Technology, Eesti Telekom and the Association of Estonian Information Technology and Telecommunications Companies. The 5-member Council of EITSA is made up of the representatives of the aforementioned founders. They appoint the 3 members of the Executive Board. The Foundation is annually audited by a sworn auditor.

EITSA's aims are to assist in preparation of the highly qualified IT specialists and to support ICT-related development in Estonia. For these purposes the Foundation established and manages the Estonian IT College and administers the National Support Program for ICT in Higher Education "Tiger University."

===[[Tiger Leap Foundation]]===

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/?setlang=eng Tiger Leap Foundation])

The [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/ Tiger Leap Foundation (TLF)] has been the initiator and funder of several research activities on ICT in education since 1997. The mission of the foundation is to help to improve the quality of education in Estonia through application of ICT. Focusing mainly on three areas – computers and internet connections for schools, educational software development and teacher in-service training - TLF has been the main driving force of change in Estonian schools. With the help of TLF, all schools in Estonia are connected to the Internet and have original educational software available for most subjects, 75 % of teachers have been trained twice in ICT skills. The foundation also operates the Estonian Schoolnet website www.koolielu.ee.

Since 2004, Tiger Leap Foundation, a partner in the European Schoolnet, is coordinating and funding several EC educational programs: eTwinning, Springday Europe and Netdays Europe among others. New challenges for the foundation are promoting design and technology as well as media studies in Estonian schools. TLF is a non-profit organisation funded by the Estonian Ministry of Education and sponsors.

===[[Estonian e-University]]===

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.e-uni.ee/index.php?main=120 Estonian e-University] and [http://www.e-uni.ee/Minerva/2.2.2.html The UNIVe Project])

The [[Estonian e-University]] ([[EeU]]) was officially founded in February 2003. The EeU is a consortium of universities and applied universities and it consists of':

* Estonian Ministry of Education and Research
* Estonian Information Technology Foundation
* University of Tartu
* Tallinn Technical University
* Tallinn University
* Estonian University of Life Sciences
* Estonian Business School
* Estonian Information Technology College
* University Nord

Other Estonian HEIs can also apply for the e-University membership. There are associated and full members, former having no right in e-university decision processes. An associated member can become a full member after a one-year membership in the e-University. All decisions (including questions of membership, strategy, budget, allocating of tasks to board) are done by the e-University council that consists of representatives of all full members. The board of e-University is the body that fulfils the tasks set up by the e-University council.

The Estonian e-University is a member of [http://www.eadtu.nl/ EADTU], [http://events.eife-l.org/ EIfEL], [http://www.qualityfoundation.org/ EFQUEL], [http://www.eden-online.org/eden.php EDEN] and [http://x316.bui-av.haw-hamburg.de/bsvc2006/index.php Baltic Sea Virtual Campus]. Its functions are:

* of profound studies,
* increasing the availability of quality education for students and other people willing to learn, for example adults, handicapped people, Estonians abroad and foreign students,
* educating lecturers of universities to compile and practice quality and efficient e-courses,
* providing lecturers with necessary technical equipment, as well as improving the reputation of university education in Estonia and creating contacts for cooperation between foreign universities and business circles.

The history of Estonian e-University dates back to the beginning of 1990s when first enthusiastic people in universities started using email and web-pages as the first e-learning initiatives. Videoconferences over ISDN and web-based courses in a specially designed environment followed in 1998. However, there can be seen three main reasons for the actual establishment of Estonian e-University. Firstly, e-learning had been rather widely used in Estonian universities, but in most cases it was a low financed and not well coordinated initiative of a few enthusiastic people in a few faculties and open universities. Secondly, need for coordinated and institutionalized interuniversity cooperation in the field of open and distance learning had been perceived and discussed for years. And thirdly, similar initiatives in neighboring countries (Finland and Sweden) a few years earlier had given good examples.

The cooperation between universities needs, perhaps, an explanation on a slightly wider background. Estonian universities are very independent institutions, and there are very few initiatives or procedures in the area of HE coordinated by the state. The limited state control and liberal rules in HE resulted in the emergence of numerous private universities and applied HEIs in the 1990s when also the student numbers increased rapidly. The rapid growth in student numbers was by large due to the increasing number of adult students.

There were several reasons for vastly increasing interest for HE among adults. The reasons could simply be classified into two groups. Firstly, great need for new skills arising from enormous changes in the labor market and society – many people did not manage with ‘an old education’ obtained in the 1960 – 1980s in ‘the new society’. The second group of reasons why more adult students came to universities was most likely related to opportunities, i.e., increasing openness of the HE system and curricula. Besides the increased number of different HE providers, public universities adopted a third mission of providing services to the society – they considerably diversified their forms of tuition, opened numerous new (mainly master-level) curricula oriented to adult students, made major efforts in regional development by opening colleges in regions far distant from the two biggest cities Tallinn and Tartu.

Thus, rather than relying on state-coordinated program to bring in more adults to the universities, universities themselves independently and also slightly differently responded to the needs of the changing society and introduced flexible, part-time adult education curricula for training and retraining of adults. Many of them did it under the name of ''open university'' that included all kind of university level Lifelong Learning activities ranging from special initiatives and courses for secondary school students, university continuing education, summer schools, part-time degree education or degree education given in the form of distance learning, public lectures, regional development initiatives, etc. As a rule, the open universities were also responsible for the development of ICT-based teaching in universities.

First open universities were launched in 1996, and in 1998, the first project tackling the need for interuniversity cooperation in this field initiated (Tempus project for ‘Developing Open University Infrastructure in Estonia’ 1998 – 2001) with three biggest public universities as partners. Another cooperation initiative started by the universities was the establishment of the [http://www.ut.ee/23061 Estonian Network for University Continuing Education (ENUCE)] in January 2001. Several seminars discussing different open university models culminated in January 2002 where conference titled ‘Estonian Open University – interuniversity cooperation for the development of open distance learning in Estonia’ was held with representatives from seven universities and the Ministry of Education and Research. This conference decided to make a concrete action plan for further development of the idea.

In summer 2002, Rectors’ Council approved the general idea, already called Estonian e-University at that time. In autumn 2002, the Minister of Education and Research summoned a working group for agreeing on activities and financing principles of the e-University. The process culminated in February 2003 when the Estonian e-University was officially launched by signing the ''Protocol of Good Will'' by the rectors of six universities, the Minister of Education and Research and the chair of the board of the Estonian Information Technology Foundation. By that time, plenty of work had already been done including e.g. submitting the first international project of Estonian e-University (the [http://www.e-uni.ee/Minerva/ UNIVe]) to Socrates Minerva program.

The target groups of Estonian e-University can be identified at different levels:

'''Students'''

The final target group for all activities is, of course, the current and potential students and learners of the universities of e-university members, both full-time and part-time students, learners at retraining programs and shorter continuing education courses. However, as widening access to high quality education is one of the main aims, the main target group among all students is adult students who live outside of bigger centers or who due to work obligations cannot participate in ordinary university studies. E-university also aims its activities at disadvantaged groups, including people with disabilities, for whom e-learning can make higher education more accessible. E-university also aims its activities at foreign students, thus, supporting the strategic aim of internationalization of several universities. Most e-University activities are not directly aimed at students but rather at teachers and universities. An e-course database is directly aimed at students that should become '''(1) a gateway to Estonian universities e-learning opportunities'''.

'''Universities'''

Although students are the final target group of the e-University activities, the latter does not offer tuition itself. Therefore, its activities are mainly aimed at helping universities, i.e. supporting and facilitating them in e-learning initiatives. This said, it does not mean that the e-University has a passive role in relation to universities. E-university is, and aims also to be in the future, the initiator and developer of e-learning initiatives taking into account the interests of the state, universities and students. Initiating and supporting interuniversity cooperation in e-learning initiatives is one of the strategic aims of e-University. From the HEIs’ perspective, e-University is '''(2) the developer and provider of a necessary technological environment needed for e-learning:'''
* portal (including a database for courses and learning objects),
* learning environment,
* exchange system for courses,
* necessary infrastructure for e-learning (incl. regional centers);

'''(3) support and development centre for e-learning (The UNIVe Project):'''
* initiation of research,
* innovation and development activities,
* initiation and management of projects,
* financial etc. support for realising e-learning initiatives,
* international marketer of e-courses/curricula in the future.

'''Academic staff'''

Besides developing infrastructure and procedures, plenty of e-University activities are directly or via support to universities aimed at academic staff support and development. From the university teachers’ point of view, e-University is primarily '''(4) an e-learning support centre:'''
* information and training to conduct e-courses,
* database for learning objects,
* contests and grants for developing e-learning.

'''State'''

'''NB! Up to date state of the art and the latest figures and facts can be found at the [[Estonian e-Learning Development Centre]] page.'''

Better usage of limited financial and intellectual HE resources, better and more equal access to higher education, better cooperation between universities, clear and unified trademark of Estonian higher e-education initiatives at international arena, competence when realizing state initiatives in e-learning etc. are, of course, of value for each particular university, but these can firstly be seen as the benefits of e-University for the state and society.

The Estonian e-University is financed by the membership fees, projects, and direct funding. The budget for the first year was nearly 4.5 million EEK (€ 300,000), whereas the budget for year 2004 was over 6 million EEK (€ 400,000). Every member covers its costs related to e-University initiatives within its own university by itself. Membership fee is divided to fixed and proportional parts. The last is calculated on the basis of full-time equivalent student numbers.

In year 2004, the e-University database included some 250 courses. Approximately, 9,000 people participated in different e-courses, most of them being university students. Most courses were in Estonian, with the exception of a few English courses. There are no curricula that one could study fully via the internet.

===[[Estonian e-Vocational School]]===

The [http://www.e-ope.ee/ Estonian e-Vocational School] was founded in 2005 in cooperation of six professional education institutions, 31 vocational education institutions, the Ministry of Education and Research and the Estonian Information Technology Foundation to promote lifelong learning under the principles of regional development and in the framework of ten thematic networks. It functions under the Estonian Information Technology Foundation and is financed by the membership fees, the state budget and by Measure 1.1 of the EU’s Social Fund.

In 2006, the Estonian e-Vocational School had been financed with a total of € 63,911 since 2005. Together with the Estonian e-University, it is one of the two main consortia of EITSA. The e-Vocational School consortium accounts for 68 % of the total number of students of the e-Learning Development Center member schools.

===[[Tiger University Program]]===

'''The Nations Support Program for the ICT in Higher Education "Tiger University"''' was approved by the Estonian Government in January 2002. Its administration was delegated to the Estonian Information Technology Foundation.

The '''Tiger University Program goals''' are to:

* Support for the development of the ICT infrastructure at higher educational establishments,
* Support for the development of ICT academic staff and degree courses' infrastructure.

The '''priorities''' are:

* development of ICT infrastructure (upgrading the academic backbones and networks, PC procurements, equipping the labs, providing software),
* development of ICT-related curricula (new curricula, creation of study materials, e-University, e-learning, literature and electronic resources),
* motivating the academic staff (mentoring PhD students, academic sabbaticals, lecturers' and PhD students mobility scheme, internships, visiting lecturers).

'''Program Council''' has been set up to coordinate and run the program. Together with the staff it announces the competitions, appoints experts, reviews submissions, is authorised to make allocations, and later monitors and follows up on the results.

===[[University of Tartu]]===

The [http://www.ut.ee/index.aw/set_lang_id=2 University of Tartu] is said to have been the alma mater for the entire educational system and the scientific research in Estonia. It was founded already in 1632. However, it became a national university - ''Tartu Ülikool'' - only in 1919. Nowadays, the university has some 11 faculties, 3 reasearch institutes and 6 colleges with more than 70 departments, institutes and clinics. The number of students is over 18,000 and the number of teaching staff some 1,300.

====[[Open University]]====

The [http://www.ut.ee/aveng/info/openuni Open University] was established in 1996. The mission of the Open University was:

* to improve access to education;
* to diversify study opportunities;
* to make the education more student-centred, taking the student's needs into greater account;
* to provide high quality education under maximum flexibility, with course offerings being independent of time and place.

Today the Open University is a successful hallmark of the University of Tartu, covering both degree education and continuing education programs through distance education or other "unconventional" learning environments. Training under the trademark of Open University is provided by the faculties and colleges at University of Tartu. The activities, in turn, are coordinated by the Open University Centre and the Academic Affairs Office.

====E-learning at University of Tartu====

Year 1995 may be considered the beginning of e-learning at University of Tartu. It was the year, when the first e-mail based course was delivered in the Faculty of Mathemathics, and only three years later (1998), the Multimedia Center obtained videoconference facilities with the support of the PHARE Multi-country Project in Distance Education. In 1998, also first web-based course in the WebCT environment was developed and delivered at the university. And since then, the number of web-based courses has indeed increased. At the end of year 2007, the number of web-based courses was approximately 600. However, entirely web-based curricula did not yet exist.

In January 2000, the University Council gave priority to ICT-based learning acclaiming that it should be important to inculcate ICT-based learning in all study moulds, to start the development program of ICT-based courses and assigning the Distance Education Centre as a structural unit with the responsibility for developing ICT-based learning at the University of Tartu.

In 2001, the Multimedia Center started to create CDs for study purposes. In November 2002, the Multimedia Center launched a project of video lectures that received financial support from EITSA (Estonian Information Technology Foundation) in 2003. They used both real time video streaming as well as storage and archival of lectures. The project was continued in 2004 by replacing the outdated video conference equipment with the support from EITF.

In February 2002, [http://www.ut.ee/e-ope the E-University portal] of University of Tartu was opened. Besides offering learning opportunities and support for learners, this portal provided both technical and methodological help for academic staff (professors and tutors) for elaborating ICT-based courses, etc.

In February 2003, the University of Tartu initiated in cooperation with other universities, the Ministry of Education and Research and the Estonian Information Technology Foundation, the [http://www.e-uni.ee/index.php?main=120 Estonian e-University], which has since grown into a consortium under EITF to support the universities and coordinate the development of e-learning.

The university's first education technologist was employed in year 2000 (and seven more a few years later) to assist the teaching staff in the development of web-based courses. At the end of year 2005, the University of Tartu then approved its first e-learning strategy ([http://www.ut.ee/orb.aw/class=file/action=preview/id=322181/e-oppe_strateegia_eng2.pdf E-learning strategy 2006-2010]), which sets the tasks of developing e-learning in 3 categories:

:I Support high-quality studies centred on the student and involvement of new target groups;
:II Increase the e-learning competence of teaching staff, students and assistance personnel and develop the cooperation models for e-learning;
:III Ensure the high level of infrastructure and support services for e-learning.

===[[Tallinn University]]===

[http://www.tlu.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn University] is the third largest university in Estonia, consisting of 18 institutes and 4 colleges. It has more than 8,500 students as well as more than 400 faculty members and research fellows. It is the fastest growing university in Estonia.

Tallinn University, like any other public university in Estonia, uses the 3+2 system (i.e. three years of bachelor studies + two years of master studies). There are 49 specialist areas at the bachelor level, 70 at the master level and 12 at the doctoral level. The university and its curricula have been accredited by the Estonian Higher Education Quality Assessment Council.

The university’s programs are unique in Estonia for the high degree of academic freedom they allow. One quarter to one third of the subjects at every level are freely available and a significant number of specialist subjects are also included as electives. Thus, students are able to design their own study plan quite independently.

Tallinn University is one of the main providers of web-based courses in Estonia. It has a great role in developing LMSs, CMSs and ICT-supported learning methodology. Tallinn University has also developed teachers’ support system in the field of web-based learning and several digital learning materials for general schools.

