University of Thessaly, with 18 Departments and various Research Centres, is a University with its own identity and with a prominent position in our national educational system. It was established in 1984 as University Of Thessaly (Presidential Decree 83/1984). Its administrative and academic centre is in the City of Volos. The University of Thessaly is extended over the whole Region of Thessaly with academic Departments in Volos, Larissa, Trikala, Karditsa and Lamia. University of Thessaly provides undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and extra-curricular modules in specific research and business fields, for over 12000 students.
The main mission of the University of Thessaly is the promotion of scientific knowledge through research and the contribution to the cultural and economic development of the local community and wider society. It is known for its excellent research performance and outstanding scientific achievements, in accordance with the international standards. The excellent equipped Laboratories of the different Departments and Research Units have a number of well-trained researchers to support them. As part of its future goals, University of Thessaly intends to strengthen its cooperation’s abroad, increase its human resources, upgrade and utilize existing human resources, attract young scientists and encourage research through the creation of modern research structures, increase infrastructure and utilize its assets and funds from the EU with the research programmes RFSR, FP6, FP7, INTERREG and LIFE. The members of the academic and research staff participate in European research networks and numerous innovative research projects in the EC. Emphasis is also given on the bond between the University of Thessaly and the local society. This bond is further supported by the operation of the University Hospital of Larissa which covers the medical needs of the whole region of Thessaly. The University brings also students in contact with the labour market through its Career Office, and it encourages a great deal of social activities and public lectures on various issues held by qualified academic staff. Since May 2009 there has also been a significant cooperation between the University and the National Radio of Volos for the organization of radio broadcasts, which have a main impact in the local and wider society. Today the University of Thessaly has 9.647 undergraduate students, 1.471 postgraduate students and 1.148 PhD students. It also has 560 members of teaching and research staff, 98 members of teaching staff with a temporary teaching contract, 308 members of administrative staff and 57 members of Special Technical Laboratory Staff.
The Department of Early Childhood Education is one of the first of the University of Thessaly, founded in 1984 and based in Volos. It has 23 faculty members of different academic subjects, including environmental education, literacy for children intercultural and inclusive education, human rights and special education. The Department has more than 1000 undergratuated students, 40 post graduated students and 12 P.hd candidates. The Department of Early Childhood Education at the University of Thessaly aims at providing state-of-the-art teacher education, incorporating contemporary educational research findings as well as findings from related disciplines. In accordance with the department’s mission to promote innovative teaching research in the area of early childhood education – a particularly critical period of human development – the Department constantly endeavour to incorporate the most relevant, innovative and creative approaches that enable our students to develop an in-depth understanding of the workings of human development, learning processes, ecological interventions and cultural interactions, offering a solid basis for further study and research.
For this reason, the Department employs a wealth of teaching and learning strategies including lectures, seminars, workshop-based modules, and offers opportunities to experience teaching in a variety of settings. Particular attention is paid upon giving students the opportunity of direct teaching practice in multicultural and inclusive school classrooms that enables them to critically translate theory into practice and reflect on issues concerning the effective handling of diversity in school and society. . This allows them to apply and integrate aspects of early childhood teaching and learning based on developmentally appropriate theories and practices. This mandatory practice-based experience forms a core dimension of our whole programme of study, and is also directly related to further teaching opportunities which operate in the context of an EU-funded placement programme.
Advancis Business Services, Lda (Advancis) is a Portuguese-based research, consultancy and training company, focusing on Education and People Management.
Advancis engages in R&D projects in the areas of education and people management, cooperating with national and international partners, to support the development of new knowledge, processes, products and services, including:
- curricula for higher education, school education and vocational Education
- digital and non-digital learning contents
- learning digital games and interactive ebooks
- tools for effective leaders and managers
Advancis offers support in the areas of education and people management tailored to the needs of each organisation, including:
- implementation of project-based pedagogical models
- implementation of people’s management processes
Advancis offers innovative lifelong learning opportunities for educators and managers based on the major international trends, covering a wide set of areas:
- new learning approaches, methodologies and tools
- new leadership models and people management approaches and tools
Advancis benefits from a multidisciplinary group of professionals and from important institutional partnership, namely with the Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus University) and Kaospilot (Denmark).
