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Reform Support
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© EU

Supporting reforms to improve the quality of education and training systems and ensure equal access to it

Funding Programme
Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP)
Year
2017

Reforming the preparation of future teachers in Lithuania

The Commission supported the Lithuanian authorities in reviewing the system of initial teacher education in the country. The objective was to guide the implementation of a new structure concentrating resources within three national centres of excellence that should lead to better and more flexible study programmes attracting high calibre candidates into teaching.

Context

Lithuania has a fragmented and underperforming system for initial teacher education. At the same time the education system is projected to experience substantial teacher shortages in coming years. The Lithuanian authorities have started overhauling their network of teacher education providers by investing in three new centres of excellence in the country. Commission support was requested to guide the implementation of this reform with inspiration both from Lithuania and other European countries.

Support delivered

The Commission supported a working group of Lithuanian experts from policy and higher education institutions in developing a set of recommendations on how to achieve a successful transformation from a fragmented and underperforming system to one that attracts high calibre candidates and is able to raise competence and professionalism in the future teaching force. The support included study visits to Ireland and the Netherlands to draw lessons from national and institutional reforms in these countries.

Results achieved

The set of recommendations issued as a result of this project will inform policy-making on reforming the preparation of future teachers in Lithuania. The recommendations include, for instance, the introduction of national guidelines on selecting the best candidates for teaching, higher and targeted investment in educational research, and a greater role for universities in the professional development of serving teachers. The support provided would lead to the best candidates becoming teachers. Ultimately, this would benefit children’s learning across Lithuania.

More information can be found here.