====[[Tallinn Virtual University]]====

[http://tlu.toru.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn Virtual University] is a new initiative at the Tallinn University. It was opened in December 2008 and its aim is to make recordings of different open lectures, interviews with lecturers and university visitors, materials of seminars, summer schools, conferences among other things available to everyone. The materials can be watched online or downloaded to one's computer. The Web environment of Tallinn Virtual University is based on [http://toru.ee/ Toru] technology and it is administered by Nagi OÜ. All videos are located in the Toru video site and can also be found through Toru search.

===[[Tallinn University of Technology]]===

Founded in 1918 as an engineering college (university status was granted in 1936), [http://www.ttu.ee/?lang=en Tallinn University of Technology (TUT)] has now become one of the largest universities in Estonia.

The University is structured into eight faculties, three colleges and six research and development institutions. The faculties are: Civil Engineering, Power Engineering, Humanities, Information Technology, Chemical and Materials Technology, Economics and Business Administration, Science and Mechanical Engineering. The application oriented bachelor-level programs in different technical and economic fields of study are offered in the three colleges - Business College, Kuressaare College and Virumaa College.

TUT has over 13,000 students and personnel of 1,970 (incl. affiliated institutions). Instruction is conducted in Estonian, however, during the first two years, Russian-based general studies are also possible. Selected courses are delivered in English. Tallinn University of Technology is also one of the main providers of ICT education in Estonia. The share of e-courses within total courses is aimed at 15 % in 2010 (4 % in 2005).

==References==

* Estonian Ministry of Education and Research (2006)
:OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.

*Krull Andre (2003)
:ICT Infrastructure and E-readiness Assessment Report: ESTONIA

* Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications (2003)
:Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013

* [http://www.boldic.net/document/Estonia/BOLDIC_Estonia_report.pdf BOLDIC - National Report on Estonia. Open and Distance Learning in Estonia], PDF - 28 pages.

* [http://ftp.jrc.es/EURdoc/JRC42865.pdf The Development of e-Services in an Enlarged EU: e-Learning in Estonia. JRC Scientific and Technical Reports], PDF - 125 pages.

* [http://www.e-uni.ee/documents/strat_final_en_web.pdf E-learning Development Center - Strategy 2007-2012. Estonian Information Technology Foundation], PDF - 32 pages.

'''Relevant websites'''

* [http://www.eitsa.ee Estonian Information Technology Foundation]
* [http://www.e-uni.ee/index.php?main=120 Estonian e-University]
* [http://www.esis.ee/ist2004/12.html Estonian Information Society in Facts and Figures]
* [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/home.htm The Estonia Page]
* [http://nettskolen.nki.no/in_english/megatrends/index.html MegaTrends in E-Learning Provision]
* [http://www.oef.org.ee/en/ Open Estonia Foundation]
* [http://www.tlu.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn University]
* [http://www.ttu.ee/?lang=en Tallinn University of Technology]
* [http://tlu.toru.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn Virtual University]
* [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/ Tiger Leap Foundation]
* [http://www.e-uni.ee/Minerva/index.html The UNIVe Project]
* [http://www.ut.ee/index.aw/set_lang_id=2 University of Tartu]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Wikipedia]

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[[Category:Estonia| ]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:European Union]]

Estonia

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Estonia

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== Partners situated in Estonia ==

None.

== Estonia in a nutshell ==

(mainly sourced from: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estonia Wikipedia] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

[[Image:Ee-map.png|left|thumb|250px|Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Atlas_of_Estonia]]

Estonia, officially the '''Republic of Estonia''' is a country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Its territory covers only 45,227 km² and is divided into 15 counties. Estonia is a democratic parliamentary republic. Its capital and largest city is Tallinn. Estonia was a member of the League of Nations from 1921, has been a member of the United Nations since 1991, of the European Union since 2004 and of NATO since 2004. With only 1.4 million inhabitants, Estonia comprises one of the smallest populations of the EU countries.

In 1918, the Estonian Declaration of Independence was issued, to be followed by the Estonian War of Independence (1918-1920), which resulted in the Tartu Peace Treaty recognizing Estonian independence in perpetuity. During World War II, Estonia was occupied and annexed first by the Soviet Union and subsequently by the Third Reich, only to be re-occupied by the Soviet Union in 1944. Estonia regained its independence in 1991 and it has since embarked on a rapid program of social and economic reform. Today, the country has gained recognition for its economic freedom, its adaptation of new technologies and as one of the world's fastest growing economies.

The official language in Estonia is Estonian, which belongs to the Finno-Ugric language family and is closely related to Finnish. Along with Finnish, English, Russian and German are also widely spoken and understood. The major minority language is Russian with its speakers making up about 30 % of the population. Russian-language education is provided in public and also in private schools at all levels: pre-school, basic and secondary schools, as well as vocational schools higher education institutions. About 24 % of all Estonian school children attend Russian-language basic and secondary schools. Some 10 % of higher education students study in Russian.

==Estonian education policy==

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/culture/education.htm The Estonia Page] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

The Estonian Constitution states that everybody has the right to an education. Attending school is compulsory for all school-age children to the extent established by law, and is free in general education schools established by state and local governments. In order to make education accessible, the state and local governments are financially responsible for maintaining the necessary number of educational institutions. The law allows the establishment and operation of other types of educational institutions, including private schools.

Everybody has the right to an education in the Estonian language. In an educational institution in which minority students predominate, the language is chosen by the educational institution. Education is under the supervision of the state.

The Education Act has established that the objective of education is:

* creating favorable conditions for the development of individuals, family, the Estonian nation, national minorities and Estonian economic, political and cultural life in the context of the world economy and culture;
* developing a law-abiding citizenry;
* providing conditions for continuing education.

A wide network of schools and supporting educational institutions has been established in Estonia. The Estonian educational system consists of state, municipal, public and private educational institutions. The Education Act states that in accordance with the UNESCO international standard of education classification, education has the following levels: pre-primary education, basic education, secondary education and higher education.

Each level has its established requirements, which are called the state educational standards and are presented together with state curricula. The curricula contain the mandatory study programs, time scheduled to cover the programs, and descriptions of compulsory knowledge, skills, experience and behavioral norms.

==Estonian education system==

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/culture/education.htm The Estonia Page] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

Basic education is established by a national curriculum of basic and secondary education. On the basis of the national curriculum, schools compile their own curricula. Basic education covers grades from one to nine. Basic education in Estonia is compulsory. Basic education is mainly taught at municipal schools (basic school classes at primary, basic and secondary schools). Local governments determine a service area for each school where it is obliged to guarantee all school-age children the opportunity to study.

Secondary education is voluntary and free at state and municipal educational institutions. General secondary education is acquired at upper-secondary schools (grades 10-12), and vocational education at vocational education institutions. Secondary education is governed by a national curriculum of basic and secondary education (general secondary education) or by a national vocational education curriculum and national curricula of vocations (vocational secondary education).

Access to higher education is regulated by the Universities Act and the Institutions of Professional Higher Education Act. Students having either a general secondary school-leaving certificate (12 years of schooling) or a secondary vocational school-leaving certificate (based on qualifications of different length) and the State Examination Certificate have access to higher education. In addition, those having a corresponding foreign qualification can gain access. But access for all students is subject to discretion of higher education institutions. Merit plays the dominant role in the access to the specific programs.

There are three types of educational institutions that provide higher education: universities (''ülikool'') - institutions of research, development, study and culture at all higher education levels in several fields of study; professional higher education institutions (''rakenduskõrgkool'') - educational institutions of professional higher education and Magister-study; and vocational education schools (''kutseõppeasutus'') - institutions of secondary vocational.

The different legal forms of HEIs are: public, state and private. Private institutions can be owned by a public limited company or private limited company entered in the commercial register or by a foundation or non-profit association entered into the non-profit associations and foundations register. Both public (or state) and private higher education institutions are authorized to operate.

==Higher education in Estonia==

(mainly sourced from: ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

See also the following OECD reports for more information about the Estonian higher education:
:[http://www.oecd.org/document/13/0,3343,en_2649_39263238_35585357_1_1_1_1,00.html Thematic Review of Tertiary Education - Country Reviews];
:[http://www.oecd.org/document/16/0,3343,en_2649_39263238_35580240_1_1_1_1,00.html Thematic Review of Tertiary Education - Country Background Reports].

In the period since the restoration of independence in 1991, remarkable changes took place in the system of Estonian higher education. This was visible not only in the rise in number of HEIs, but also in the development in the areas of funding, human resources management, quality assurance, research and innovation, equity, links to the labor market and internationalization.

'''The universities offer Bachelor (three years, 180 ECTS – or exceptionally 240 ECTS credits), Master (one-two years, 60-120 ECTS) and PhD programs (three to four years).''' Medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, architecture and civil engineering are exempted from the Bachelor-Master structure. These programs (still) have integrated tiers, leading directly to the Master degree (300-360 ECTS).

'''State professional higher education institutions offer mostly four-year Bachelor programs, but some programs are three years, some others four-and-a-half. Students can continue their studies at universities but often need bridging courses.''' The state institutions are allowed to offer Master programs (under some conditions) but, as of 2006 - 2007, there were only six Master programs registered by three state professional higher education institutions (Tartu Aviation College, the Estonian Maritime Academic and the Estonian National Defence College). Private professional higher education institutions offer mostly three-year programs, some offer Master programs as well.

'''Vocational education schools offer professional higher education programs.''' However, the recent Estonian Higher Education Strategy 2006-2015 envisages to close down most of these programs or to have the schools upgraded to professional higher education institutions.

In academic year 2005 – 2006, there were 39 HEIs in Estonia. Although the number of institutions seems high for a country the size of Estonia, this number has already been reduced due to the increase of quality and financial requirements in the legislation. In the course of the academic year 2006 - 2007, the number was further decreased to 35. The highest number of HEIs that the country has had was 49 in academic years 2001 – 2002 and 2002 – 2003.

There are six public universities in Estonia: Tallinn University (with 7,350 students in 2005), the University of Tartu (18,536) – the oldest in the country (created in 1632), Tallinn University of Technology (10,700), the Estonian University of Life Sciences (4 752), the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (567) and the Estonian Academy of Art (962). Although these institutions already existed in 1991, significant changes in their operation have occurred since then. Additionally, several of them have established a number of semi-independent (regional) colleges in the past 15 years. The public universities together catered for about two-thirds of the 68,287 students enrolled in Estonian HEIs in 2005.

There are five, relatively small private universities, most of which offer programs in just a few disciplines. The most important fields offered are business administration, law, media, arts and humanities and information technology. Their number of students in 2005 ranged from 116 to 2,547, in
total they had 6,467 students. Eight professional higher education institutions constitute the public part of this sector catering for 7,142 students in 2005. Their size ranges from 166 to 2,111 students. Additionally, there are thirteen private professional higher education institutions (with a total of 7,452 students), all of very small size, although the largest of the privates is bigger than the largest public professional higher education institution (i.e. 2,538 students). Like private
universities, also the private professional higher education institutions focus mostly on business administration, information technology, arts and humanities, but also on theology.

The third sector, vocational education schools, consists of six public institutions and one private institution. The total number of students in this sector is 4,359. They range in size from 30 to 1,322 students. These institutions offer not only tertiary education but also secondary-level education.

The governance of HEIs is under the auspices of the [http://www.hm.ee/index.php?148558 Ministry of Education and Research] with three exceptions – The Estonian National Defense College ([http://www.mod.gov.ee/?setlang=eng Ministry of Defense]) and the Public Service Academy ([http://www.siseministeerium.ee/?lang=en Ministry of Interior Affairs]). The Baltic Defense College (situating in Tartu) is operating under the agreement of three Baltic Ministers of Defense and is not part of the formal higher education system.

==Higher education reform==

(mainly sourced from: ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

Major developments in the Estonian higher education policy may be outlined in three phases. The first phase (1989 – 1995) implied separating from the Soviet system and building up a new legal framework. Much effort was also put in realizing the 1995 University Act, paving the way for the 1996 Standard of Higher Education. The second phase (1996 – 1999) saw the expansion of the higher education system in combination with the development of legal frameworks and quality assurance mechanisms for the different sectors. The third phase (2000 – 2004) indicated the next wave of reforms, hallmarked by the higher education reform plan 2002.

The most recent strategy document (2006 – 2015) was approved by the Government in June 2006. This ''Estonian Higher Education Strategy 2006-2015'' addresses three main challenges for the sector in the coming years. First, the number of students entering higher education is expected to diminish by about 60 % by 2016. Second, there is a clear need to strengthen the international dimension of higher education institutions. Third, additional funding – both for infrastructure and human resources – is of vital importance for the sustainability of the system. Estonia was also among the countries that signed the Bologna Declaration in 1999.

==Administration and finance==

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/culture/education.htm The Estonia Page] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

Estonian HEIs receive funding from the public budget for the provision of graduates (so-called state-commissioned places), for capital investment and for other expenditure (foreign aid projects, education allowances for students, library expenditure, etc.). Finance from the public budget is provided primarily in the form of the state commission: approximately 80 % of public funding over the period 1995 - 2004. Both public and private institutions receive funding through the state commission. However, private institutions are allocated a very small number of state commissioned places, in a restricted range of disciplines. In some cases, this allocation occurs in areas where supply by public institutions is deemed lacking, while in other cases it is intended to reflect public recognition of the quality of the programs.

Both public and private institutions gain income for their teaching activities from student union fees. Public institutions may charge tuition fees to students, who do not gain access to state-commissioned places and, are free to set the level of fees. The one restriction on public universities is that they may mot increase fees by more than 10 % each year.

Students in Estonia fall into one of two distinct groups. Either they occupy state-commissioned places and pay nothing for their tuition or they do not and pay the full costs of their tuition. A third group is emerging: students admitted free of charge at the expense of tertiary institutions. This trend is especially visible at the PhD level.

State-commissioned places are allocated by higher education institutions to students studying full-time on the basis of academic performance. Places are allocated to commencing students on the basis of their performance in relevant entrance exams (essentially the state exams at the end of secondary school). Should a student in a state-commissioned place fail to meet the requirements of full-time study he or she loses the right to occupy such a place and may be replaced by a better performing student undertaking study at the same level. The tuition fees paid by students in fee-paying places vary by type of course and institution.

==Quality assurance==

(mainly sourced from: ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

The growth of the system has led Estonian society to the realisation that the quality of higher education varies both by the type of institution and by field of study. Estonia started to build its national quality assurance system in the mid 1990s, in answer to the rapid expansion of the higher education sector. Its goals were to increase the information on higher education offerings and to provide the academic community with support for selfimprovement

Since 1996, by governmental decree, the Standard of Higher Education regulates the establishment of higher education institutions and determines the requirements they and their programmes must meet in order to obtain an education license. This licensing process is carried out by the Ministry of Education and Research.

Quality assurance arrangements are based on an accreditation scheme, which is voluntary but essential both for having the right to issue officially recognised higher education credentials and to have access to state funding. Evaluation is the responsibility of the Higher Education Quality Assessment
Council (HEQAC), established in 1995 and composed of twelve members, appointed by the government on the recommendation of the Ministry of Education and Research (which takes into account the proposal of higher education institutions, academic unions and employers).

HEQAC determines the quality standards, organises external reviews and makes a recommendation to the Ministry regarding universities, professionally- or vocationally-oriented higher education institutions and their operation. The accreditation decision belongs to the Ministry, which normally approves the
recommendation of the HEQAC; however, it can reject it, in which case a new review must be carried out.

The Ministry of Education and Research’s Strategy for Higher Education 2006 - 2015 places a strong emphasis on quality and the means to assure it. Its objectives focus on the competitive quality of Estonian higher education and the need for it to serve the country’s development interests and innovation. Consistent with these objectives, the actions highlight the need to strengthen quality assurance by promoting internal assessment and improvement strategies within educational institutions and establishing quality requirements and supervision of quality by the state.

