Ukrainian Vocational Education Leaders Explore Curriculum Development and School Leadership Practices in Estonia
From 26 to 30 October 2026, the School of Educational Sciences at Tallinn University welcomed 20 vocational education teachers and school leaders from the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine. Five-day study visit focused on curriculum development, strategic school improvement planning, and leading educational change. The visit took place as part of the project “Supporting the Reform of the Ukrainian Vocational Education System in Zhytomyr”, funded by the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV).
Curriculum Development as a Foundation for School Improvement
How can planned curriculum changes be effectively integrated into everyday teaching and learning? This was the central question of the study visit for Ukrainian vocational school leadership teams, which built on participants' previous online training and microdegree studies.
The workshops held in Tallinn provided an opportunity to put previously acquired knowledge into practice, exchange experiences, and explore solutions tailored to the development needs of their schools.
On the first day, participants shared their schools' progress and challenges in curriculum development and began drafting concrete school improvement strategies to support the implementation of planned changes.
Estonian Vocational Education: Experiences and Practical Approaches
Participants visited AVARA Estonian Business and Hospitality College, where they had the opportunity to observe teaching and learning activities and explore approaches to curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation. During discussions with school leaders and teachers, they examined how curriculum development can be aligned with a school's overall improvement strategy and how teachers can be supported in implementing changes.
The visit also introduced participants to the principles and practices of quality assessment in Estonian vocational education. Marge Kroonimäe, Head of Vocational Education at the Estonian Quality Agency for Education (HAKA), shared her expertise and insights.
Following the school visit, participants reflected on their observations and discussions, focusing on monitoring curriculum quality, internal and external evaluation, and assessing the effectiveness of development processes.
Leading Change and Empowering Teachers
The second half of the study visit focused on how to turn planned changes into everyday practice. Workshops explored change management, effective teamwork, and the development of clear, actionable plans.
Teacher leadership was another key topic, with discussions focusing on how to encourage teachers to take an active role in curriculum development and foster a collaborative, improvement-oriented school culture.
Through practical workshops and individual consultations, participants further developed their schools' curriculum improvement strategies, setting goals for the next one to two years. Particular attention was given to aligning curriculum renewal with teaching practices, teachers' professional development, and school organisation.
Turning Insights into Concrete Action Plans
The five-day study visit concluded with presentations of the school teams' improvement strategies and a joint discussion of the next steps.
By the end of the visit, the teams had developed initial action plans to support the implementation of updated curricula and the continuous management of improvement processes in their institutions.
The study visit was organised as part of the project “Supporting the Reform of the Ukrainian Vocational Education System in Zhytomyr”, funded by the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV).