The Ministry of Education of Mongolia, the Government of the Republic of Finland, leading Finnish universities, and educational technology organisations have signed five cooperation documents to strengthen collaboration in higher education, academic research, school safety, and the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered digital learning.
The cooperation is notable for its comprehensive approach, addressing a broad range of issues — from student mobility and preventing peer bullying in schools to using AI to support mathematics and literacy education — across all levels of education, from general education schools to higher education institutions.
Intergovernmental Joint Declaration
The Minister of Education of Mongolia and Finland’s Minister of Education and Culture, Anders Adlercreutz, signed an Intergovernmental Joint Declaration between the two countries.
The declaration emphasises that quality basic education is the foundation for strengthening scientific, technological, and media literacy. It also affirms the two countries’ commitment to protecting academic freedom and strengthening democratic institutions.
Furthermore, the declaration provides for direct cooperation among schools, higher education institutions, and sports organisations at all levels, as well as the exchange of best practices in policies promoting physical activity among citizens.
Higher Education and the President Scholarship Programme
The Ministry of Education of Mongolia signed five-year Memoranda of Understanding with two of Finland’s leading research universities: the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) and the University of Turku (UTU).
Under these agreements:
- Opportunities for Mongolian students to study in Finland will be expanded. Students selected under the President of Mongolia’s Scholarship Programme will have opportunities to pursue their studies at UEF and UTU. UEF will admit up to five Mongolian students annually to its bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes. These opportunities will be facilitated through the Ministry of Education and the Education Loan Fund.
- Joint research will be conducted in learning sciences, neuroscience, holistic child development, educational data analytics, and the evaluation of curriculum implementation.
- Teacher education and institutional capacity will be strengthened. The Mongolian National University of Education and the National Institute for Educational Research of Mongolia will cooperate with the Finnish universities to modernise teacher education and build institutional capacity.
- AI-powered digital learning will be expanded. The AI- and learning analytics-based digital platform Eduten, a spin-off company of the University of Turku, will create opportunities for wider implementation and expansion across mathematics and other subjects at primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary levels in Mongolia’s general education schools.
Tackling Peer Bullying Through the KiVa Programme
A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding was signed among the University of Turku, the Ministry of Education of Mongolia, and the NGO Education of the Heart to address peer bullying in school environments.
The agreement opens opportunities to introduce, pilot, and scale up the internationally recognised KiVa anti-bullying programme in Mongolian general education schools. The programme was jointly developed by the University of Turku and Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture.
Through these agreements, Mongolia and Finland are taking an important step towards strengthening educational cooperation, advancing evidence-based teaching and learning, improving school safety, and expanding access to innovative, technology-enabled education.