==Estonian HEIs in the information society==

(mainly sourced from: ''ICT Infrastructure and E-readiness Assessment Report: ESTONIA.'' and ''Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013.'')

When regaining independence in August 1991, Estonia was a relatively backward country technologically. State infrastructure (institutions and people) had to be built up almost from scratch, monetary reform in 1992 established the stable currency. Heavy industry machinery and infrastructure established during the Soviet era found almost no use after the privatization and technological upgrading by the new owners. The access to Russian market was increasingly more difficult due to the politically set trade barriers by the Russian Federation, and the quality of Estonian products was not good enough to compete in the Western markets.

In spite of these unfavorable conditions, Estonian industrial structure started to depart from the factor-driven stage into the investment-driven economy in the early 1990s. The main reasons behind this development most probably were (1) the proximity of technologically advanced Finland and Sweden, (2) large amount of foreign direct investments into Estonian companies, (3) a population with high level of technical education (in the Soviet era, only hard sciences were ideologically free), and (4) a large part of the population ready to consume and adopt modern technology as a part of one’s lifestyle. Additionally, the number of computer and Internet users in Estonia was growing heavily. In recent years, also ICT equipment and services have become much more affordable.

So in light of all these developments, what have been the crucial factors supporting the development of Estonian information society and the growth of ICT centered activities both in public and private sector? According to Krull, '''1) building up modern infrastructure; 2) Tiger’s Leap Project in computerizing schools and universities; 3) adopting regulations for information society; 4) government IT-programs; 5) collaboration between the government, private sector and non-governmental initiatives; and last but not least 6) luck''' have been these main drivers.

In the educational sector, the Tiger Leap program has played an important role in the virtuous circle of making IT popular first among children and through them among the whole society. Almost all children (93 %) have access to the Internet either at school, in the neighborhood or at home. Pupils use the Internet mainly at school (79%). In 2000, there were no basic or upper secondary schools without computers in Estonia, 75% of schools also had online Internet connections.

Additionally, the overall impact of governmental actions has been crucial in the development of Estonian information society. From creating favorable legal environment and leading the way with computerizing the whole public administration, some of the major e-services for the public sector were also developed. Principles for the development of the information society in Estonia were first set out in 1998. However, the first strategic document was established only in 2006.

In Estonia, the development of the information society is, indeed, based on the Principles of Estonian Information Policy, adopted by the Estonian Parliament in 1998. A follow-up to the document, the Principles of Estonian Information Policy 2004 – 2006, was elaborated and approved by the Government of the Republic in 2004. The [http://ec.europa.eu/idabc/servlets/Doc?id=28163 Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013], in turn, entered into force in January 2007. It is a sectoral development plan, setting out the general framework, objectives and respective action fields for the broad employment of ICT in the development of knowledge-based economy and society in Estonia in 2007 – 2013.

Estonian developments to the direction of information society have been adequate concerning the initiatives started by the public sector. The level and quality of ICT infrastructure and the access to it has gone through a major improvement during the last decade. The role of ICT in the society and Internet’s growing role in providing information, business transactions, interaction between the state and citizens allows to assume that the e-readiness of Estonia is improving with every essential application and service delivered through the Internet. An emphasis made on computerizing the schools and providing vocational education to grownups has been essential.

==Virtual initiatives in HE==

===[[Open Estonia Foundation]]===

The [http://www.oef.org.ee/en/ Open Estonia Foundation (OEF)], a charitable foundation established in 1990 with the help and funding of Georg Soros, made a remarkable contribution to eLearning especially in the early stages during the 1990s. OEF funded several extensive educational projects promoting ICT infrastructure in schools and universities as well as teacher training with a budget of about € 300,000.

Today however, the main responsibility of implementation of services for eLearning is in the hands of non-profit organisations – Estonian Information Technology Foundation and Tiger Leap Foundation. The activities of both institutions are based on special programs with respective budgets.

===[[Estonian Information Technology Foundation]]===

[http://www.eitsa.ee/?url=eitf Estonian Information Technology Foundation (EITSA)] is a non-profit organization founded by the Estonian Republic, University of Tartu, Tallinn University of Technology, Eesti Telekom and the Association of Estonian Information Technology and Telecommunications Companies. The 5-member Council of EITSA is made up of the representatives of the aforementioned founders. They appoint the 3 members of the Executive Board. The Foundation is annually audited by a sworn auditor.

EITSA's aims are to assist in preparation of the highly qualified IT specialists and to support ICT-related development in Estonia. For these purposes the Foundation established and manages the Estonian IT College and administers the National Support Program for ICT in Higher Education "Tiger University."

===[[Tiger Leap Foundation]]===

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/?setlang=eng Tiger Leap Foundation])

The [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/ Tiger Leap Foundation (TLF)] has been the initiator and funder of several research activities on ICT in education since 1997. The mission of the foundation is to help to improve the quality of education in Estonia through application of ICT. Focusing mainly on three areas – computers and internet connections for schools, educational software development and teacher in-service training - TLF has been the main driving force of change in Estonian schools. With the help of TLF, all schools in Estonia are connected to the Internet and have original educational software available for most subjects, 75 % of teachers have been trained twice in ICT skills. The foundation also operates the Estonian Schoolnet website www.koolielu.ee.

Since 2004, Tiger Leap Foundation, a partner in the European Schoolnet, is coordinating and funding several EC educational programs: eTwinning, Springday Europe and Netdays Europe among others. New challenges for the foundation are promoting design and technology as well as media studies in Estonian schools. TLF is a non-profit organisation funded by the Estonian Ministry of Education and sponsors.

===[[Estonian e-University]]===

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.e-uni.ee/index.php?main=120 Estonian e-University] and [http://www.e-uni.ee/Minerva/2.2.2.html The UNIVe Project])

The [[Estonian e-University]] ([[EeU]]) was officially founded in February 2003. The EeU is a consortium of universities and applied universities and it consists of':

* Estonian Ministry of Education and Research
* Estonian Information Technology Foundation
* University of Tartu
* Tallinn Technical University
* Tallinn University
* Estonian University of Life Sciences
* Estonian Business School
* Estonian Information Technology College
* University Nord

Other Estonian HEIs can also apply for the e-University membership. There are associated and full members, former having no right in e-university decision processes. An associated member can become a full member after a one-year membership in the e-University. All decisions (including questions of membership, strategy, budget, allocating of tasks to board) are done by the e-University council that consists of representatives of all full members. The board of e-University is the body that fulfils the tasks set up by the e-University council.

The Estonian e-University is a member of [http://www.eadtu.nl/ EADTU], [http://events.eife-l.org/ EIfEL], [http://www.qualityfoundation.org/ EFQUEL], [http://www.eden-online.org/eden.php EDEN] and [http://x316.bui-av.haw-hamburg.de/bsvc2006/index.php Baltic Sea Virtual Campus]. Its functions are:

* of profound studies,
* increasing the availability of quality education for students and other people willing to learn, for example adults, handicapped people, Estonians abroad and foreign students,
* educating lecturers of universities to compile and practice quality and efficient e-courses,
* providing lecturers with necessary technical equipment, as well as improving the reputation of university education in Estonia and creating contacts for cooperation between foreign universities and business circles.

The history of Estonian e-University dates back to the beginning of 1990s when first enthusiastic people in universities started using email and web-pages as the first e-learning initiatives. Videoconferences over ISDN and web-based courses in a specially designed environment followed in 1998. However, there can be seen three main reasons for the actual establishment of Estonian e-University. Firstly, e-learning had been rather widely used in Estonian universities, but in most cases it was a low financed and not well coordinated initiative of a few enthusiastic people in a few faculties and open universities. Secondly, need for coordinated and institutionalized interuniversity cooperation in the field of open and distance learning had been perceived and discussed for years. And thirdly, similar initiatives in neighboring countries (Finland and Sweden) a few years earlier had given good examples.

The cooperation between universities needs, perhaps, an explanation on a slightly wider background. Estonian universities are very independent institutions, and there are very few initiatives or procedures in the area of HE coordinated by the state. The limited state control and liberal rules in HE resulted in the emergence of numerous private universities and applied HEIs in the 1990s when also the student numbers increased rapidly. The rapid growth in student numbers was by large due to the increasing number of adult students.

There were several reasons for vastly increasing interest for HE among adults. The reasons could simply be classified into two groups. Firstly, great need for new skills arising from enormous changes in the labor market and society – many people did not manage with ‘an old education’ obtained in the 1960 – 1980s in ‘the new society’. The second group of reasons why more adult students came to universities was most likely related to opportunities, i.e., increasing openness of the HE system and curricula. Besides the increased number of different HE providers, public universities adopted a third mission of providing services to the society – they considerably diversified their forms of tuition, opened numerous new (mainly master-level) curricula oriented to adult students, made major efforts in regional development by opening colleges in regions far distant from the two biggest cities Tallinn and Tartu.

Thus, rather than relying on state-coordinated program to bring in more adults to the universities, universities themselves independently and also slightly differently responded to the needs of the changing society and introduced flexible, part-time adult education curricula for training and retraining of adults. Many of them did it under the name of ''open university'' that included all kind of university level Lifelong Learning activities ranging from special initiatives and courses for secondary school students, university continuing education, summer schools, part-time degree education or degree education given in the form of distance learning, public lectures, regional development initiatives, etc. As a rule, the open universities were also responsible for the development of ICT-based teaching in universities.

First open universities were launched in 1996, and in 1998, the first project tackling the need for interuniversity cooperation in this field initiated (Tempus project for ‘Developing Open University Infrastructure in Estonia’ 1998 – 2001) with three biggest public universities as partners. Another cooperation initiative started by the universities was the establishment of the [http://www.ut.ee/23061 Estonian Network for University Continuing Education (ENUCE)] in January 2001. Several seminars discussing different open university models culminated in January 2002 where conference titled ‘Estonian Open University – interuniversity cooperation for the development of open distance learning in Estonia’ was held with representatives from seven universities and the Ministry of Education and Research. This conference decided to make a concrete action plan for further development of the idea.

In summer 2002, Rectors’ Council approved the general idea, already called Estonian e-University at that time. In autumn 2002, the Minister of Education and Research summoned a working group for agreeing on activities and financing principles of the e-University. The process culminated in February 2003 when the Estonian e-University was officially launched by signing the ''Protocol of Good Will'' by the rectors of six universities, the Minister of Education and Research and the chair of the board of the Estonian Information Technology Foundation. By that time, plenty of work had already been done including e.g. submitting the first international project of Estonian e-University (the [http://www.e-uni.ee/Minerva/ UNIVe]) to Socrates Minerva program.

The target groups of Estonian e-University can be identified at different levels:

'''Students'''

The final target group for all activities is, of course, the current and potential students and learners of the universities of e-university members, both full-time and part-time students, learners at retraining programs and shorter continuing education courses. However, as widening access to high quality education is one of the main aims, the main target group among all students is adult students who live outside of bigger centers or who due to work obligations cannot participate in ordinary university studies. E-university also aims its activities at disadvantaged groups, including people with disabilities, for whom e-learning can make higher education more accessible. E-university also aims its activities at foreign students, thus, supporting the strategic aim of internationalization of several universities. Most e-University activities are not directly aimed at students but rather at teachers and universities. An e-course database is directly aimed at students that should become '''(1) a gateway to Estonian universities e-learning opportunities'''.

'''Universities'''

Although students are the final target group of the e-University activities, the latter does not offer tuition itself. Therefore, its activities are mainly aimed at helping universities, i.e. supporting and facilitating them in e-learning initiatives. This said, it does not mean that the e-University has a passive role in relation to universities. E-university is, and aims also to be in the future, the initiator and developer of e-learning initiatives taking into account the interests of the state, universities and students. Initiating and supporting interuniversity cooperation in e-learning initiatives is one of the strategic aims of e-University. From the HEIs’ perspective, e-University is '''(2) the developer and provider of a necessary technological environment needed for e-learning:'''
* portal (including a database for courses and learning objects),
* learning environment,
* exchange system for courses,
* necessary infrastructure for e-learning (incl. regional centers);

'''(3) support and development centre for e-learning (The UNIVe Project):'''
* initiation of research,
* innovation and development activities,
* initiation and management of projects,
* financial etc. support for realising e-learning initiatives,
* international marketer of e-courses/curricula in the future.

'''Academic staff'''

Besides developing infrastructure and procedures, plenty of e-University activities are directly or via support to universities aimed at academic staff support and development. From the university teachers’ point of view, e-University is primarily '''(4) an e-learning support centre:'''
* information and training to conduct e-courses,
* database for learning objects,
* contests and grants for developing e-learning.

'''State'''

'''NB! Up to date state of the art and the latest figures and facts can be found at the [[Estonian e-Learning Development Centre]] page.'''

Better usage of limited financial and intellectual HE resources, better and more equal access to higher education, better cooperation between universities, clear and unified trademark of Estonian higher e-education initiatives at international arena, competence when realizing state initiatives in e-learning etc. are, of course, of value for each particular university, but these can firstly be seen as the benefits of e-University for the state and society.

The Estonian e-University is financed by the membership fees, projects, and direct funding. The budget for the first year was nearly 4.5 million EEK (€ 300,000), whereas the budget for year 2004 was over 6 million EEK (€ 400,000). Every member covers its costs related to e-University initiatives within its own university by itself. Membership fee is divided to fixed and proportional parts. The last is calculated on the basis of full-time equivalent student numbers.

In year 2004, the e-University database included some 250 courses. Approximately, 9,000 people participated in different e-courses, most of them being university students. Most courses were in Estonian, with the exception of a few English courses. There are no curricula that one could study fully via the internet.

===[[Estonian e-Vocational School]]===

The [http://www.e-ope.ee/ Estonian e-Vocational School] was founded in 2005 in cooperation of six professional education institutions, 31 vocational education institutions, the Ministry of Education and Research and the Estonian Information Technology Foundation to promote lifelong learning under the principles of regional development and in the framework of ten thematic networks. It functions under the Estonian Information Technology Foundation and is financed by the membership fees, the state budget and by Measure 1.1 of the EU’s Social Fund.

In 2006, the Estonian e-Vocational School had been financed with a total of € 63,911 since 2005. Together with the Estonian e-University, it is one of the two main consortia of EITSA. The e-Vocational School consortium accounts for 68 % of the total number of students of the e-Learning Development Center member schools.

===[[Tiger University Program]]===

'''The Nations Support Program for the ICT in Higher Education "Tiger University"''' was approved by the Estonian Government in January 2002. Its administration was delegated to the Estonian Information Technology Foundation.

The '''Tiger University Program goals''' are to:

* Support for the development of the ICT infrastructure at higher educational establishments,
* Support for the development of ICT academic staff and degree courses' infrastructure.

The '''priorities''' are:

* development of ICT infrastructure (upgrading the academic backbones and networks, PC procurements, equipping the labs, providing software),
* development of ICT-related curricula (new curricula, creation of study materials, e-University, e-learning, literature and electronic resources),
* motivating the academic staff (mentoring PhD students, academic sabbaticals, lecturers' and PhD students mobility scheme, internships, visiting lecturers).

'''Program Council''' has been set up to coordinate and run the program. Together with the staff it announces the competitions, appoints experts, reviews submissions, is authorised to make allocations, and later monitors and follows up on the results.

===[[University of Tartu]]===

The [http://www.ut.ee/index.aw/set_lang_id=2 University of Tartu] is said to have been the alma mater for the entire educational system and the scientific research in Estonia. It was founded already in 1632. However, it became a national university - ''Tartu Ülikool'' - only in 1919. Nowadays, the university has some 11 faculties, 3 reasearch institutes and 6 colleges with more than 70 departments, institutes and clinics. The number of students is over 18,000 and the number of teaching staff some 1,300.

