Transcript Higher Education in Finland Orientation Program for

Higher Education in Finland
Orientation Program for American Fulbright Grantees
August 30, 2012
Senior Adviser Eeva Kaunismaa
HEIs and Sectoral Research
Institutes
Universities (blue)
Polytecnics (green)
Public research institutes (red)
The Finnish Higher Education System
• The Finnish higher education system comprises two parallel sectors:
– University sector
• 16 research universities, including 3 Universities of Arts
• Student enrollment 114 000, annual intake ~ 20 000
• Independent legal persons with majority of funding through State budget
– Polytechnic sector (established in the mid-1990s)
• 25 institutions
• Student enrollment 113 500, annual intake ~ 26 500
• Institutions partly funded by the state, partly by municipalities
• Regional development tasks
• Bachelor degrees (vocational and professional degrees)
• (Professional) Master’s degrees in selected fields
• The whole HE system provides study places for 65-70% of an age
group
Cohorts Entering (Upper) Secondary
Education and the First Cycle of Tertiary
Education in 2007 - 2025
68000
66000
64000
62000
60000
58000
56000
54000
52000
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Cohort, 19-21years
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Cohort, 16-18 years
2023
2024
2025
Structural Development of Higher Education
Vision 2020
• Maximum of 18 polytechnics
– Intake in youth education of 22,500 students (in 2009 ~26 500)
– Flexible and profiled higher education units and structures
– Strong and dynamic interaction with the region and its employers
– Well-established, high-quality R&D in priority areas
•
Maximum of 15 universities
– Intake of 17 500 students (in 2009 ~19 500)
– Strong units and profiles; clear priorities in research
– Internationalisation and world-class research
•
Four to five strategic university-polytechnic alliances
– Secured access to education and diverse education provision in the area
– Joint R&D and stronger (regional) impact
PM Jyrki Katainen's Government Program
Priorities
General
• Reduction of poverty, inequality and social exclusion
• Consolidation of Public finances
• Enhancing sustainable economic growth, employment and competitiveness
In education
• Finland the most competent nation in 2020
• Reduction of gender differences in learning outcomes, participation and completion of
education
• Equal opportunities and rights to free quality education
• To ensure the availability of the workforce, especially in key educational, health and
welfare services
• Guidance and counselling at all levels of education
• All primary school leavers will be guaranteed a study place
• To adapt the network of educational institutions to demographic trends
Government Programme on Higher
Education and Science
• Quality, efficiency and internationalisation of HE
• Polytechnic Reform (legal status, funding, administration)
• Each province in Finland will have at least one higher education
institution.
• The establishment of a university for the arts will be promoted.
• Access to higher education studies will be made smoother for
example by reforming student selection.
• Policy on the national research infrastructure will be promoted.
Photo: Sara Djupsund