HEI Schools Pilots Innovative Early Childhood Education Concept in Indonesia
The newly opened Lillipods preschool in Jakarta brings high-quality, Finnish-style early childhood education to an increasing number of children. The co-development of the concept was supported by the Developing Markets Platform.
HEI Schools, a Finnish educational concept, continues its global expansion. In May, HEI Schools Indonesia announced exciting developments in Jakarta: the opening of its second HEI Schools campus and the launch of the Lillipods preschool, built around a new early childhood education concept.
Co-developed by HEI Schools teams in Finland and Indonesia, the Lillipods concept integrates the Finnish early childhood education model with local needs.
“This curriculum is the culmination of everything we’ve learned from implementing the Finnish education model abroad over the past ten years,” says Inkeri Aimonen, CEO of HEI Schools.
One of the main challenges in applying the Finnish model internationally is that it relies on teachers’ autonomy and their ability to adapt the curriculum to meet each child’s individual needs—something that can be difficult to replicate in different cultural and educational contexts.
“We’ve often seen the Finnish model misapplied overseas,” Aimonen notes.
The new Lillipods curriculum preserves the core principles of the Finnish education model but is easier to implement across diverse cultural environments—even by teachers who have not been trained in Finland.
The Lillipods preschool, launched in May, is currently in its pilot phase and will be fully operational at the beginning of the new academic year in August.
Rising Demand for Daycare as More Women Join the Workforce
Indonesia does not have a public childcare system comparable to Finland’s. Preschools are almost entirely privately run, and the primary responsibility for childcare falls to parents—often with support from grandparents or hired nannies.
As more women enter the workforce and dual-income households become more common, the demand for reliable daycare services is rising. While HEI Schools campuses typically cater to more affluent families, the Lillipods model is designed to make high-quality early education more accessible to the growing middle class.
“The response in Jakarta has been overwhelmingly positive. Parents here truly value early childhood education and are willing to invest in it,” Aimonen emphasizes.
As part of the DevPlat project, HEI Schools is also developing a specialized pedagogical program to ensure children with special educational needs or learning difficulties can participate in early education alongside their peers.
“The Finnish early childhood education model is well suited to children requiring additional support. With our specialized pedagogical training program, we can further enhance their learning experience,” Aimonen explains.
DevPlat Becomes Innovation Funding Managed by Finnpartnership
The Developing Markets Platform (DevPlat)—funded by Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs and administered by Business Finland—has supported numerous Finnish companies in creating sustainable solutions in cooperation with local partners in Indonesia.
According to DevPlat expert Minh Lam, collaboration between local stakeholders and Finnish companies has accelerated the adoption of new technologies and fostered knowledge exchange in sustainable development.
Earlier this year, the funding model associated with DevPlat was revised, and new innovation funding is now administered through Finnpartnership. While the administrative structure has changed, the goal remains the same: to support projects that create meaningful development impacts in partner countries.
This funding supports the joint development of products, services, processes, and business models with local partners and complements Business Finland’s R&D funding. It can be awarded to both ongoing projects and those concluded within the past five years.
Offered as de minimis aid, the funding can cover up to 75% of a project’s approved total costs, with a maximum grant of €300,000. Since the program is based on co-development, at least half of the project’s costs must be for services purchased from local partners.
“To be eligible for innovation funding, a project must support business growth, create new jobs both in Finland and the partner country, and contribute to Finland’s development objectives as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals,” Lam emphasizes.
HEI Schools
Founded in 2015 in collaboration with the University of Helsinki, HEI Schools® is an internationally recognized education concept that delivers Finland’s high-quality early childhood education to the world. There are currently 25 licensed HEI Schools campuses in 18 countries. Additionally, over 160 preschools worldwide use the HEI Schools curriculum, and nearly 2,000 educators have been trained through the HEI Schools Teacher Diploma program.