====Open University====

The [http://www.ut.ee/aveng/info/openuni Open University] was established in 1996. The mission of the Open University was:

* to improve access to education;
* to diversify study opportunities;
* to make the education more student-centred, taking the student's needs into greater account;
* to provide high quality education under maximum flexibility, with course offerings being independent of time and place.

Today the Open University is a successful hallmark of the University of Tartu, covering both degree education and continuing education programs through distance education or other "unconventional" learning environments. Training under the trademark of Open University is provided by the faculties and colleges at University of Tartu. The activities, in turn, are coordinated by the Open University Centre and the Academic Affairs Office.

====E-learning at University of Tartu====

Year 1995 may be considered the beginning of e-learning at University of Tartu. It was the year, when the first e-mail based course was delivered in the Faculty of Mathemathics, and only three years later (1998), the Multimedia Center obtained videoconference facilities with the support of the PHARE Multi-country Project in Distance Education. In 1998, also first web-based course in the WebCT environment was developed and delivered at the university. And since then, the number of web-based courses has indeed increased. At the end of year 2007, the number of web-based courses was approximately 600. However, entirely web-based curricula did not yet exist.

In January 2000, the University Council gave priority to ICT-based learning acclaiming that it should be important to inculcate ICT-based learning in all study moulds, to start the development program of ICT-based courses and assigning the Distance Education Centre as a structural unit with the responsibility for developing ICT-based learning at the University of Tartu.

In 2001, the Multimedia Center started to create CDs for study purposes. In November 2002, the Multimedia Center launched a project of video lectures that received financial support from EITSA (Estonian Information Technology Foundation) in 2003. They used both real time video streaming as well as storage and archival of lectures. The project was continued in 2004 by replacing the outdated video conference equipment with the support from EITF.

In February 2002, [http://www.ut.ee/e-ope the E-University portal] of University of Tartu was opened. Besides offering learning opportunities and support for learners, this portal provided both technical and methodological help for academic staff (professors and tutors) for elaborating ICT-based courses, etc.

In February 2003, the University of Tartu initiated in cooperation with other universities, the Ministry of Education and Research and the Estonian Information Technology Foundation, the [http://www.e-uni.ee/index.php?main=120 Estonian e-University], which has since grown into a consortium under EITF to support the universities and coordinate the development of e-learning.

The university's first education technologist was employed in year 2000 (and seven more a few years later) to assist the teaching staff in the development of web-based courses. At the end of year 2005, the University of Tartu then approved its first e-learning strategy ([http://www.ut.ee/orb.aw/class=file/action=preview/id=322181/e-oppe_strateegia_eng2.pdf E-learning strategy 2006-2010]), which sets the tasks of developing e-learning in 3 categories:

:I Support high-quality studies centred on the student and involvement of new target groups;
:II Increase the e-learning competence of teaching staff, students and assistance personnel and develop the cooperation models for e-learning;
:III Ensure the high level of infrastructure and support services for e-learning.

===[[Tallinn University]]===

[http://www.tlu.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn University] is the third largest university in Estonia, consisting of 18 institutes and 4 colleges. It has more than 8,500 students as well as more than 400 faculty members and research fellows. It is the fastest growing university in Estonia.

Tallinn University, like any other public university in Estonia, uses the 3+2 system (i.e. three years of bachelor studies + two years of master studies). There are 49 specialist areas at the bachelor level, 70 at the master level and 12 at the doctoral level. The university and its curricula have been accredited by the Estonian Higher Education Quality Assessment Council.

The university’s programs are unique in Estonia for the high degree of academic freedom they allow. One quarter to one third of the subjects at every level are freely available and a significant number of specialist subjects are also included as electives. Thus, students are able to design their own study plan quite independently.

Tallinn University is one of the main providers of web-based courses in Estonia. It has a great role in developing LMSs, CMSs and ICT-supported learning methodology. Tallinn University has also developed teachers’ support system in the field of web-based learning and several digital learning materials for general schools.

====Tallinn Virtual University====

[http://tlu.toru.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn Virtual University] is a new initiative at the Tallinn University. It was opened in December 2008 and its aim is to make recordings of different open lectures, interviews with lecturers and university visitors, materials of seminars, summer schools, conferences among other things available to everyone. The materials can be watched online or downloaded to one's computer. The Web environment of Tallinn Virtual University is based on [http://toru.ee/ Toru] technology and it is administered by Nagi OÜ. All videos are located in the Toru video site and can also be found through Toru search.

===[[Tallinn University of Technology]]===

Founded in 1918 as an engineering college (university status was granted in 1936), [http://www.ttu.ee/?lang=en Tallinn University of Technology (TUT)] has now become one of the largest universities in Estonia.

The University is structured into eight faculties, three colleges and six research and development institutions. The faculties are: Civil Engineering, Power Engineering, Humanities, Information Technology, Chemical and Materials Technology, Economics and Business Administration, Science and Mechanical Engineering. The application oriented bachelor-level programs in different technical and economic fields of study are offered in the three colleges - Business College, Kuressaare College and Virumaa College.

TUT has over 13,000 students and personnel of 1,970 (incl. affiliated institutions). Instruction is conducted in Estonian, however, during the first two years, Russian-based general studies are also possible. Selected courses are delivered in English. Tallinn University of Technology is also one of the main providers of ICT education in Estonia. The share of e-courses within total courses is aimed at 15 % in 2010 (4 % in 2005).

==References==

* Estonian Ministry of Education and Research (2006)
:OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.

*Krull Andre (2003)
:ICT Infrastructure and E-readiness Assessment Report: ESTONIA

* Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications (2003)
:Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013

* [http://www.boldic.net/document/Estonia/BOLDIC_Estonia_report.pdf BOLDIC - National Report on Estonia. Open and Distance Learning in Estonia], PDF - 28 pages.

* [http://ftp.jrc.es/EURdoc/JRC42865.pdf The Development of e-Services in an Enlarged EU: e-Learning in Estonia. JRC Scientific and Technical Reports], PDF - 125 pages.

* [http://www.e-uni.ee/documents/strat_final_en_web.pdf E-learning Development Center - Strategy 2007-2012. Estonian Information Technology Foundation], PDF - 32 pages.

'''Relevant websites'''

* [http://www.eitsa.ee Estonian Information Technology Foundation]
* [http://www.e-uni.ee/index.php?main=120 Estonian e-University]
* [http://www.esis.ee/ist2004/12.html Estonian Information Society in Facts and Figures]
* [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/home.htm The Estonia Page]
* [http://nettskolen.nki.no/in_english/megatrends/index.html MegaTrends in E-Learning Provision]
* [http://www.oef.org.ee/en/ Open Estonia Foundation]
* [http://www.tlu.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn University]
* [http://www.ttu.ee/?lang=en Tallinn University of Technology]
* [http://tlu.toru.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn Virtual University]
* [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/ Tiger Leap Foundation]
* [http://www.e-uni.ee/Minerva/index.html The UNIVe Project]
* [http://www.ut.ee/index.aw/set_lang_id=2 University of Tartu]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Wikipedia]

----
> [[Countries]]
 
>> [[Main Page]]

[[Category:Estonia| ]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:European Union]]

Estonia

2009-06-03T16:10:23Z

Roman: /* Tallinn University */

== Partners situated in Estonia ==

None.

== Estonia in a nutshell ==

(mainly sourced from: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estonia Wikipedia] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

[[Image:Ee-map.png|left|thumb|250px|Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Atlas_of_Estonia]]

Estonia, officially the '''Republic of Estonia''' is a country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Its territory covers only 45,227 km² and is divided into 15 counties. Estonia is a democratic parliamentary republic. Its capital and largest city is Tallinn. Estonia was a member of the League of Nations from 1921, has been a member of the United Nations since 1991, of the European Union since 2004 and of NATO since 2004. With only 1.4 million inhabitants, Estonia comprises one of the smallest populations of the EU countries.

In 1918, the Estonian Declaration of Independence was issued, to be followed by the Estonian War of Independence (1918-1920), which resulted in the Tartu Peace Treaty recognizing Estonian independence in perpetuity. During World War II, Estonia was occupied and annexed first by the Soviet Union and subsequently by the Third Reich, only to be re-occupied by the Soviet Union in 1944. Estonia regained its independence in 1991 and it has since embarked on a rapid program of social and economic reform. Today, the country has gained recognition for its economic freedom, its adaptation of new technologies and as one of the world's fastest growing economies.

The official language in Estonia is Estonian, which belongs to the Finno-Ugric language family and is closely related to Finnish. Along with Finnish, English, Russian and German are also widely spoken and understood. The major minority language is Russian with its speakers making up about 30 % of the population. Russian-language education is provided in public and also in private schools at all levels: pre-school, basic and secondary schools, as well as vocational schools higher education institutions. About 24 % of all Estonian school children attend Russian-language basic and secondary schools. Some 10 % of higher education students study in Russian.

==Estonian education policy==

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/culture/education.htm The Estonia Page] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

The Estonian Constitution states that everybody has the right to an education. Attending school is compulsory for all school-age children to the extent established by law, and is free in general education schools established by state and local governments. In order to make education accessible, the state and local governments are financially responsible for maintaining the necessary number of educational institutions. The law allows the establishment and operation of other types of educational institutions, including private schools.

Everybody has the right to an education in the Estonian language. In an educational institution in which minority students predominate, the language is chosen by the educational institution. Education is under the supervision of the state.

The Education Act has established that the objective of education is:

* creating favorable conditions for the development of individuals, family, the Estonian nation, national minorities and Estonian economic, political and cultural life in the context of the world economy and culture;
* developing a law-abiding citizenry;
* providing conditions for continuing education.

A wide network of schools and supporting educational institutions has been established in Estonia. The Estonian educational system consists of state, municipal, public and private educational institutions. The Education Act states that in accordance with the UNESCO international standard of education classification, education has the following levels: pre-primary education, basic education, secondary education and higher education.

Each level has its established requirements, which are called the state educational standards and are presented together with state curricula. The curricula contain the mandatory study programs, time scheduled to cover the programs, and descriptions of compulsory knowledge, skills, experience and behavioral norms.

==Estonian education system==

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/culture/education.htm The Estonia Page] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

Basic education is established by a national curriculum of basic and secondary education. On the basis of the national curriculum, schools compile their own curricula. Basic education covers grades from one to nine. Basic education in Estonia is compulsory. Basic education is mainly taught at municipal schools (basic school classes at primary, basic and secondary schools). Local governments determine a service area for each school where it is obliged to guarantee all school-age children the opportunity to study.

Secondary education is voluntary and free at state and municipal educational institutions. General secondary education is acquired at upper-secondary schools (grades 10-12), and vocational education at vocational education institutions. Secondary education is governed by a national curriculum of basic and secondary education (general secondary education) or by a national vocational education curriculum and national curricula of vocations (vocational secondary education).

Access to higher education is regulated by the Universities Act and the Institutions of Professional Higher Education Act. Students having either a general secondary school-leaving certificate (12 years of schooling) or a secondary vocational school-leaving certificate (based on qualifications of different length) and the State Examination Certificate have access to higher education. In addition, those having a corresponding foreign qualification can gain access. But access for all students is subject to discretion of higher education institutions. Merit plays the dominant role in the access to the specific programs.

There are three types of educational institutions that provide higher education: universities (''ülikool'') - institutions of research, development, study and culture at all higher education levels in several fields of study; professional higher education institutions (''rakenduskõrgkool'') - educational institutions of professional higher education and Magister-study; and vocational education schools (''kutseõppeasutus'') - institutions of secondary vocational.

The different legal forms of HEIs are: public, state and private. Private institutions can be owned by a public limited company or private limited company entered in the commercial register or by a foundation or non-profit association entered into the non-profit associations and foundations register. Both public (or state) and private higher education institutions are authorized to operate.

==Higher education in Estonia==

(mainly sourced from: ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

See also the following OECD reports for more information about the Estonian higher education:
:[http://www.oecd.org/document/13/0,3343,en_2649_39263238_35585357_1_1_1_1,00.html Thematic Review of Tertiary Education - Country Reviews];
:[http://www.oecd.org/document/16/0,3343,en_2649_39263238_35580240_1_1_1_1,00.html Thematic Review of Tertiary Education - Country Background Reports].

In the period since the restoration of independence in 1991, remarkable changes took place in the system of Estonian higher education. This was visible not only in the rise in number of HEIs, but also in the development in the areas of funding, human resources management, quality assurance, research and innovation, equity, links to the labor market and internationalization.

'''The universities offer Bachelor (three years, 180 ECTS – or exceptionally 240 ECTS credits), Master (one-two years, 60-120 ECTS) and PhD programs (three to four years).''' Medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, architecture and civil engineering are exempted from the Bachelor-Master structure. These programs (still) have integrated tiers, leading directly to the Master degree (300-360 ECTS).

'''State professional higher education institutions offer mostly four-year Bachelor programs, but some programs are three years, some others four-and-a-half. Students can continue their studies at universities but often need bridging courses.''' The state institutions are allowed to offer Master programs (under some conditions) but, as of 2006 - 2007, there were only six Master programs registered by three state professional higher education institutions (Tartu Aviation College, the Estonian Maritime Academic and the Estonian National Defence College). Private professional higher education institutions offer mostly three-year programs, some offer Master programs as well.

'''Vocational education schools offer professional higher education programs.''' However, the recent Estonian Higher Education Strategy 2006-2015 envisages to close down most of these programs or to have the schools upgraded to professional higher education institutions.

In academic year 2005 – 2006, there were 39 HEIs in Estonia. Although the number of institutions seems high for a country the size of Estonia, this number has already been reduced due to the increase of quality and financial requirements in the legislation. In the course of the academic year 2006 - 2007, the number was further decreased to 35. The highest number of HEIs that the country has had was 49 in academic years 2001 – 2002 and 2002 – 2003.

There are six public universities in Estonia: Tallinn University (with 7,350 students in 2005), the University of Tartu (18,536) – the oldest in the country (created in 1632), Tallinn University of Technology (10,700), the Estonian University of Life Sciences (4 752), the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (567) and the Estonian Academy of Art (962). Although these institutions already existed in 1991, significant changes in their operation have occurred since then. Additionally, several of them have established a number of semi-independent (regional) colleges in the past 15 years. The public universities together catered for about two-thirds of the 68,287 students enrolled in Estonian HEIs in 2005.

There are five, relatively small private universities, most of which offer programs in just a few disciplines. The most important fields offered are business administration, law, media, arts and humanities and information technology. Their number of students in 2005 ranged from 116 to 2,547, in
total they had 6,467 students. Eight professional higher education institutions constitute the public part of this sector catering for 7,142 students in 2005. Their size ranges from 166 to 2,111 students. Additionally, there are thirteen private professional higher education institutions (with a total of 7,452 students), all of very small size, although the largest of the privates is bigger than the largest public professional higher education institution (i.e. 2,538 students). Like private
universities, also the private professional higher education institutions focus mostly on business administration, information technology, arts and humanities, but also on theology.

The third sector, vocational education schools, consists of six public institutions and one private institution. The total number of students in this sector is 4,359. They range in size from 30 to 1,322 students. These institutions offer not only tertiary education but also secondary-level education.

The governance of HEIs is under the auspices of the [http://www.hm.ee/index.php?148558 Ministry of Education and Research] with three exceptions – The Estonian National Defense College ([http://www.mod.gov.ee/?setlang=eng Ministry of Defense]) and the Public Service Academy ([http://www.siseministeerium.ee/?lang=en Ministry of Interior Affairs]). The Baltic Defense College (situating in Tartu) is operating under the agreement of three Baltic Ministers of Defense and is not part of the formal higher education system.

