“Tęsk”, No. 09.2.1-ESFA-V-727-01-0001

Project No. 09.2.1-ESFA-V-727-01-0001             
Project title: „Tęsk”.
Project duration: from 2018-01-01 to 2022-03-12.
Project implemented by: National Education Agency.
Project partners: Kauno technologijos universitetas, Klaipėdos universitetas, Lietuvos muzikos ir teatro akademija, Lietuvos sporto universitetas, Mykolo Romerio universitetas, Šiaulių universitetas, Vilniaus kolegija, Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas, Vilniaus universitetas.
Project manager in MRU: doc. dr. Romas Prakapas.

Summary: The aim of the project is to improve students’ educational achievements by promoting effective change in educational institutions. This will be achieved in two ways: by introducing innovations in teacher development and by preparing future teachers for the future. Lithuanian education is characterised by lower than EU average pupil learning outcomes, ageing teachers and a shortage of young teachers, underutilisation of compulsory school placements for novice teachers, and lower than EU rates of participation in adult education programmes. This points to the need for change in the general education system. The project will initiate a series of actions to innovate in the areas of teacher development and pre-service teacher education. Qualitative improvements will be sought for the following target groups: post-graduates and early career teachers; teachers seeking to retrain or acquire additional qualifications; and people from other sectors who already have a higher education qualification and who wish to become teachers. Targeted measures will be put in place to address the problems and challenges identified: teaching placements for beginning teachers; pedagogical studies and continuing professional development programmes.

Result to be achieved: The measures will be implemented together with the Project’s partners – higher education institutions. Expected qualitative results of the Project include: the introduction of a nationwide traineeship mechanism for beginning teachers following the Project; attraction of new entrants to the teaching profession and improvement of the image of the teaching profession; the creation of preconditions for addressing the workload of teachers and the increased capacity of teachers to adapt to the changing content of the education. Expected quantitative results of the Project: 2221 participants: 1400 in non-formal studies and 821 in formal studies.

The project is funded by the European Social Fund under the 2014-2020 Operational Programme for the Investment of European Union Funds, Priority 9 “Public Education and Enhancement of Human Resource Potential”, Measure 09.2.1-ESFA-V-727, “Improving the Qualifications of Teachers and Other Personnel of the Educational System”.