Estonian Vocational Education Delegation Visit Harford Community College

A delegation of eight Estonian vocational education professionals visited Harford Community College on April 23. They were welcomed by Dr. Theresa B. Felder, Harford’s President, and the leadership team from the College. The delegation was given a tour of the College campus and had the opportunity to explore the College's IT, STEM, Workforce, and Nursing & Allied Health programs to learn more about how Harford partners with industry to support student success and meet workforce needs. The visit was coordinated by the World Trade Center Institute, located in Baltimore, MD.

Following the campus tour, the delegation had lunch and held an informal discussion that included networking with representatives from Harford Community College, Harford County Public Schools, and Harford County Government.

During their time on campus, presentations on workforce development, industry, STEM & NAHP partnerships were provided. Speakers included Karen Holt and Raj Goel, Harford County Government; Matthew Johnstone, Katie Eckstein, and Becky Pensero, Harford County Public Schools; and Stuart Savin, Renee Michalkiewicz, and Jackie Madden, Harford Community College. The presentations provided an overview of workforce development, technical programs, certifications, and regional partnerships, including collaboration with Aberdeen Technology Park.

Before the day’s events concluded, there was a best practices exchange and discussion that centered on vocational education pathways, credentialing, employer alignment, and U.S.–Estonia comparisons.

The visit reflects a longstanding relationship between Maryland and Estonia that has fostered educational exchanges. Narva, Estonia, located on the Russian border, is the sister city to the town of Bel Air. Harford Community College engaged in a pre-pandemic exchange in which six Harford nursing students, accompanied by a team of nurse educators, traveled to Narva to help educate high school students about the prevention of HIV.

The delegation of vocational education professionals from Estonia is visiting Baltimore from April 17 to 25, 2026.

Estonia’s economy is export-oriented, and their Ministry of Education is focused on enhancing STEM and vocational education. The visit will give the delegation the opportunity to meet with their American counterparts to exchange best practices in their field. The delegates represent both secondary and higher education institutions in Estonia.