==Higher education reform==

(mainly sourced from: ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

Major developments in the Estonian higher education policy may be outlined in three phases. The first phase (1989 – 1995) implied separating from the Soviet system and building up a new legal framework. Much effort was also put in realizing the 1995 University Act, paving the way for the 1996 Standard of Higher Education. The second phase (1996 – 1999) saw the expansion of the higher education system in combination with the development of legal frameworks and quality assurance mechanisms for the different sectors. The third phase (2000 – 2004) indicated the next wave of reforms, hallmarked by the higher education reform plan 2002.

The most recent strategy document (2006 – 2015) was approved by the Government in June 2006. This ''Estonian Higher Education Strategy 2006-2015'' addresses three main challenges for the sector in the coming years. First, the number of students entering higher education is expected to diminish by about 60 % by 2016. Second, there is a clear need to strengthen the international dimension of higher education institutions. Third, additional funding – both for infrastructure and human resources – is of vital importance for the sustainability of the system. Estonia was also among the countries that signed the Bologna Declaration in 1999.

==Administration and finance==

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/culture/education.htm The Estonia Page] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

Estonian HEIs receive funding from the public budget for the provision of graduates (so-called state-commissioned places), for capital investment and for other expenditure (foreign aid projects, education allowances for students, library expenditure, etc.). Finance from the public budget is provided primarily in the form of the state commission: approximately 80 % of public funding over the period 1995 - 2004. Both public and private institutions receive funding through the state commission. However, private institutions are allocated a very small number of state commissioned places, in a restricted range of disciplines. In some cases, this allocation occurs in areas where supply by public institutions is deemed lacking, while in other cases it is intended to reflect public recognition of the quality of the programs.

Both public and private institutions gain income for their teaching activities from student union fees. Public institutions may charge tuition fees to students, who do not gain access to state-commissioned places and, are free to set the level of fees. The one restriction on public universities is that they may mot increase fees by more than 10 % each year.

Students in Estonia fall into one of two distinct groups. Either they occupy state-commissioned places and pay nothing for their tuition or they do not and pay the full costs of their tuition. A third group is emerging: students admitted free of charge at the expense of tertiary institutions. This trend is especially visible at the PhD level.

State-commissioned places are allocated by higher education institutions to students studying full-time on the basis of academic performance. Places are allocated to commencing students on the basis of their performance in relevant entrance exams (essentially the state exams at the end of secondary school). Should a student in a state-commissioned place fail to meet the requirements of full-time study he or she loses the right to occupy such a place and may be replaced by a better performing student undertaking study at the same level. The tuition fees paid by students in fee-paying places vary by type of course and institution.

==Quality assurance==

(mainly sourced from: ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

The growth of the system has led Estonian society to the realisation that the quality of higher education varies both by the type of institution and by field of study. Estonia started to build its national quality assurance system in the mid 1990s, in answer to the rapid expansion of the higher education sector. Its goals were to increase the information on higher education offerings and to provide the academic community with support for selfimprovement

Since 1996, by governmental decree, the Standard of Higher Education regulates the establishment of higher education institutions and determines the requirements they and their programmes must meet in order to obtain an education license. This licensing process is carried out by the Ministry of Education and Research.

Quality assurance arrangements are based on an accreditation scheme, which is voluntary but essential both for having the right to issue officially recognised higher education credentials and to have access to state funding. Evaluation is the responsibility of the Higher Education Quality Assessment
Council (HEQAC), established in 1995 and composed of twelve members, appointed by the government on the recommendation of the Ministry of Education and Research (which takes into account the proposal of higher education institutions, academic unions and employers).

HEQAC determines the quality standards, organises external reviews and makes a recommendation to the Ministry regarding universities, professionally- or vocationally-oriented higher education institutions and their operation. The accreditation decision belongs to the Ministry, which normally approves the
recommendation of the HEQAC; however, it can reject it, in which case a new review must be carried out.

The Ministry of Education and Research’s Strategy for Higher Education 2006 - 2015 places a strong emphasis on quality and the means to assure it. Its objectives focus on the competitive quality of Estonian higher education and the need for it to serve the country’s development interests and innovation. Consistent with these objectives, the actions highlight the need to strengthen quality assurance by promoting internal assessment and improvement strategies within educational institutions and establishing quality requirements and supervision of quality by the state.

==Estonian HEIs in the information society==

(mainly sourced from: ''ICT Infrastructure and E-readiness Assessment Report: ESTONIA.'' and ''Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013.'')

When regaining independence in August 1991, Estonia was a relatively backward country technologically. State infrastructure (institutions and people) had to be built up almost from scratch, monetary reform in 1992 established the stable currency. Heavy industry machinery and infrastructure established during the Soviet era found almost no use after the privatization and technological upgrading by the new owners. The access to Russian market was increasingly more difficult due to the politically set trade barriers by the Russian Federation, and the quality of Estonian products was not good enough to compete in the Western markets.

In spite of these unfavorable conditions, Estonian industrial structure started to depart from the factor-driven stage into the investment-driven economy in the early 1990s. The main reasons behind this development most probably were (1) the proximity of technologically advanced Finland and Sweden, (2) large amount of foreign direct investments into Estonian companies, (3) a population with high level of technical education (in the Soviet era, only hard sciences were ideologically free), and (4) a large part of the population ready to consume and adopt modern technology as a part of one’s lifestyle. Additionally, the number of computer and Internet users in Estonia was growing heavily. In recent years, also ICT equipment and services have become much more affordable.

So in light of all these developments, what have been the crucial factors supporting the development of Estonian information society and the growth of ICT centered activities both in public and private sector? According to Krull, '''1) building up modern infrastructure; 2) Tiger’s Leap Project in computerizing schools and universities; 3) adopting regulations for information society; 4) government IT-programs; 5) collaboration between the government, private sector and non-governmental initiatives; and last but not least 6) luck''' have been these main drivers.

In the educational sector, the Tiger Leap program has played an important role in the virtuous circle of making IT popular first among children and through them among the whole society. Almost all children (93 %) have access to the Internet either at school, in the neighborhood or at home. Pupils use the Internet mainly at school (79%). In 2000, there were no basic or upper secondary schools without computers in Estonia, 75% of schools also had online Internet connections.

Additionally, the overall impact of governmental actions has been crucial in the development of Estonian information society. From creating favorable legal environment and leading the way with computerizing the whole public administration, some of the major e-services for the public sector were also developed. Principles for the development of the information society in Estonia were first set out in 1998. However, the first strategic document was established only in 2006.

In Estonia, the development of the information society is, indeed, based on the Principles of Estonian Information Policy, adopted by the Estonian Parliament in 1998. A follow-up to the document, the Principles of Estonian Information Policy 2004 – 2006, was elaborated and approved by the Government of the Republic in 2004. The [http://ec.europa.eu/idabc/servlets/Doc?id=28163 Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013], in turn, entered into force in January 2007. It is a sectoral development plan, setting out the general framework, objectives and respective action fields for the broad employment of ICT in the development of knowledge-based economy and society in Estonia in 2007 – 2013.

Estonian developments to the direction of information society have been adequate concerning the initiatives started by the public sector. The level and quality of ICT infrastructure and the access to it has gone through a major improvement during the last decade. The role of ICT in the society and Internet’s growing role in providing information, business transactions, interaction between the state and citizens allows to assume that the e-readiness of Estonia is improving with every essential application and service delivered through the Internet. An emphasis made on computerizing the schools and providing vocational education to grownups has been essential.

==Virtual initiatives in HE==

===[[Open Estonia Foundation]]===

The [http://www.oef.org.ee/en/ Open Estonia Foundation (OEF)], a charitable foundation established in 1990 with the help and funding of Georg Soros, made a remarkable contribution to eLearning especially in the early stages during the 1990s. OEF funded several extensive educational projects promoting ICT infrastructure in schools and universities as well as teacher training with a budget of about € 300,000.

Today however, the main responsibility of implementation of services for eLearning is in the hands of non-profit organisations – Estonian Information Technology Foundation and Tiger Leap Foundation. The activities of both institutions are based on special programs with respective budgets.

===[[Estonian Information Technology Foundation]]===

[http://www.eitsa.ee/?url=eitf Estonian Information Technology Foundation (EITSA)] is a non-profit organization founded by the Estonian Republic, University of Tartu, Tallinn University of Technology, Eesti Telekom and the Association of Estonian Information Technology and Telecommunications Companies. The 5-member Council of EITSA is made up of the representatives of the aforementioned founders. They appoint the 3 members of the Executive Board. The Foundation is annually audited by a sworn auditor.

EITSA's aims are to assist in preparation of the highly qualified IT specialists and to support ICT-related development in Estonia. For these purposes the Foundation established and manages the Estonian IT College and administers the National Support Program for ICT in Higher Education "Tiger University."

===[[Tiger Leap Foundation]]===

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/?setlang=eng Tiger Leap Foundation])

The [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/ Tiger Leap Foundation (TLF)] has been the initiator and funder of several research activities on ICT in education since 1997. The mission of the foundation is to help to improve the quality of education in Estonia through application of ICT. Focusing mainly on three areas – computers and internet connections for schools, educational software development and teacher in-service training - TLF has been the main driving force of change in Estonian schools. With the help of TLF, all schools in Estonia are connected to the Internet and have original educational software available for most subjects, 75 % of teachers have been trained twice in ICT skills. The foundation also operates the Estonian Schoolnet website www.koolielu.ee.

Since 2004, Tiger Leap Foundation, a partner in the European Schoolnet, is coordinating and funding several EC educational programs: eTwinning, Springday Europe and Netdays Europe among others. New challenges for the foundation are promoting design and technology as well as media studies in Estonian schools. TLF is a non-profit organisation funded by the Estonian Ministry of Education and sponsors.

===[[Estonian e-University]]===

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.e-uni.ee/index.php?main=120 Estonian e-University] and [http://www.e-uni.ee/Minerva/2.2.2.html The UNIVe Project])

The [[Estonian e-University]] ([[EeU]]) was officially founded in February 2003. The EeU is a consortium of universities and applied universities and it consists of':

* Estonian Ministry of Education and Research
* Estonian Information Technology Foundation
* University of Tartu
* Tallinn Technical University
* Tallinn University
* Estonian University of Life Sciences
* Estonian Business School
* Estonian Information Technology College
* University Nord

Other Estonian HEIs can also apply for the e-University membership. There are associated and full members, former having no right in e-university decision processes. An associated member can become a full member after a one-year membership in the e-University. All decisions (including questions of membership, strategy, budget, allocating of tasks to board) are done by the e-University council that consists of representatives of all full members. The board of e-University is the body that fulfils the tasks set up by the e-University council.

The Estonian e-University is a member of [http://www.eadtu.nl/ EADTU], [http://events.eife-l.org/ EIfEL], [http://www.qualityfoundation.org/ EFQUEL], [http://www.eden-online.org/eden.php EDEN] and [http://x316.bui-av.haw-hamburg.de/bsvc2006/index.php Baltic Sea Virtual Campus]. Its functions are:

* of profound studies,
* increasing the availability of quality education for students and other people willing to learn, for example adults, handicapped people, Estonians abroad and foreign students,
* educating lecturers of universities to compile and practice quality and efficient e-courses,
* providing lecturers with necessary technical equipment, as well as improving the reputation of university education in Estonia and creating contacts for cooperation between foreign universities and business circles.

The history of Estonian e-University dates back to the beginning of 1990s when first enthusiastic people in universities started using email and web-pages as the first e-learning initiatives. Videoconferences over ISDN and web-based courses in a specially designed environment followed in 1998. However, there can be seen three main reasons for the actual establishment of Estonian e-University. Firstly, e-learning had been rather widely used in Estonian universities, but in most cases it was a low financed and not well coordinated initiative of a few enthusiastic people in a few faculties and open universities. Secondly, need for coordinated and institutionalized interuniversity cooperation in the field of open and distance learning had been perceived and discussed for years. And thirdly, similar initiatives in neighboring countries (Finland and Sweden) a few years earlier had given good examples.

The cooperation between universities needs, perhaps, an explanation on a slightly wider background. Estonian universities are very independent institutions, and there are very few initiatives or procedures in the area of HE coordinated by the state. The limited state control and liberal rules in HE resulted in the emergence of numerous private universities and applied HEIs in the 1990s when also the student numbers increased rapidly. The rapid growth in student numbers was by large due to the increasing number of adult students.

There were several reasons for vastly increasing interest for HE among adults. The reasons could simply be classified into two groups. Firstly, great need for new skills arising from enormous changes in the labor market and society – many people did not manage with ‘an old education’ obtained in the 1960 – 1980s in ‘the new society’. The second group of reasons why more adult students came to universities was most likely related to opportunities, i.e., increasing openness of the HE system and curricula. Besides the increased number of different HE providers, public universities adopted a third mission of providing services to the society – they considerably diversified their forms of tuition, opened numerous new (mainly master-level) curricula oriented to adult students, made major efforts in regional development by opening colleges in regions far distant from the two biggest cities Tallinn and Tartu.

Thus, rather than relying on state-coordinated program to bring in more adults to the universities, universities themselves independently and also slightly differently responded to the needs of the changing society and introduced flexible, part-time adult education curricula for training and retraining of adults. Many of them did it under the name of ''open university'' that included all kind of university level Lifelong Learning activities ranging from special initiatives and courses for secondary school students, university continuing education, summer schools, part-time degree education or degree education given in the form of distance learning, public lectures, regional development initiatives, etc. As a rule, the open universities were also responsible for the development of ICT-based teaching in universities.

First open universities were launched in 1996, and in 1998, the first project tackling the need for interuniversity cooperation in this field initiated (Tempus project for ‘Developing Open University Infrastructure in Estonia’ 1998 – 2001) with three biggest public universities as partners. Another cooperation initiative started by the universities was the establishment of the [http://www.ut.ee/23061 Estonian Network for University Continuing Education (ENUCE)] in January 2001. Several seminars discussing different open university models culminated in January 2002 where conference titled ‘Estonian Open University – interuniversity cooperation for the development of open distance learning in Estonia’ was held with representatives from seven universities and the Ministry of Education and Research. This conference decided to make a concrete action plan for further development of the idea.

In summer 2002, Rectors’ Council approved the general idea, already called Estonian e-University at that time. In autumn 2002, the Minister of Education and Research summoned a working group for agreeing on activities and financing principles of the e-University. The process culminated in February 2003 when the Estonian e-University was officially launched by signing the ''Protocol of Good Will'' by the rectors of six universities, the Minister of Education and Research and the chair of the board of the Estonian Information Technology Foundation. By that time, plenty of work had already been done including e.g. submitting the first international project of Estonian e-University (the [http://www.e-uni.ee/Minerva/ UNIVe]) to Socrates Minerva program.

The target groups of Estonian e-University can be identified at different levels:

'''Students'''

The final target group for all activities is, of course, the current and potential students and learners of the universities of e-university members, both full-time and part-time students, learners at retraining programs and shorter continuing education courses. However, as widening access to high quality education is one of the main aims, the main target group among all students is adult students who live outside of bigger centers or who due to work obligations cannot participate in ordinary university studies. E-university also aims its activities at disadvantaged groups, including people with disabilities, for whom e-learning can make higher education more accessible. E-university also aims its activities at foreign students, thus, supporting the strategic aim of internationalization of several universities. Most e-University activities are not directly aimed at students but rather at teachers and universities. An e-course database is directly aimed at students that should become '''(1) a gateway to Estonian universities e-learning opportunities'''.

