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Overview of the Education System in Estonia

Kersti Raudsepp

VET Observation Centre

Foundation Innove

2Structure of formal education and graduation documents in Estonia in 2008

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VET students

• In the fall of 2009, 12 609 new students began their studies: Post secondary VET (4B), Upper-secondary VET (3B), VET without upper secondary general education (2B), VET without basic education requirement (2C)

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Increase of admission 2006-2009

• For the first time in 4 years, the admission of students increased in post-basic education. (After basic school, after secondary school)

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Admission after basic school- change in age in 2006 vs 2009

7Previous education of applicants to VET after Basic school (2009 graduates of gen education, 2009

dropouts of gen education, 2009 VET dropouts, etc.. )

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Admission to VET after secondary school- change in the age of applicants 2006 vs 2009

9Previous education of applicants after secondary

school (2009 gen ed graduates, dropouts from higher education 1998-2009, 2009 VET

graduates, previous graduates from gen ed, previous graduates from VET, etc)

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The involvement on labour market for VET graduates 6 months after graduation

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2008/09 graduates (works in the field studied or related field, works in a different

field, works and studies on, went to study on, unemployed or doesn’t work for other reasons, drafted to military or staying home with child, data missing)

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Change 2007-2009 (works in the field studied or related field, works in a

different field, works and studies on, went to study on, unemployed or doesn’t work for other reasons, drafted to military or staying home with child, data missing)

13Curriculum groups where involvement

has decreased the most (environmental protection, electrotechnics

and energetics, householding and services, material processing, Construction and civil engineering)

14The change in numbers in HE, state budget study places (dark green),

outside of state budget (lighter green) and the proportion of academic education (blue). in 1996/97 – 2009/10

15Number of students and their proportion

in HE (applied HE, BA, integrated, MA, residents, Doc studies)

16Demographic situation 16-30 y olds (base

year is 2008)

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The age of students in HE

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Admission to HE

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Graduation from HE

20Foreign students according to EHIS

(Estonian Education Information System)Õppekava järgne õpe Number of students

2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10

501 MD, dentist 126 25 8

502 integrated study (chemist, veterinarian etc.) 66

503 integrated study 149 177 201 233

511 BA studies 380 504 555 522 492

512 BA studies 63 19 1

513 applied HE and Univ diploma studies 3

514 applied HE studies 25 41 62 65 51

523 professional HE1

612 MA studies, Research master 22 11 5 2 1

613 MA studies, vocational master 6 6

614 MA studies (3+2) 125 120 145 203 279

633 1-a. teacher training, internship 1 1 1

732 doctoral studies 37 35 22 18 18

734 doctoral studies 17 33 57 67 130

Total 872 944 1032 1079 1204

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Further Information

• Overview of Estonian Education System with Explanations http://www.hm.ee/kogumik2009/en/5.html

• Tiina.Annus@hm.ee

• www.innove.ee/refernet Estonian VET system overviews (Country Reports) and Policy Development

• http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Information-services/browse-national-vet-systems.aspx - National VET systems in EU (Refernet contributions)