The Educator Development Program (EDP) is a regional initiative funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). EDP supports educational reform in South Eastern Europe (SEE) by strengthening local capacities of educational leaders at the teacher, school, administrative, and ministry level. Currently, EDP has three project offices in Belgrade, Pristina, and Podgorica that support tailored programming for educational leaders in each area.
Background to EDP
The goal of EDP is to contribute to the development of sustainable, reformed, learner-centered, gender-sensitive education systems that are inclusive, that contribute to the development of a culture of peace in SEE, and that meet European standards.
CIDA initiated education programming in SEE in 2001 with the approval of the Kosovo Educator Development Project (KEDP), implemented by Universalia and the University of Calgary, Canada. In 2003, CIDA approved a regional program, the Educator Development Program (EDP), incorporating both KEDP and a new Serbia Educator Development Project (SEDP). In 2004, CIDA approved a third project under EDP, the Montenegro Educator Development Project (MEDP).
EDP Programming
EDP is in essence a capacity-building program that aims to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and abilities of individuals and organizations involved in the education reform process, in particular those groups responsible for professional development of educators and educational administrators.
EDP has several key programming components:
Senior Leadership Strengthening: EDP supports strengthening of local capacities for leading educational reform by providing targeted programming for senior leaders (up to the Ministerial level).
Administrator Strengthening: EDP supports strengthening of local capacities of educational administrators and school directors through training programs that emphasize educational improvement and by training of trainers to support sustainable local capacities.
In-Service Strengthening: EDP supports the development of local capacities to design, plan, and manage in-service professional development for educators.
Strengthening of Higher Education: EDP supports the development and strengthening of pre-service teacher training programs that emphasize learner-centered pedagogy, democratic values, and respect between all people.
Equality in Education: EDP supports mainstreaming of gender equality, youth participation, and equal access for minority populations in our programming and supports the development of local awareness and capacities on these issues.