'''Universities'''

Although students are the final target group of the e-University activities, the latter does not offer tuition itself. Therefore, its activities are mainly aimed at helping universities, i.e. supporting and facilitating them in e-learning initiatives. This said, it does not mean that the e-University has a passive role in relation to universities. E-university is, and aims also to be in the future, the initiator and developer of e-learning initiatives taking into account the interests of the state, universities and students. Initiating and supporting interuniversity cooperation in e-learning initiatives is one of the strategic aims of e-University. From the HEIs’ perspective, e-University is '''(2) the developer and provider of a necessary technological environment needed for e-learning:'''
* portal (including a database for courses and learning objects),
* learning environment,
* exchange system for courses,
* necessary infrastructure for e-learning (incl. regional centers);

'''(3) support and development centre for e-learning (The UNIVe Project):'''
* initiation of research,
* innovation and development activities,
* initiation and management of projects,
* financial etc. support for realising e-learning initiatives,
* international marketer of e-courses/curricula in the future.

'''Academic staff'''

Besides developing infrastructure and procedures, plenty of e-University activities are directly or via support to universities aimed at academic staff support and development. From the university teachers’ point of view, e-University is primarily '''(4) an e-learning support centre:'''
* information and training to conduct e-courses,
* database for learning objects,
* contests and grants for developing e-learning.

'''State'''

'''NB! Up to date state of the art and the latest figures and facts can be found at the [[Estonian e-Learning Development Centre]] page.'''

Better usage of limited financial and intellectual HE resources, better and more equal access to higher education, better cooperation between universities, clear and unified trademark of Estonian higher e-education initiatives at international arena, competence when realizing state initiatives in e-learning etc. are, of course, of value for each particular university, but these can firstly be seen as the benefits of e-University for the state and society.

The Estonian e-University is financed by the membership fees, projects, and direct funding. The budget for the first year was nearly 4.5 million EEK (€ 300,000), whereas the budget for year 2004 was over 6 million EEK (€ 400,000). Every member covers its costs related to e-University initiatives within its own university by itself. Membership fee is divided to fixed and proportional parts. The last is calculated on the basis of full-time equivalent student numbers.

In year 2004, the e-University database included some 250 courses. Approximately, 9,000 people participated in different e-courses, most of them being university students. Most courses were in Estonian, with the exception of a few English courses. There are no curricula that one could study fully via the internet.

===[[Estonian e-Vocational School]]===

The [http://www.e-ope.ee/ Estonian e-Vocational School] was founded in 2005 in cooperation of six professional education institutions, 31 vocational education institutions, the Ministry of Education and Research and the Estonian Information Technology Foundation to promote lifelong learning under the principles of regional development and in the framework of ten thematic networks. It functions under the Estonian Information Technology Foundation and is financed by the membership fees, the state budget and by Measure 1.1 of the EU’s Social Fund.

In 2006, the Estonian e-Vocational School had been financed with a total of € 63,911 since 2005. Together with the Estonian e-University, it is one of the two main consortia of EITSA. The e-Vocational School consortium accounts for 68 % of the total number of students of the e-Learning Development Center member schools.

===[[Tiger University Program]]===

'''The Nations Support Program for the ICT in Higher Education "Tiger University"''' was approved by the Estonian Government in January 2002. Its administration was delegated to the Estonian Information Technology Foundation.

The '''Tiger University Program goals''' are to:

* Support for the development of the ICT infrastructure at higher educational establishments,
* Support for the development of ICT academic staff and degree courses' infrastructure.

The '''priorities''' are:

* development of ICT infrastructure (upgrading the academic backbones and networks, PC procurements, equipping the labs, providing software),
* development of ICT-related curricula (new curricula, creation of study materials, e-University, e-learning, literature and electronic resources),
* motivating the academic staff (mentoring PhD students, academic sabbaticals, lecturers' and PhD students mobility scheme, internships, visiting lecturers).

'''Program Council''' has been set up to coordinate and run the program. Together with the staff it announces the competitions, appoints experts, reviews submissions, is authorised to make allocations, and later monitors and follows up on the results.

===[[University of Tartu]]===

The [http://www.ut.ee/index.aw/set_lang_id=2 University of Tartu] is said to have been the alma mater for the entire educational system and the scientific research in Estonia. It was founded already in 1632. However, it became a national university - ''Tartu Ülikool'' - only in 1919. Nowadays, the university has some 11 faculties, 3 reasearch institutes and 6 colleges with more than 70 departments, institutes and clinics. The number of students is over 18,000 and the number of teaching staff some 1,300.

====Open University====

The [http://www.ut.ee/aveng/info/openuni Open University] was established in 1996. The mission of the Open University was:

* to improve access to education;
* to diversify study opportunities;
* to make the education more student-centred, taking the student's needs into greater account;
* to provide high quality education under maximum flexibility, with course offerings being independent of time and place.

Today the Open University is a successful hallmark of the University of Tartu, covering both degree education and continuing education programs through distance education or other "unconventional" learning environments. Training under the trademark of Open University is provided by the faculties and colleges at University of Tartu. The activities, in turn, are coordinated by the Open University Centre and the Academic Affairs Office.

====E-learning at University of Tartu====

Year 1995 may be considered the beginning of e-learning at University of Tartu. It was the year, when the first e-mail based course was delivered in the Faculty of Mathemathics, and only three years later (1998), the Multimedia Center obtained videoconference facilities with the support of the PHARE Multi-country Project in Distance Education. In 1998, also first web-based course in the WebCT environment was developed and delivered at the university. And since then, the number of web-based courses has indeed increased. At the end of year 2007, the number of web-based courses was approximately 600. However, entirely web-based curricula did not yet exist.

In January 2000, the University Council gave priority to ICT-based learning acclaiming that it should be important to inculcate ICT-based learning in all study moulds, to start the development program of ICT-based courses and assigning the Distance Education Centre as a structural unit with the responsibility for developing ICT-based learning at the University of Tartu.

In 2001, the Multimedia Center started to create CDs for study purposes. In November 2002, the Multimedia Center launched a project of video lectures that received financial support from EITSA (Estonian Information Technology Foundation) in 2003. They used both real time video streaming as well as storage and archival of lectures. The project was continued in 2004 by replacing the outdated video conference equipment with the support from EITF.

In February 2002, [http://www.ut.ee/e-ope the E-University portal] of University of Tartu was opened. Besides offering learning opportunities and support for learners, this portal provided both technical and methodological help for academic staff (professors and tutors) for elaborating ICT-based courses, etc.

In February 2003, the University of Tartu initiated in cooperation with other universities, the Ministry of Education and Research and the Estonian Information Technology Foundation, the [http://www.e-uni.ee/index.php?main=120 Estonian e-University], which has since grown into a consortium under EITF to support the universities and coordinate the development of e-learning.

The university's first education technologist was employed in year 2000 (and seven more a few years later) to assist the teaching staff in the development of web-based courses. At the end of year 2005, the University of Tartu then approved its first e-learning strategy ([http://www.ut.ee/orb.aw/class=file/action=preview/id=322181/e-oppe_strateegia_eng2.pdf E-learning strategy 2006-2010]), which sets the tasks of developing e-learning in 3 categories:

:I Support high-quality studies centred on the student and involvement of new target groups;
:II Increase the e-learning competence of teaching staff, students and assistance personnel and develop the cooperation models for e-learning;
:III Ensure the high level of infrastructure and support services for e-learning.

===[[Tallinn University]]===

[http://www.tlu.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn University] is the third largest university in Estonia, consisting of 18 institutes and 4 colleges. It has more than 8,500 students as well as more than 400 faculty members and research fellows. It is the fastest growing university in Estonia.

Tallinn University, like any other public university in Estonia, uses the 3+2 system (i.e. three years of bachelor studies + two years of master studies). There are 49 specialist areas at the bachelor level, 70 at the master level and 12 at the doctoral level. The university and its curricula have been accredited by the Estonian Higher Education Quality Assessment Council.

The university’s programs are unique in Estonia for the high degree of academic freedom they allow. One quarter to one third of the subjects at every level are freely available and a significant number of specialist subjects are also included as electives. Thus, students are able to design their own study plan quite independently.

Tallinn University is one of the main providers of web-based courses in Estonia. It has a great role in developing LMSs, CMSs and ICT-supported learning methodology. Tallinn University has also developed teachers’ support system in the field of web-based learning and several digital learning materials for general schools.

====Tallinn Virtual University====

[http://tlu.toru.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn Virtual University] is a new initiative at the Tallinn University. It was opened in December 2008 and its aim is to make recordings of different open lectures, interviews with lecturers and university visitors, materials of seminars, summer schools, conferences among other things available to everyone. The materials can be watched online or downloaded to one's computer. The Web environment of Tallinn Virtual University is based on [http://toru.ee/ Toru] technology and it is administered by Nagi OÜ. All videos are located in the Toru video site and can also be found through Toru search.

===Tallinn University of Technology===

Founded in 1918 as an engineering college (university status was granted in 1936), [http://www.ttu.ee/?lang=en Tallinn University of Technology (TUT)] has now become one of the largest universities in Estonia.

The University is structured into eight faculties, three colleges and six research and development institutions. The faculties are: Civil Engineering, Power Engineering, Humanities, Information Technology, Chemical and Materials Technology, Economics and Business Administration, Science and Mechanical Engineering. The application oriented bachelor-level programs in different technical and economic fields of study are offered in the three colleges - Business College, Kuressaare College and Virumaa College.

TUT has over 13,000 students and personnel of 1,970 (incl. affiliated institutions). Instruction is conducted in Estonian, however, during the first two years, Russian-based general studies are also possible. Selected courses are delivered in English. Tallinn University of Technology is also one of the main providers of ICT education in Estonia. The share of e-courses within total courses is aimed at 15 % in 2010 (4 % in 2005).

==References==

* Estonian Ministry of Education and Research (2006)
:OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.

*Krull Andre (2003)
:ICT Infrastructure and E-readiness Assessment Report: ESTONIA

* Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications (2003)
:Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013

* [http://www.boldic.net/document/Estonia/BOLDIC_Estonia_report.pdf BOLDIC - National Report on Estonia. Open and Distance Learning in Estonia], PDF - 28 pages.

* [http://ftp.jrc.es/EURdoc/JRC42865.pdf The Development of e-Services in an Enlarged EU: e-Learning in Estonia. JRC Scientific and Technical Reports], PDF - 125 pages.

* [http://www.e-uni.ee/documents/strat_final_en_web.pdf E-learning Development Center - Strategy 2007-2012. Estonian Information Technology Foundation], PDF - 32 pages.

'''Relevant websites'''

* [http://www.eitsa.ee Estonian Information Technology Foundation]
* [http://www.e-uni.ee/index.php?main=120 Estonian e-University]
* [http://www.esis.ee/ist2004/12.html Estonian Information Society in Facts and Figures]
* [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/home.htm The Estonia Page]
* [http://nettskolen.nki.no/in_english/megatrends/index.html MegaTrends in E-Learning Provision]
* [http://www.oef.org.ee/en/ Open Estonia Foundation]
* [http://www.tlu.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn University]
* [http://www.ttu.ee/?lang=en Tallinn University of Technology]
* [http://tlu.toru.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn Virtual University]
* [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/ Tiger Leap Foundation]
* [http://www.e-uni.ee/Minerva/index.html The UNIVe Project]
* [http://www.ut.ee/index.aw/set_lang_id=2 University of Tartu]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Wikipedia]

----
> [[Countries]]
 
>> [[Main Page]]

[[Category:Estonia| ]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:European Union]]

Estonia

2009-06-03T16:07:57Z

Roman: /* University of Tartu */

== Partners situated in Estonia ==

None.

== Estonia in a nutshell ==

(mainly sourced from: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estonia Wikipedia] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

[[Image:Ee-map.png|left|thumb|250px|Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Atlas_of_Estonia]]

Estonia, officially the '''Republic of Estonia''' is a country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Its territory covers only 45,227 km² and is divided into 15 counties. Estonia is a democratic parliamentary republic. Its capital and largest city is Tallinn. Estonia was a member of the League of Nations from 1921, has been a member of the United Nations since 1991, of the European Union since 2004 and of NATO since 2004. With only 1.4 million inhabitants, Estonia comprises one of the smallest populations of the EU countries.

In 1918, the Estonian Declaration of Independence was issued, to be followed by the Estonian War of Independence (1918-1920), which resulted in the Tartu Peace Treaty recognizing Estonian independence in perpetuity. During World War II, Estonia was occupied and annexed first by the Soviet Union and subsequently by the Third Reich, only to be re-occupied by the Soviet Union in 1944. Estonia regained its independence in 1991 and it has since embarked on a rapid program of social and economic reform. Today, the country has gained recognition for its economic freedom, its adaptation of new technologies and as one of the world's fastest growing economies.

The official language in Estonia is Estonian, which belongs to the Finno-Ugric language family and is closely related to Finnish. Along with Finnish, English, Russian and German are also widely spoken and understood. The major minority language is Russian with its speakers making up about 30 % of the population. Russian-language education is provided in public and also in private schools at all levels: pre-school, basic and secondary schools, as well as vocational schools higher education institutions. About 24 % of all Estonian school children attend Russian-language basic and secondary schools. Some 10 % of higher education students study in Russian.

==Estonian education policy==

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/culture/education.htm The Estonia Page] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

The Estonian Constitution states that everybody has the right to an education. Attending school is compulsory for all school-age children to the extent established by law, and is free in general education schools established by state and local governments. In order to make education accessible, the state and local governments are financially responsible for maintaining the necessary number of educational institutions. The law allows the establishment and operation of other types of educational institutions, including private schools.

Everybody has the right to an education in the Estonian language. In an educational institution in which minority students predominate, the language is chosen by the educational institution. Education is under the supervision of the state.

The Education Act has established that the objective of education is:

* creating favorable conditions for the development of individuals, family, the Estonian nation, national minorities and Estonian economic, political and cultural life in the context of the world economy and culture;
* developing a law-abiding citizenry;
* providing conditions for continuing education.

A wide network of schools and supporting educational institutions has been established in Estonia. The Estonian educational system consists of state, municipal, public and private educational institutions. The Education Act states that in accordance with the UNESCO international standard of education classification, education has the following levels: pre-primary education, basic education, secondary education and higher education.

Each level has its established requirements, which are called the state educational standards and are presented together with state curricula. The curricula contain the mandatory study programs, time scheduled to cover the programs, and descriptions of compulsory knowledge, skills, experience and behavioral norms.

==Estonian education system==

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/culture/education.htm The Estonia Page] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

Basic education is established by a national curriculum of basic and secondary education. On the basis of the national curriculum, schools compile their own curricula. Basic education covers grades from one to nine. Basic education in Estonia is compulsory. Basic education is mainly taught at municipal schools (basic school classes at primary, basic and secondary schools). Local governments determine a service area for each school where it is obliged to guarantee all school-age children the opportunity to study.

Secondary education is voluntary and free at state and municipal educational institutions. General secondary education is acquired at upper-secondary schools (grades 10-12), and vocational education at vocational education institutions. Secondary education is governed by a national curriculum of basic and secondary education (general secondary education) or by a national vocational education curriculum and national curricula of vocations (vocational secondary education).

Access to higher education is regulated by the Universities Act and the Institutions of Professional Higher Education Act. Students having either a general secondary school-leaving certificate (12 years of schooling) or a secondary vocational school-leaving certificate (based on qualifications of different length) and the State Examination Certificate have access to higher education. In addition, those having a corresponding foreign qualification can gain access. But access for all students is subject to discretion of higher education institutions. Merit plays the dominant role in the access to the specific programs.

