The ECEC Network was founded in 2013. The Network’s partnership ECEC centres provide places for student teachers to engage in in-service learning and to work on their research projects and theses, while the University offers mentoring and further education for the field’s already-qualified teachers. The University also convenes a steering group, which oversees and develops the Network’s operations. Members of this group include representatives from the municipalities, university researchers, teachers and students. The ECE Network has now over 150 early childhood education centres as partners, and it works in nine municipal territories: Tampere, Kangasala, Lempäälä, Nokia, Pirkkala, Ylöjärvi, Hämeenlinna, Seinäjoki and Riihimäki.
This website provides all the members’ information and news, for example current research and development, the content of in-work training and ECE teacher’s education, and the Network’s events.
In 2019, Tampere University began offering an English-language bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. The Network has thus included English-language day care centres since the launch of the degree. For more information about the degree, please visit https://www.tuni.fi/en/study-with-us/early-childhood-education.