Mecklenburg-West Pomerania is located in the northeast of Germany. The Federal State has a total area of 23,000 sq km and appr. 1.8 million inhabitants: it is accordingly the most sparsely populated German state. Most of the population lives in numerous towns and in a few large cities such as Schwerin, the capital, Rostock, the largest city of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Greifswald, and Stralsund. 
The state´s economy is influenced by its geographical features: shipbuilding, commercial fishing and agriculture have been the main branches of industry up to the present day. Also tourism is becoming an economic factor of growing importance for the region. 
The picturesque 354 km long coastline of the Baltic Sea, the numerous peninsulas and islands off the coast, charming lakes, old towns where Gothic churches dominate the view and villages with thatched farm-houses invite you to discover the natural beauty of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania

Ministry of Education, Science and Cultural Affairs, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

The Ministry of Education, Science and Cultural Affairs is situated in Schwerin, the capital of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. The Ministry is responsible for the following ranges of work:

a) primary, secondary and grammar schools
b) vocational schools and adult education
c) universities; science and research
d) cultural affairs.

Concerning the schools the Ministry of Education, Science and Cultural Affairs works closely together with the Institute for School and Further Education. In the first-named working field the Ministry especially concentrates on:

- the development of regulations and educational laws
- the development and review of school concepts, mainly those which improve the quality of teaching
- the establishment and review of pilot projects which develop new teaching methods and materials, 
  new teaching and learning strategies
- the teachers’ exchange and the teaching abroad.

Ministry of Education, Science and Cultural Affairs, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Werderstraße 124
D - 19055 Schwerin
Germany
www.kultus-mv.de

Institute for School and Further Education in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania

In 1990 the Institute for School and Further Education in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania was founded. The tasks of the institute are based on the Educational Law of our country. In co-operation with upper and lower school authorities the institute is chargeable for

- the organisation and realisation of the training of student teachers 
- the organisation and realisation of final examinations for student teachers
- the organisation and realisation of in-service training courses for teachers and members of school authorities
- the organisation, realisation and evaluation of educational pilot studies
- the development and design of curricula
- the organisation, design and evaluation of final school leaving examinations.

The institute consists of the head office, which is situated in Schwerin, the capital of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania and two regional institutes, which are located in Rostock and Greifswald. Whereas the institute in Greifswald is responsible for the initial and in-service training of primary and secondary school teachers, the institute in Rostock is competent for the training of student teachers and tutors of grammar schools, vocational schools and schools for mentally handicapped children.

Institute for School and Further Education, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania
Bahnhofstr. 33/34
D - 17 489 Greifswald
Germany
www.bildung-mv.de