Arad County School Inspectorate is an institution at the service of community that offers specialized consulting services and continuing professional development programs. Arad County School Inspectorate provides the framework for personal and professional development for all the educational staff in the county, promoting innovation and pro-reforming policies.
At the same time, Arad County School Inspectorate militates for the respect of the students’ rights and interests, according to the law in force, while ensuring, through specific means, their safety, as well as their physical, intellectual and spiritual development.
Arad County School Inspectorate is committed to pursuing equity in education and to guaranteeing equal opportunities and free competition in order to attain quality education in the services it provides.
Arad County School Inspectorate supervises 143 school( out of which 67 are in urban area while 76 are in rural areas), 5428 teaching staff and 63000 students. Arad County School Inspectorate applies the policies and strategies of the Ministry of the National Education and Scientific Research (MENCS);monitors the quality of the teaching-learning activities according to national standards; controls, monitors and assesses the quality of school management ;co-ordinates school-entrance, national evaluations, school leaving examinations (the Baccalaureate) and school competitions; mediates the conflicts between schools and local public administration/ municipality; co-ordinates all teaching staff movement and examinations. Arad County School inspectorate has to control and verify if law and legal norms regarding curriculum are applied; organize and conduct school inspections; organize and conduct national examinations at all levels according to MENCS; control, advise and assess teachers’ activity; offer consultancy regarding school management; apply the national policies regarding human resource; organize and conduct examinations for teachers; ensure the necessary human resource in schools; identify the needs of teaching staff; monitor and assess training programs and their impact upon teaching activities. Arad County School Inspectorate has as priorities: the quality standards in education; equal access to education; ensuring resources in education; internationalization – increasing the European dimensions, complementarities of extracurricular activities to school education.
Arad County School Inspectorate promotes universal values, rights and fundamental freedoms, such as: freedom of thought and expression, freedom of association, respect of individuals and individuality, the right to (intellectual) property and the right to equal opportunities. The organizational culture of the institution relies on these values, both in concept and in practice, thereby considering change as a potential force of improvement, implementing risk – taking as part of management and progress, taking into account diverse opinions to identify the best solutions, as well as acknowledging performance, personal involvement and interest in the work done. Arad County School Inspectorate aims at increasing its credibility in the public eye, while taking responsibility for its actions and promoting transparency and professionalism in decision making. Our values and standards are respect of individuality, the right to equal chances, the right to intellectual property, freedom of knowledge, thought and speech, change as a potential force of improvement, professionalism in decision making, risk–taking as part of management and progress, increasing credibility in the public eye.
BOON is a dynamic design, communication and consultancy company.
The company involves a group of experienced and multidisciplinary professionals to serve the clients’ needs, both individual and collective.
BOON’s main activity has been the development of design and illustration concepts for computer/smartphone/tablet software, websites and online/paper publications, and the development of marketing and communication strategies for businesses.
Overall, BOON’s products have been mainly dedicated to educational purposes, using the visual communication to engage children and adults in the learning environment. BOON builds and designs the visual patterns for Games, eBooks and other tools, delivering innovative and humanity centered services.
The Association operates from 30.06.2004 conducting activities related to the support and promotion of modern education and entrepreneurship, scientific research and consulting, conducting training, publishing, marketing, consulting and advertising activities. The Association provides services to support education through the implementation of transnational education projects aimed at young people and the organization of training. It also runs a consulting support for companies operating in the Subcarpathian region and Lesser Poland region and implements investment projects aimed at improving the quality of business support services. The Association is active in the field of science, expressed in the commitment to research projects and conducting its own analyzes of society.
The Association cooperates with many partners from Europe (including Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia, United Kingdom, Italy) jointly implementing projects aimed at young people, learners and entrepreneurs. This cooperation allows for the exchange of experiences with partners from other countries and use this experience in Subcarpathian region. The Association took the initiative to establish a network of cooperation with research institutions and businesses in order to promote the effective use by companies from renewable energy sources. In its activities, it is also working with local government units.