1. Prof. Seppo Hölttä, Higher Education Group, School of Management, UTA
FUTURE EDUCATION FORUM TAMPERE 10th - 14th April Capacity building for excellence in Sino-Finnish educational cooperation
Prof. Seppo Hölttä, Higher Education Group, School of Management, UTA

2. What we mean by capacity building in education?
Development of relevant knowledge
Institutionalising knowledge into the form of curricula and programmes
Development of human capacity for teaching
Development of administrative capacity for running the programmes

3. What we mean by Excellence
Outstanding and superior quality (dictionary definition)
Academic quality / academic excellence
Social quality (fit with the purpose, i.e. educational programmes or educational system)

4. What makes Universities unique actors in educational cooperation?
Education is based on academic research
Academic freedom is build on all activities (critical approach)
Credibility of knowledge: academicians work in global networks, and the created knowledge is reviewed by colleagues/peers
Comparative view has been built into global academic cooperation
All educational programmes are subject to the formal national and institutional quality assurance systems

5. Case: Overseas Study Programme for University Leaders from Chinese Central and Western Regions University of Tampere/School of Management – National Academy for Education Administration

6. Policy Context
National university reform in China – Improving the relevance and effectiveness of higher education in China
Transforming 600 Local Universities to Universities of Applied Sciences (Vocational HE institutions)

7. Purpose of the Programme
Importance of integrating the programme with the national policy framework
Advancing the Chinese local university reform
Transformation from traditional universities to universities of applied sciences
Integrate local universities to the regional innovation systems (industries, labour markets, regional policies)
The training programme is one instrument to contribute to the policy implementation

8. Building up the relevant knowlege base
Long term research cooperation – Comparative research on national HE policies and system dynamics with BNU, PKU, BJUT and other partner HEIs
Comparative study (among UTA and major Chinese research universities) on Finnish and Chinese vocational and higher education models and policies

9. Institutionalising research based knowledge into the form of curriculum
CIMO funded project for the development of a training programme for leaders and administrators of Chinese universities
Participation of all research partners
Piloting curriculum with NAEA in Kunming in Autumn 2014
Feedback collection and analysis
The first training programme in May 2015 in Tampere/Finland

10. Development of Human Capacity
Doctoral training at UTA and main Chinese partner universities
Joint Master programme with BNU
Student exchange
Academic exchange

11. Development of administrative capacity for running the programmes
Numerous visits among UTA and NAEA leaders, administrators and academics
Integrated with the broader exchange programme by the funding of CIMO, partner HEIs and other funding sources

12. Main outcomes and benefits for Chinese participants and their universities
Familiarity of Finnish HE system and policy
Familiarity of the Finnish UAS model
Improved understanding of the social, economic and policy environments for universities of applied sciences
Direct institutional links and foundations for bilateral cooperation

13. Main outcomes and benefits for Finnish Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences
Improved understanding of Chinese higher education and HE system
Creation of institutional linkages to and cooperation with the Chinese Local Universities
Access to the Western and Central regions in cooperation
Participation in the most extensive reform of an higher education system in the global history of higher education

14. The Finnish Message Importance of a deep connection to Chinese policy
It is possible to build up a high social status for a university of applied sciences without academic research
Time is needed: The Finnish UAS’s have earned their identities as professional HEI’s in twenty years time
The development requires strategic view and leadership, and long term systematic work (internally and with stakeholders)