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THE IMTEC FOUNDATION – A SHORT DESCRIPTION

The end of the 1960’s was characterized by student demonstrations and criticism against the school system. Books were written about ”de-schooling” (Illich & Christie), and the interest for what happens when schools face  renewal challenges was awakened. Center for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI in OECD) accepted the challenge and started a research program to analyze the educational systems’ capacity for change (Dalin, 1973). As a result of this program, a leadership development program was created (”International Management Training for Educational Change” - IMTEC), based on the assumption that knowledge about how schools improve is important to school leaders. This also instigated a number of national school leadership programs.

 

IMTEC’s programs

After five years in the OECD, IMTEC became an independent foundation, based in Norway. The challenge was to work with schools and school systems that wanted renewal and development. That meant that we had to strengthen our knowledge about the processes that lead to renewal; we had to create effective renewal programs and we had to provide training and expert help to leaders and consultants working with educational reforms. IMTEC’s “track record” includes: International networks of innovators and researchers that work with renewal. - More than 30 international conferences. Today IMTEC has development programs aimed at increasing schools’ capacity for change. The most well known program is perhaps the ”Institutional Development Program” (IDP)  that has been implemented in a number of countries (Dalin & Rust, 1983, and Dalin & Rolff, 1992).

A corner stone in our portfolio is IMTEC’s work with factors contributing to school development on system level (”How Schools Improve”, Dalin et.al., 1994), with theories for school development, and with professional assistance to various reform projects. IMTEC has a small staff but a large network of highly qualified people who contribute to the various programs and school development training. IMTEC has developed several programs in change management for school leaders at both institution and system level.

The key word for IMTEC is development. We approach this in various ways:

  • We train individuals and institutions that want to play an active role in development processes
  • We provide professional help to development and change projects
  • We evaluate development projects and institutions that are engaged in change and development processes
  • We establish networks between institutions and individuals who want a professional network to interact with in their development work.

We have programs for leadership development and training, and conduct surveys. IMTEC is mainly employed by organizations and agencies in the public sector (mainly schools), but also by municipalities that want assistance in change processes.

                                                                               

Major Norwegian/Nordic projects:

 

Head Teacher Training (2010 – ongoing)

The Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training has invited Oslo University College (HiO) to develop a national training program for head teachers at advanced level (master). The program is offered through a consortium consisting of the IMTEC Foundation, the University of Karlstad (Sweden) (KaU), Hedmark University College (HiH) and Akershus University College (HiAk). The program is based on research and experiences and is developed especially for new principals on all school levels.

 

Training Program for Day Care Institution Leaders

The program enables the leaders to instigate organizational development, facilitate learning and development for the children, and to reflect on their role as institution leaders. This program is offered by the same consortium that is responsible for the Head Teacher Training Program (see above).

 

Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees (NUMGE/Fagforbundet) -  (1997-ongoing)

IMTEC is providing assistance in the development and implementation of a program initiated by NUMGE as an alternative to compulsory competitive tendering; its aim being to develop and change municipal organizations and to improve customer services in the municipalities. The municipalities that are involved in this project are described as ”model municipalities”. The following elements are emphasized:

  • The establishing of a joint effort between politicians, administrative leaders and employees (tripartite collaboration)
  • Involving employees by making them active participants. NUMGE’s hypothesis is that a great deal of creativity is lost when the employees are not involved in change processes.
  • Focusing on the needs of the customers and getting their input through surveys.
  • Improving resource allocation, in terms of working more cost effectively and also by using people skills in the public sector across sector levels as well as across professional boundaries.
  • Developing methods  for the development and implementation of  the change processes


MUN – MatematikkUndervisning i Nettverk (2004- ongoing)

This project is based on school networks; aimed directly at the mathematics discipline. This subject is a priority area for Norwegian authorities. The methods used in the project are the same as in the FUN projects (see description below), and is a cooperation between the IMTEC Foundation and The National Center for Mathematichs in Education. The program is offered to schools on lower and  both upper secondary level.