There are three types of educational institutions that provide higher education: universities (''ülikool'') - institutions of research, development, study and culture at all higher education levels in several fields of study; professional higher education institutions (''rakenduskõrgkool'') - educational institutions of professional higher education and Magister-study; and vocational education schools (''kutseõppeasutus'') - institutions of secondary vocational.

The different legal forms of HEIs are: public, state and private. Private institutions can be owned by a public limited company or private limited company entered in the commercial register or by a foundation or non-profit association entered into the non-profit associations and foundations register. Both public (or state) and private higher education institutions are authorized to operate.

==Higher education in Estonia==

(mainly sourced from: ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

See also the following OECD reports for more information about the Estonian higher education:
:[http://www.oecd.org/document/13/0,3343,en_2649_39263238_35585357_1_1_1_1,00.html Thematic Review of Tertiary Education - Country Reviews];
:[http://www.oecd.org/document/16/0,3343,en_2649_39263238_35580240_1_1_1_1,00.html Thematic Review of Tertiary Education - Country Background Reports].

In the period since the restoration of independence in 1991, remarkable changes took place in the system of Estonian higher education. This was visible not only in the rise in number of HEIs, but also in the development in the areas of funding, human resources management, quality assurance, research and innovation, equity, links to the labor market and internationalization.

'''The universities offer Bachelor (three years, 180 ECTS – or exceptionally 240 ECTS credits), Master (one-two years, 60-120 ECTS) and PhD programs (three to four years).''' Medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, architecture and civil engineering are exempted from the Bachelor-Master structure. These programs (still) have integrated tiers, leading directly to the Master degree (300-360 ECTS).

'''State professional higher education institutions offer mostly four-year Bachelor programs, but some programs are three years, some others four-and-a-half. Students can continue their studies at universities but often need bridging courses.''' The state institutions are allowed to offer Master programs (under some conditions) but, as of 2006 - 2007, there were only six Master programs registered by three state professional higher education institutions (Tartu Aviation College, the Estonian Maritime Academic and the Estonian National Defence College). Private professional higher education institutions offer mostly three-year programs, some offer Master programs as well.

'''Vocational education schools offer professional higher education programs.''' However, the recent Estonian Higher Education Strategy 2006-2015 envisages to close down most of these programs or to have the schools upgraded to professional higher education institutions.

In academic year 2005 – 2006, there were 39 HEIs in Estonia. Although the number of institutions seems high for a country the size of Estonia, this number has already been reduced due to the increase of quality and financial requirements in the legislation. In the course of the academic year 2006 - 2007, the number was further decreased to 35. The highest number of HEIs that the country has had was 49 in academic years 2001 – 2002 and 2002 – 2003.

There are six public universities in Estonia: Tallinn University (with 7,350 students in 2005), the University of Tartu (18,536) – the oldest in the country (created in 1632), Tallinn University of Technology (10,700), the Estonian University of Life Sciences (4 752), the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (567) and the Estonian Academy of Art (962). Although these institutions already existed in 1991, significant changes in their operation have occurred since then. Additionally, several of them have established a number of semi-independent (regional) colleges in the past 15 years. The public universities together catered for about two-thirds of the 68,287 students enrolled in Estonian HEIs in 2005.

There are five, relatively small private universities, most of which offer programs in just a few disciplines. The most important fields offered are business administration, law, media, arts and humanities and information technology. Their number of students in 2005 ranged from 116 to 2,547, in
total they had 6,467 students. Eight professional higher education institutions constitute the public part of this sector catering for 7,142 students in 2005. Their size ranges from 166 to 2,111 students. Additionally, there are thirteen private professional higher education institutions (with a total of 7,452 students), all of very small size, although the largest of the privates is bigger than the largest public professional higher education institution (i.e. 2,538 students). Like private
universities, also the private professional higher education institutions focus mostly on business administration, information technology, arts and humanities, but also on theology.

The third sector, vocational education schools, consists of six public institutions and one private institution. The total number of students in this sector is 4,359. They range in size from 30 to 1,322 students. These institutions offer not only tertiary education but also secondary-level education.

The governance of HEIs is under the auspices of the [http://www.hm.ee/index.php?148558 Ministry of Education and Research] with three exceptions – The Estonian National Defense College ([http://www.mod.gov.ee/?setlang=eng Ministry of Defense]) and the Public Service Academy ([http://www.siseministeerium.ee/?lang=en Ministry of Interior Affairs]). The Baltic Defense College (situating in Tartu) is operating under the agreement of three Baltic Ministers of Defense and is not part of the formal higher education system.

==Higher education reform==

(mainly sourced from: ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

Major developments in the Estonian higher education policy may be outlined in three phases. The first phase (1989 – 1995) implied separating from the Soviet system and building up a new legal framework. Much effort was also put in realizing the 1995 University Act, paving the way for the 1996 Standard of Higher Education. The second phase (1996 – 1999) saw the expansion of the higher education system in combination with the development of legal frameworks and quality assurance mechanisms for the different sectors. The third phase (2000 – 2004) indicated the next wave of reforms, hallmarked by the higher education reform plan 2002.

The most recent strategy document (2006 – 2015) was approved by the Government in June 2006. This ''Estonian Higher Education Strategy 2006-2015'' addresses three main challenges for the sector in the coming years. First, the number of students entering higher education is expected to diminish by about 60 % by 2016. Second, there is a clear need to strengthen the international dimension of higher education institutions. Third, additional funding – both for infrastructure and human resources – is of vital importance for the sustainability of the system. Estonia was also among the countries that signed the Bologna Declaration in 1999.

==Administration and finance==

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/culture/education.htm The Estonia Page] and ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

Estonian HEIs receive funding from the public budget for the provision of graduates (so-called state-commissioned places), for capital investment and for other expenditure (foreign aid projects, education allowances for students, library expenditure, etc.). Finance from the public budget is provided primarily in the form of the state commission: approximately 80 % of public funding over the period 1995 - 2004. Both public and private institutions receive funding through the state commission. However, private institutions are allocated a very small number of state commissioned places, in a restricted range of disciplines. In some cases, this allocation occurs in areas where supply by public institutions is deemed lacking, while in other cases it is intended to reflect public recognition of the quality of the programs.

Both public and private institutions gain income for their teaching activities from student union fees. Public institutions may charge tuition fees to students, who do not gain access to state-commissioned places and, are free to set the level of fees. The one restriction on public universities is that they may mot increase fees by more than 10 % each year.

Students in Estonia fall into one of two distinct groups. Either they occupy state-commissioned places and pay nothing for their tuition or they do not and pay the full costs of their tuition. A third group is emerging: students admitted free of charge at the expense of tertiary institutions. This trend is especially visible at the PhD level.

State-commissioned places are allocated by higher education institutions to students studying full-time on the basis of academic performance. Places are allocated to commencing students on the basis of their performance in relevant entrance exams (essentially the state exams at the end of secondary school). Should a student in a state-commissioned place fail to meet the requirements of full-time study he or she loses the right to occupy such a place and may be replaced by a better performing student undertaking study at the same level. The tuition fees paid by students in fee-paying places vary by type of course and institution.

==Quality assurance==

(mainly sourced from: ''OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.'')

The growth of the system has led Estonian society to the realisation that the quality of higher education varies both by the type of institution and by field of study. Estonia started to build its national quality assurance system in the mid 1990s, in answer to the rapid expansion of the higher education sector. Its goals were to increase the information on higher education offerings and to provide the academic community with support for selfimprovement

Since 1996, by governmental decree, the Standard of Higher Education regulates the establishment of higher education institutions and determines the requirements they and their programmes must meet in order to obtain an education license. This licensing process is carried out by the Ministry of Education and Research.

Quality assurance arrangements are based on an accreditation scheme, which is voluntary but essential both for having the right to issue officially recognised higher education credentials and to have access to state funding. Evaluation is the responsibility of the Higher Education Quality Assessment
Council (HEQAC), established in 1995 and composed of twelve members, appointed by the government on the recommendation of the Ministry of Education and Research (which takes into account the proposal of higher education institutions, academic unions and employers).

HEQAC determines the quality standards, organises external reviews and makes a recommendation to the Ministry regarding universities, professionally- or vocationally-oriented higher education institutions and their operation. The accreditation decision belongs to the Ministry, which normally approves the
recommendation of the HEQAC; however, it can reject it, in which case a new review must be carried out.

The Ministry of Education and Research’s Strategy for Higher Education 2006 - 2015 places a strong emphasis on quality and the means to assure it. Its objectives focus on the competitive quality of Estonian higher education and the need for it to serve the country’s development interests and innovation. Consistent with these objectives, the actions highlight the need to strengthen quality assurance by promoting internal assessment and improvement strategies within educational institutions and establishing quality requirements and supervision of quality by the state.

==Estonian HEIs in the information society==

(mainly sourced from: ''ICT Infrastructure and E-readiness Assessment Report: ESTONIA.'' and ''Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013.'')

When regaining independence in August 1991, Estonia was a relatively backward country technologically. State infrastructure (institutions and people) had to be built up almost from scratch, monetary reform in 1992 established the stable currency. Heavy industry machinery and infrastructure established during the Soviet era found almost no use after the privatization and technological upgrading by the new owners. The access to Russian market was increasingly more difficult due to the politically set trade barriers by the Russian Federation, and the quality of Estonian products was not good enough to compete in the Western markets.

In spite of these unfavorable conditions, Estonian industrial structure started to depart from the factor-driven stage into the investment-driven economy in the early 1990s. The main reasons behind this development most probably were (1) the proximity of technologically advanced Finland and Sweden, (2) large amount of foreign direct investments into Estonian companies, (3) a population with high level of technical education (in the Soviet era, only hard sciences were ideologically free), and (4) a large part of the population ready to consume and adopt modern technology as a part of one’s lifestyle. Additionally, the number of computer and Internet users in Estonia was growing heavily. In recent years, also ICT equipment and services have become much more affordable.

So in light of all these developments, what have been the crucial factors supporting the development of Estonian information society and the growth of ICT centered activities both in public and private sector? According to Krull, '''1) building up modern infrastructure; 2) Tiger’s Leap Project in computerizing schools and universities; 3) adopting regulations for information society; 4) government IT-programs; 5) collaboration between the government, private sector and non-governmental initiatives; and last but not least 6) luck''' have been these main drivers.

In the educational sector, the Tiger Leap program has played an important role in the virtuous circle of making IT popular first among children and through them among the whole society. Almost all children (93 %) have access to the Internet either at school, in the neighborhood or at home. Pupils use the Internet mainly at school (79%). In 2000, there were no basic or upper secondary schools without computers in Estonia, 75% of schools also had online Internet connections.

Additionally, the overall impact of governmental actions has been crucial in the development of Estonian information society. From creating favorable legal environment and leading the way with computerizing the whole public administration, some of the major e-services for the public sector were also developed. Principles for the development of the information society in Estonia were first set out in 1998. However, the first strategic document was established only in 2006.

In Estonia, the development of the information society is, indeed, based on the Principles of Estonian Information Policy, adopted by the Estonian Parliament in 1998. A follow-up to the document, the Principles of Estonian Information Policy 2004 – 2006, was elaborated and approved by the Government of the Republic in 2004. The [http://ec.europa.eu/idabc/servlets/Doc?id=28163 Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013], in turn, entered into force in January 2007. It is a sectoral development plan, setting out the general framework, objectives and respective action fields for the broad employment of ICT in the development of knowledge-based economy and society in Estonia in 2007 – 2013.

Estonian developments to the direction of information society have been adequate concerning the initiatives started by the public sector. The level and quality of ICT infrastructure and the access to it has gone through a major improvement during the last decade. The role of ICT in the society and Internet’s growing role in providing information, business transactions, interaction between the state and citizens allows to assume that the e-readiness of Estonia is improving with every essential application and service delivered through the Internet. An emphasis made on computerizing the schools and providing vocational education to grownups has been essential.

==Virtual initiatives in HE==

===[[Open Estonia Foundation]]===

The [http://www.oef.org.ee/en/ Open Estonia Foundation (OEF)], a charitable foundation established in 1990 with the help and funding of Georg Soros, made a remarkable contribution to eLearning especially in the early stages during the 1990s. OEF funded several extensive educational projects promoting ICT infrastructure in schools and universities as well as teacher training with a budget of about € 300,000.

Today however, the main responsibility of implementation of services for eLearning is in the hands of non-profit organisations – Estonian Information Technology Foundation and Tiger Leap Foundation. The activities of both institutions are based on special programs with respective budgets.

===[[Estonian Information Technology Foundation]]===

[http://www.eitsa.ee/?url=eitf Estonian Information Technology Foundation (EITSA)] is a non-profit organization founded by the Estonian Republic, University of Tartu, Tallinn University of Technology, Eesti Telekom and the Association of Estonian Information Technology and Telecommunications Companies. The 5-member Council of EITSA is made up of the representatives of the aforementioned founders. They appoint the 3 members of the Executive Board. The Foundation is annually audited by a sworn auditor.

EITSA's aims are to assist in preparation of the highly qualified IT specialists and to support ICT-related development in Estonia. For these purposes the Foundation established and manages the Estonian IT College and administers the National Support Program for ICT in Higher Education "Tiger University."

===[[Tiger Leap Foundation]]===

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/?setlang=eng Tiger Leap Foundation])

The [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/ Tiger Leap Foundation (TLF)] has been the initiator and funder of several research activities on ICT in education since 1997. The mission of the foundation is to help to improve the quality of education in Estonia through application of ICT. Focusing mainly on three areas – computers and internet connections for schools, educational software development and teacher in-service training - TLF has been the main driving force of change in Estonian schools. With the help of TLF, all schools in Estonia are connected to the Internet and have original educational software available for most subjects, 75 % of teachers have been trained twice in ICT skills. The foundation also operates the Estonian Schoolnet website www.koolielu.ee.

Since 2004, Tiger Leap Foundation, a partner in the European Schoolnet, is coordinating and funding several EC educational programs: eTwinning, Springday Europe and Netdays Europe among others. New challenges for the foundation are promoting design and technology as well as media studies in Estonian schools. TLF is a non-profit organisation funded by the Estonian Ministry of Education and sponsors.

===[[Estonian e-University]]===

(mainly sourced from: [http://www.e-uni.ee/index.php?main=120 Estonian e-University] and [http://www.e-uni.ee/Minerva/2.2.2.html The UNIVe Project])

The [[Estonian e-University]] ([[EeU]]) was officially founded in February 2003. The EeU is a consortium of universities and applied universities and it consists of':

* Estonian Ministry of Education and Research
* Estonian Information Technology Foundation
* University of Tartu
* Tallinn Technical University
* Tallinn University
* Estonian University of Life Sciences
* Estonian Business School
* Estonian Information Technology College
* University Nord

Other Estonian HEIs can also apply for the e-University membership. There are associated and full members, former having no right in e-university decision processes. An associated member can become a full member after a one-year membership in the e-University. All decisions (including questions of membership, strategy, budget, allocating of tasks to board) are done by the e-University council that consists of representatives of all full members. The board of e-University is the body that fulfils the tasks set up by the e-University council.

The Estonian e-University is a member of [http://www.eadtu.nl/ EADTU], [http://events.eife-l.org/ EIfEL], [http://www.qualityfoundation.org/ EFQUEL], [http://www.eden-online.org/eden.php EDEN] and [http://x316.bui-av.haw-hamburg.de/bsvc2006/index.php Baltic Sea Virtual Campus]. Its functions are:

* of profound studies,
* increasing the availability of quality education for students and other people willing to learn, for example adults, handicapped people, Estonians abroad and foreign students,
* educating lecturers of universities to compile and practice quality and efficient e-courses,
* providing lecturers with necessary technical equipment, as well as improving the reputation of university education in Estonia and creating contacts for cooperation between foreign universities and business circles.

