The Network for ECIU Teacher Education communities is a network open to all ECIU member institutions offering initial and continued teacher training: Early Childhood Education, Primary & Secondary Education (ISCED 0-3), and CPD for in-service teachers already working in kindergartens and schools.
The overarching structure of this network consists of both a Steering Committee and a Coordination Group, focussing on how higher education institutions together with stakeholders can work jointly on solving societal challenges through Teacher Education:
By utilizing up-to-date knowledge from the field of practice, we want to make even better arrangements for teacher training to help respond to the major societal challenges we face, both now and in the future, says Brita Strand Rangnes, the founder and former head of the network, from the University of Stavanger.
Rangnes is clear that the teachers being trained in our institutions will have the school as their place of work, but society as their area of impact.
We develop as a society in school. We've all been in school. No matter what happens later in life, we have this in common. That makes the school an incredibly important stage for creating change in society. Which, in turn, makes teacher education crucial for work on major societal challenges, says Rangnes.
The network was established in 2018, and now has 8 ECIU member universities.
The need for high quality education, research and collaborative activities within the area of education is recognized as one of the main areas for human development and is key in order to face and deal with the challenges of local and regional communities, as well as on a global scale. The teacher training programmes are devoted to providing good education, and thereby quality of life for all, as well as preparing generations for active citizenship in a world that is rapidly changing. Teachers have the school as their place of work, but society as their area of impact.
Håkan Löfgren, Dean Faculty of Educational Sciences, Linköping University
E-mail: hakan.lofgren@liu.se
Lena Örnestrand, Senior International Coordinator Faculty of Educational Sciences, Linköping University
E-mail: lena.ornestrand@liu.se
Ass. Professor Arild Bakken, Faculty of Arts and Education, University of Stavanger
E-mail: arild.m.bakken@uis.no
Mona Heimdal, Senior International Coordinator International office, University of Stavanger
E-mail: mona.heimdal@uis.no