 

The Knowledge Promotion Reform (2006-2009)

A program initiated by the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training in 2006. This was an education reform introduced in primary, lower secondary and upper secondary education and training. The program was evaluated on school level by several independent agencies; The IMTEC Foundation being the agency employed by the largest number of schools.

 

FUN – Forsøk og Utvikling i Nettverk (2001-2004)

The main success factor in this project is networking. The idea is school development through mutual evaluations, experiential learning, exchanging ideas, training and field trips. IMTEC has facilitated FUN projects in Norway as well as between Norwegian and Swedish junior secondary schools, and between Norwegian and Danish junior secondary schools.

 

Municipalities in Norway, Denmark and Sweden (1977-ongoing)

IMTEC has been engaged in a number of development projects in Nordic municipalities, e.g. training of ”Change agents”, (internal and external development consultants), organizational development assistance in major school development efforts (e.g. the merging of separate schools into one larger unit), in evaluation programs (formative and summative), and in providing international perspectives to Scandinavian development practices, (e.g. through network conferences and fellowship programs).


The Oslo Water and Sewage Works (1987-1997)

A major organizational development and management development program, using a novel approach to management training. Included in the program is a formative evaluation component and consultancy support to each of 90 managers.

 

The Norwegian Ministry of Education (1984-1989)

The National Program for Information Technology in Education. IMTEC’s role was to conceptualize the program, develop and implement a formative and summative evaluation program, and assist Project Management in the feedback process between the Ministry staff and the schools.

 

International projects

IMTEC’s international projects were largely associated with prof. Per Dalin. When he passed away, the foundation’s international involvement was reduced. The following projects are from Per Dalin’s time in The IMTEC Foundation:

 

The Government of the Province of the Western Cape, South Africa (1997-1999)

This program involves a regional Ministry of Education, three regional educational offices, 45 black schools in poverty areas, and the key supporter, the TIP (Teacher Inservice Project) organisation at the University of the Western Cape. IMTEC’s role is to assist TIP in its organisational development efforts working with these other units, facilitating reforms at all three levels.

 

The Government of the State of Bremen, Germany (1991-1995)

A major restructuring program involving decentralisation and more autonomy to the schools; a restructuring of the Ministry of Education, and a training program involving school development consultants and inspectors.

 

The World Bank (1993-1995)

A follow up study in all four provinces of Pakistan, studying successful strategies for educational improvement in Pakistan (”Roads to Success”, Iffat Farah et.al, 1996). IMTEC’s role was design work and training and supervision of national researchers.

 

The World Bank (1989-1992)

An international research study: ”How Schools Improve”, studying successful schools in poor communities in Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Colombia. IMTEC’s responsibility was design work, training of local researchers and writing the project report (”How Schools Improve”, Dalin et. al., Cassell, London 1992).

 

The Government of Pakistan (1989-1996)

Various educational development programs partly sponsored by NORAD, partly by the World Bank, covering assistance to the Pakistan Distance University (Allama Iqbal Open University), partly assistance to the National Textbook Board, and partly assistance to an Education and Health program in the Sindh province.

 

The German Government of Nortrhein Westfahlia (1987-1997)

Consultancy support to three development projects: The development and implementation of the IMTEC ”Institutional Development Program”, training some 120 OD consultants for school development. Secondly, an experimental program, changing the role of the inspectorate towards change management, and thirdly - work within the Johannes Rau Kommission laying the groundwork for the future of schooling in NWF.

 

The Dutch Government (in collaboration with the University of Amsterdam, 1986-1989)

The NOVO program with the responsibility of training of Organizational Development Consultants external to schools. Some 100 consultants trained using the IMTEC two-year consultant training program called ”The Institutional Development Program”.


The Indonesian Ministry of Education (1977-1986)

The implementation of the World Bank’s Fifth Education project. Mainly teacher education curricula, staff development (including a large international fellowship program), management development program (institutional leaders of Teacher Training Colleges).