The history of Estonian e-University dates back to the beginning of 1990s when first enthusiastic people in universities started using email and web-pages as the first e-learning initiatives. Videoconferences over ISDN and web-based courses in a specially designed environment followed in 1998. However, there can be seen three main reasons for the actual establishment of Estonian e-University. Firstly, e-learning had been rather widely used in Estonian universities, but in most cases it was a low financed and not well coordinated initiative of a few enthusiastic people in a few faculties and open universities. Secondly, need for coordinated and institutionalized interuniversity cooperation in the field of open and distance learning had been perceived and discussed for years. And thirdly, similar initiatives in neighboring countries (Finland and Sweden) a few years earlier had given good examples.

The cooperation between universities needs, perhaps, an explanation on a slightly wider background. Estonian universities are very independent institutions, and there are very few initiatives or procedures in the area of HE coordinated by the state. The limited state control and liberal rules in HE resulted in the emergence of numerous private universities and applied HEIs in the 1990s when also the student numbers increased rapidly. The rapid growth in student numbers was by large due to the increasing number of adult students.

There were several reasons for vastly increasing interest for HE among adults. The reasons could simply be classified into two groups. Firstly, great need for new skills arising from enormous changes in the labor market and society – many people did not manage with ‘an old education’ obtained in the 1960 – 1980s in ‘the new society’. The second group of reasons why more adult students came to universities was most likely related to opportunities, i.e., increasing openness of the HE system and curricula. Besides the increased number of different HE providers, public universities adopted a third mission of providing services to the society – they considerably diversified their forms of tuition, opened numerous new (mainly master-level) curricula oriented to adult students, made major efforts in regional development by opening colleges in regions far distant from the two biggest cities Tallinn and Tartu.

Thus, rather than relying on state-coordinated program to bring in more adults to the universities, universities themselves independently and also slightly differently responded to the needs of the changing society and introduced flexible, part-time adult education curricula for training and retraining of adults. Many of them did it under the name of ''open university'' that included all kind of university level Lifelong Learning activities ranging from special initiatives and courses for secondary school students, university continuing education, summer schools, part-time degree education or degree education given in the form of distance learning, public lectures, regional development initiatives, etc. As a rule, the open universities were also responsible for the development of ICT-based teaching in universities.

First open universities were launched in 1996, and in 1998, the first project tackling the need for interuniversity cooperation in this field initiated (Tempus project for ‘Developing Open University Infrastructure in Estonia’ 1998 – 2001) with three biggest public universities as partners. Another cooperation initiative started by the universities was the establishment of the [http://www.ut.ee/23061 Estonian Network for University Continuing Education (ENUCE)] in January 2001. Several seminars discussing different open university models culminated in January 2002 where conference titled ‘Estonian Open University – interuniversity cooperation for the development of open distance learning in Estonia’ was held with representatives from seven universities and the Ministry of Education and Research. This conference decided to make a concrete action plan for further development of the idea.

In summer 2002, Rectors’ Council approved the general idea, already called Estonian e-University at that time. In autumn 2002, the Minister of Education and Research summoned a working group for agreeing on activities and financing principles of the e-University. The process culminated in February 2003 when the Estonian e-University was officially launched by signing the ''Protocol of Good Will'' by the rectors of six universities, the Minister of Education and Research and the chair of the board of the Estonian Information Technology Foundation. By that time, plenty of work had already been done including e.g. submitting the first international project of Estonian e-University (the [http://www.e-uni.ee/Minerva/ UNIVe]) to Socrates Minerva program.

The target groups of Estonian e-University can be identified at different levels:

'''Students'''

The final target group for all activities is, of course, the current and potential students and learners of the universities of e-university members, both full-time and part-time students, learners at retraining programs and shorter continuing education courses. However, as widening access to high quality education is one of the main aims, the main target group among all students is adult students who live outside of bigger centers or who due to work obligations cannot participate in ordinary university studies. E-university also aims its activities at disadvantaged groups, including people with disabilities, for whom e-learning can make higher education more accessible. E-university also aims its activities at foreign students, thus, supporting the strategic aim of internationalization of several universities. Most e-University activities are not directly aimed at students but rather at teachers and universities. An e-course database is directly aimed at students that should become '''(1) a gateway to Estonian universities e-learning opportunities'''.

'''Universities'''

Although students are the final target group of the e-University activities, the latter does not offer tuition itself. Therefore, its activities are mainly aimed at helping universities, i.e. supporting and facilitating them in e-learning initiatives. This said, it does not mean that the e-University has a passive role in relation to universities. E-university is, and aims also to be in the future, the initiator and developer of e-learning initiatives taking into account the interests of the state, universities and students. Initiating and supporting interuniversity cooperation in e-learning initiatives is one of the strategic aims of e-University. From the HEIs’ perspective, e-University is '''(2) the developer and provider of a necessary technological environment needed for e-learning:'''
* portal (including a database for courses and learning objects),
* learning environment,
* exchange system for courses,
* necessary infrastructure for e-learning (incl. regional centers);

'''(3) support and development centre for e-learning (The UNIVe Project):'''
* initiation of research,
* innovation and development activities,
* initiation and management of projects,
* financial etc. support for realising e-learning initiatives,
* international marketer of e-courses/curricula in the future.

'''Academic staff'''

Besides developing infrastructure and procedures, plenty of e-University activities are directly or via support to universities aimed at academic staff support and development. From the university teachers’ point of view, e-University is primarily '''(4) an e-learning support centre:'''
* information and training to conduct e-courses,
* database for learning objects,
* contests and grants for developing e-learning.

'''State'''

'''NB! Up to date state of the art and the latest figures and facts can be found at the [[Estonian e-Learning Development Centre]] page.'''

Better usage of limited financial and intellectual HE resources, better and more equal access to higher education, better cooperation between universities, clear and unified trademark of Estonian higher e-education initiatives at international arena, competence when realizing state initiatives in e-learning etc. are, of course, of value for each particular university, but these can firstly be seen as the benefits of e-University for the state and society.

The Estonian e-University is financed by the membership fees, projects, and direct funding. The budget for the first year was nearly 4.5 million EEK (€ 300,000), whereas the budget for year 2004 was over 6 million EEK (€ 400,000). Every member covers its costs related to e-University initiatives within its own university by itself. Membership fee is divided to fixed and proportional parts. The last is calculated on the basis of full-time equivalent student numbers.

In year 2004, the e-University database included some 250 courses. Approximately, 9,000 people participated in different e-courses, most of them being university students. Most courses were in Estonian, with the exception of a few English courses. There are no curricula that one could study fully via the internet.

===[[Estonian e-Vocational School]]===

The [http://www.e-ope.ee/ Estonian e-Vocational School] was founded in 2005 in cooperation of six professional education institutions, 31 vocational education institutions, the Ministry of Education and Research and the Estonian Information Technology Foundation to promote lifelong learning under the principles of regional development and in the framework of ten thematic networks. It functions under the Estonian Information Technology Foundation and is financed by the membership fees, the state budget and by Measure 1.1 of the EU’s Social Fund.

In 2006, the Estonian e-Vocational School had been financed with a total of € 63,911 since 2005. Together with the Estonian e-University, it is one of the two main consortia of EITSA. The e-Vocational School consortium accounts for 68 % of the total number of students of the e-Learning Development Center member schools.

===[[Tiger University Program]]===

'''The Nations Support Program for the ICT in Higher Education "Tiger University"''' was approved by the Estonian Government in January 2002. Its administration was delegated to the Estonian Information Technology Foundation.

The '''Tiger University Program goals''' are to:

* Support for the development of the ICT infrastructure at higher educational establishments,
* Support for the development of ICT academic staff and degree courses' infrastructure.

The '''priorities''' are:

* development of ICT infrastructure (upgrading the academic backbones and networks, PC procurements, equipping the labs, providing software),
* development of ICT-related curricula (new curricula, creation of study materials, e-University, e-learning, literature and electronic resources),
* motivating the academic staff (mentoring PhD students, academic sabbaticals, lecturers' and PhD students mobility scheme, internships, visiting lecturers).

'''Program Council''' has been set up to coordinate and run the program. Together with the staff it announces the competitions, appoints experts, reviews submissions, is authorised to make allocations, and later monitors and follows up on the results.

===[[University of Tartu]]===

The [http://www.ut.ee/index.aw/set_lang_id=2 University of Tartu] is said to have been the alma mater for the entire educational system and the scientific research in Estonia. It was founded already in 1632. However, it became a national university - ''Tartu Ülikool'' - only in 1919. Nowadays, the university has some 11 faculties, 3 reasearch institutes and 6 colleges with more than 70 departments, institutes and clinics. The number of students is over 18,000 and the number of teaching staff some 1,300.

====Open University====

The [http://www.ut.ee/aveng/info/openuni Open University] was established in 1996. The mission of the Open University was:

* to improve access to education;
* to diversify study opportunities;
* to make the education more student-centred, taking the student's needs into greater account;
* to provide high quality education under maximum flexibility, with course offerings being independent of time and place.

Today the Open University is a successful hallmark of the University of Tartu, covering both degree education and continuing education programs through distance education or other "unconventional" learning environments. Training under the trademark of Open University is provided by the faculties and colleges at University of Tartu. The activities, in turn, are coordinated by the Open University Centre and the Academic Affairs Office.

====E-learning at University of Tartu====

Year 1995 may be considered the beginning of e-learning at University of Tartu. It was the year, when the first e-mail based course was delivered in the Faculty of Mathemathics, and only three years later (1998), the Multimedia Center obtained videoconference facilities with the support of the PHARE Multi-country Project in Distance Education. In 1998, also first web-based course in the WebCT environment was developed and delivered at the university. And since then, the number of web-based courses has indeed increased. At the end of year 2007, the number of web-based courses was approximately 600. However, entirely web-based curricula did not yet exist.

In January 2000, the University Council gave priority to ICT-based learning acclaiming that it should be important to inculcate ICT-based learning in all study moulds, to start the development program of ICT-based courses and assigning the Distance Education Centre as a structural unit with the responsibility for developing ICT-based learning at the University of Tartu.

In 2001, the Multimedia Center started to create CDs for study purposes. In November 2002, the Multimedia Center launched a project of video lectures that received financial support from EITSA (Estonian Information Technology Foundation) in 2003. They used both real time video streaming as well as storage and archival of lectures. The project was continued in 2004 by replacing the outdated video conference equipment with the support from EITF.

In February 2002, [http://www.ut.ee/e-ope the E-University portal] of University of Tartu was opened. Besides offering learning opportunities and support for learners, this portal provided both technical and methodological help for academic staff (professors and tutors) for elaborating ICT-based courses, etc.

In February 2003, the University of Tartu initiated in cooperation with other universities, the Ministry of Education and Research and the Estonian Information Technology Foundation, the [http://www.e-uni.ee/index.php?main=120 Estonian e-University], which has since grown into a consortium under EITF to support the universities and coordinate the development of e-learning.

The university's first education technologist was employed in year 2000 (and seven more a few years later) to assist the teaching staff in the development of web-based courses. At the end of year 2005, the University of Tartu then approved its first e-learning strategy ([http://www.ut.ee/orb.aw/class=file/action=preview/id=322181/e-oppe_strateegia_eng2.pdf E-learning strategy 2006-2010]), which sets the tasks of developing e-learning in 3 categories:

:I Support high-quality studies centred on the student and involvement of new target groups;
:II Increase the e-learning competence of teaching staff, students and assistance personnel and develop the cooperation models for e-learning;
:III Ensure the high level of infrastructure and support services for e-learning.

===Tallinn University===

[http://www.tlu.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn University] is the third largest university in Estonia, consisting of 18 institutes and 4 colleges. It has more than 8,500 students as well as more than 400 faculty members and research fellows. It is the fastest growing university in Estonia.

Tallinn University, like any other public university in Estonia, uses the 3+2 system (i.e. three years of bachelor studies + two years of master studies). There are 49 specialist areas at the bachelor level, 70 at the master level and 12 at the doctoral level. The university and its curricula have been accredited by the Estonian Higher Education Quality Assessment Council.

The university’s programs are unique in Estonia for the high degree of academic freedom they allow. One quarter to one third of the subjects at every level are freely available and a significant number of specialist subjects are also included as electives. Thus, students are able to design their own study plan quite independently.

Tallinn University is one of the main providers of web-based courses in Estonia. It has a great role in developing LMSs, CMSs and ICT-supported learning methodology. Tallinn University has also developed teachers’ support system in the field of web-based learning and several digital learning materials for general schools.

====Tallinn Virtual University====

[http://tlu.toru.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn Virtual University] is a new initiative at the Tallinn University. It was opened in December 2008 and its aim is to make recordings of different open lectures, interviews with lecturers and university visitors, materials of seminars, summer schools, conferences among other things available to everyone. The materials can be watched online or downloaded to one's computer. The Web environment of Tallinn Virtual University is based on [http://toru.ee/ Toru] technology and it is administered by Nagi OÜ. All videos are located in the Toru video site and can also be found through Toru search.

===Tallinn University of Technology===

Founded in 1918 as an engineering college (university status was granted in 1936), [http://www.ttu.ee/?lang=en Tallinn University of Technology (TUT)] has now become one of the largest universities in Estonia.

The University is structured into eight faculties, three colleges and six research and development institutions. The faculties are: Civil Engineering, Power Engineering, Humanities, Information Technology, Chemical and Materials Technology, Economics and Business Administration, Science and Mechanical Engineering. The application oriented bachelor-level programs in different technical and economic fields of study are offered in the three colleges - Business College, Kuressaare College and Virumaa College.

TUT has over 13,000 students and personnel of 1,970 (incl. affiliated institutions). Instruction is conducted in Estonian, however, during the first two years, Russian-based general studies are also possible. Selected courses are delivered in English. Tallinn University of Technology is also one of the main providers of ICT education in Estonia. The share of e-courses within total courses is aimed at 15 % in 2010 (4 % in 2005).

==References==

* Estonian Ministry of Education and Research (2006)
:OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education – Country Background Report for Estonia.

*Krull Andre (2003)
:ICT Infrastructure and E-readiness Assessment Report: ESTONIA

* Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications (2003)
:Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013

* [http://www.boldic.net/document/Estonia/BOLDIC_Estonia_report.pdf BOLDIC - National Report on Estonia. Open and Distance Learning in Estonia], PDF - 28 pages.

* [http://ftp.jrc.es/EURdoc/JRC42865.pdf The Development of e-Services in an Enlarged EU: e-Learning in Estonia. JRC Scientific and Technical Reports], PDF - 125 pages.

* [http://www.e-uni.ee/documents/strat_final_en_web.pdf E-learning Development Center - Strategy 2007-2012. Estonian Information Technology Foundation], PDF - 32 pages.

'''Relevant websites'''

* [http://www.eitsa.ee Estonian Information Technology Foundation]
* [http://www.e-uni.ee/index.php?main=120 Estonian e-University]
* [http://www.esis.ee/ist2004/12.html Estonian Information Society in Facts and Figures]
* [http://www.esis.ee/ist2000/einst/home.htm The Estonia Page]
* [http://nettskolen.nki.no/in_english/megatrends/index.html MegaTrends in E-Learning Provision]
* [http://www.oef.org.ee/en/ Open Estonia Foundation]
* [http://www.tlu.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn University]
* [http://www.ttu.ee/?lang=en Tallinn University of Technology]
* [http://tlu.toru.ee/?LangID=2 Tallinn Virtual University]
* [http://www.tiigrihype.ee/ Tiger Leap Foundation]
* [http://www.e-uni.ee/Minerva/index.html The UNIVe Project]
* [http://www.ut.ee/index.aw/set_lang_id=2 University of Tartu]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Wikipedia]

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