Espoo has decided to start using education cloud services by Google and Microsoft (Google Apps for Education and Office 365 for Education). By this, Espoo wants to ensure a diverse learning environment, the meeting of the objectives of the curricula that enter into force on 1 August 2016 as well as equal opportunities for pupils to use the latest technology to support their learning.  

The diverse use of information and communications technology is required by the national core curriculum confirmed by the National Board of Education as well as Espoo’s municipal curricula. Information and communications technology skills are important for every citizen in themselves and as part of multiliteracy. The technology must be systematically utilised in basic education in all years, various subjects, multidisciplinary learning packages and other school work. Espoo aims to support learning by offering a diverse learning environment that also corresponds to the media reality of children and young people.  

The cloud services to be taken into use are international education cloud services. Their terms and conditions of use clearly differ from the consumer services of the suppliers in question, in which consumers may receive targeted advertisements based on their actions and the service provider gains the right to use the materials produced by consumers. A city-wide agreement and deployment ensures the protection of the users’ privacy as well as data security and protection. The services will not feature advertisements, and users’ privacy protection will be realised in accordance with the legal requirements.  The agreements will be based on the EU Standard Contractual Clauses as required by legislation.  According to Section 23(8) of the Personal Data Act, personal data may be transferred outside the European Union or the European Economic Area if the transfer is made by using standard contractual clauses as adopted by the Commission.