From 27th February to 3rd March 2023, the University of Tartu successfully hosted the "Teach-the-Teacher" training program as part of the "Digital Diplomacy: Building the Common Future with Technology" Erasmus+ project. The program aimed to equip the teaching staff of partner universities with both theoretical and practical knowledge about the latest trends related to digital diplomacy, particularly focusing on the case of Estonia, and to provide insight and know-how on innovative teaching practices and the integration of digital didactics in the classroom.
Anna Beitane, the Manager of Online Learning and Continuing Education Projects at UT, expressed her satisfaction with the outcome of the training program, saying, "The teacher training program served as an important flagship and kick-off event for the project.We believe that the event turned to be a success, which is both confirmed by very positive feedback from participants of the training; as well as with the fact that we managed to involve in our program the leading experts in Estonia, who specialize on digital diplomacy and Estonia’s digital infrastructure – such as Nele Leosk (Ambassador-at-Large for Digital Affairs, Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and Anett Numa (Head of Government Relations and Communications of Accelerate Estonia).
The program brought together delegations from partner universities, including Istanbul University, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, University of Ljubljana, Istanbul Commerce University, and University of Bucharest. Experts from government and academia shared their knowledge on digital diplomacy, digital governance, and innovative teaching practices. Teaching staff from the University of Tartu also attended the training sessions. "I believe that the training program has provided a thorough groundwork on the different teaching formats at our disposal, with an emphasis on incorporating digital tools and methods into teaching practices." - Stefan Dedovic, Junior Research Fellow at the Institute.
In addition to the various lectures, workshops, and transnational project meetings, a significant aspect of the program was the recording of video lectures that will be used to create a DD-Tech MOOC as part of the project. Overall, the program was an enriching experience for all participants, providing valuable insights and tools for teaching in a digital world.
For more information, please contact Anna Beitane (Manager of Online Learning and Continuing Education Projects), anna.beitane@ut.ee
The event was funded through Erasmus+ KA220-HED Cooperation partnerships in Higher Education project.