Education Innovation in Helsinki: AACTE President Meets with Finnish Teachers Union President
While traveling throughout Scandinavia to attend the International Women’s Forum conference, AACTE President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone took time in Helsinki, Finland to visit with Katarina Murto, president, Opetusalan Ammattijärjestö OAJ, the Finnish Teachers Union.
Gangone met Murto while attending the invitation-only International Summit on the Teaching Profession hosted by the U.S. Department of Education in April. Their conversation included discussion of the Finnish educational and government systems, the lingering learning challenges created by the global COVID pandemic, and how artificial intelligence will affect education. While the Finns still lead world in Pre K-12 education, they were not immune to the impact of the pandemic on students and teachers. With an upcoming change of leadership in the Finnish Parliament, with the government still being formed, Murto is hopeful that increased funding for education will be part of the new government’s plan.
Both agreed that education is the foundation of democratic governments and the importance of having highly qualified, university-prepared teachers in every classroom. AACTE is working to reclaim its international work so more to come with our Finnish colleagues.
Tags: global issues, Lynn M. Gangone
