Reformation of the Macedonian teacher education programme, 1999-2001

Purpose This paper considers the theme of reform and change during the restructuring of the Macedonian Teacher Education programme at the University of Skopje, undertaken by a Tempus Phare project during 1999-2001. Background The project was commissioned by the European Union following a report by Bethall (1997), a consultant on Teacher Training. Four universities advised the University of Skopje on the modernization of the teacher training degree with a view to bringing their education system closer to EU standards: Hanzehogeschool, Groningen, The Netherlands; Malmoe University, Sweden; Ribe, Esborg, Denmark and Liverpool Hope University, UK. All the partners were members of the ETEN European Teachers Education Network which has a ten year association. Design The paper explores the management of change and the role of partnerships in an international project. Methods After outlining the context of reform in Macedonia, issues concerned with shifts of power in university structures are explored, which reflect the political situation in Macedonia, from controlled learning to more student and staff autonomy. The paper also highlights those instances where a conflict situation induces resistance to the perceived power of outside agencies, such as Tempus Phare, charged with facilitating reforms. Conclusion The collaborative modification of structures within the university, often reflecting events in Macedonia during the hostilities, is the focus of this paper. The University of Skopje in Macedonia is now one of the ETEN partners.