Estonian education innovation strengthens leadership and collaboration in Armenian schools

The project, implemented by the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV) and Tallinn University, introduced the Future School model and Estonia’s school leaders' development programme to Armenia, both of which have gained significant popularity and strong support among school leaders in Estonia. 

The two models were adapted and developed into a suitable training programme for Armenian school leaders and school teams to improve leadership quality and foster a collaborative school culture in conjunction with the National Center for Educational Development and Innovation of Armenia (NDECI), the project’s local partner. 

Created by Tallinn University in 2017, the Future School programme is a unique approach to managing school development that helps schools build a culture that supports teaching and learning. Changes are implemented through six-member teams that include teachers and two members of the school leadership, including the principal. Each school focuses on one change aligned with its needs, sets clear goals and applies a comprehensive development model. 

Throughout the development programme, principals take responsibility for their own learning and participate in an autonomous, trust-based learning process. They develop a personal leadership plan and begin implementing the leadership theories introduced during the programme with the support of their fellow programme participants. 

"Conducting development programmes is inspiring because you see people striving and surpassing themselves. International cooperation allows our team to take on new challenges and test methodologies that have been researched and refined over many years in a new cultural environment," said Reet Sillavee, the head of Development Programmes at the Academy of Educational Leadership at Tallinn University. 

During the school leaders' development programme, 20 Armenian principals were trained, and teams from five schools (30 participants in total) took part in the Future School programme. As a result, participants strengthened their leadership competencies and increased their readiness to implement learner-centred, modern leadership practices. Both programmes enhanced participants' ability to lead change based on evidence and supported the implementation of shared leadership practices. 

"These programmes gave me, and especially my team, knowledge on how to motivate teachers to learn together. In our school, student voices and opinions are now heard much more because Estonia has inspired us. That is exactly how it should be in a collaborative school," said Artur Tashchjan, the principal of Abovyan Basic School No. 2. 

ESTDEV has many years of experience supporting education development in Armenia. In 2023, it supported teachers' professional development; in 2024, the implementation of education reforms; in 2025, the focus was on school leaders as key figures driving change in schools; and this year, the emphasis is on promoting entrepreneurship education. 

"We at ESTDEV are meeting with the Armenian Ministry of Education and our partners to plan the expansion of the project's impact and design follow-up projects with greater strategic contribution, which will continue to promote the ideas of Armenia's education reform and Estonian educational practices," said Silver Pramann, ESTDEV’s project manager for Education.