Finnish Higher education
Higher education in Finland has a dual structure. Higher education is provided by universities and polytechnics, also known as universities of applied sciences. Both sectors have their own profiles. Universities emphasise scientific research and instruction, whereas polytechnics adopt a more practical approach. Higher education institutions are very autonomous in organising their instruction and academic year.
There is restricted entry to all fields of study. The applicant volumes outweigh the number of places available. Therefore universities and polytechnics use different kinds of student selection criteria. Most commonly these include success in matriculation examination and entrance tests.
Equal access to higher education is ensured by the wide institutional network, the free education, student financial aid as well as the flexible pathways to higher education. Efforts have also been made to lower the threshold to apply to higher education by developing an on-line joint application system.
Information on higher education degrees and recognition of foreign qualifications in Finland.
Finland: Higher Education
The university sector consists of multi-faculty universities, universities of technology, business schools and art academies, all of which carry out research, provide education based on research and award degrees up to doctorates. In addition, university level education is provided at one military academy, the National Defence University, which falls under the defence administration. According to legislation, the purpose of universities is to promote free research and scientific and artistic education, provide higher education based on research, and educate students to serve their country and humanity. In carrying out this mission, universities must interact with the surrounding society and strengthen the impact of research findings and artistic activities on society. The legislation concerning universities (Universities Act 558/2009 and Decree 770/2009) include provisions on the mission of the universities, research and instruction, organisation and administration, staff and official language, students, appeals against university decisions and students’ legal protection. The Universities Act was reformed in 2009. The law further extended the autonomy of universities by giving them an independent legal status, either as public corporations or as foundations under private law. At the same time, the universities’ management and decision-making system was reformed. Most polytechnics are multi-field institutions. In addition the Police College of Finland falls under the administration of the Ministry of the Interior. The autonomous Åland Islands also have their own polytechnic. The Government grants permanent operating licences to the polytechnics. Polytechnic degree studies give a higher education qualification and practical professional skills. The objective of the studies is to provide the necessary knowledge and skills for professional expert functions on the basis of the requirements of working life and its development needs. Polytechnics carry out research and development, which serve polytechnic education and support working life. They play an important role in regional development as providers of high-quality education and developers of the economic life of the regions, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises. The role of polytechnics in research and development supporting regions and working life will be strengthened, for example by increasing the weight of research as a criterion of funding. The legislation on polytechnics defines the responsibilities and degrees awarded the polytechnics. It also include provisions on the mission of the polytechnics, research and instruction, organisation and administration, staff and official language, students, appeals against decisions and students’ legal protection. A Polytechnics reform has been carried out since 2011 in two stages so that the last part of the reform will take effect in the beginning of the year 2015. The reform will give polytechnics an independent legal status. All polytechnics will operate as limited companies. The main funding responsibility of polytechnics will be transferred to the State. Prior to 2015 the responsibility of the funding was divided between the State and municipalities. The operating licences and the educational responsibilities of polytechnics have been revised. Educational responsibilities consist of degrees and degree titles. Ministry of Education and Culture will no longer decide on the degree programmes. The financing system of the polytechnics has been renewed to be more performance-based. The new funding model emphasises quality, impact and efficiency. The institution-specific funding will be primarily determined on the basis of degrees awarded, the quality and efficiency of study processes and R&D. The new Polytechnics Act was confirmed in November 2014. Field-specific educational responsibilities of higher education institutions are defined the legislation or by the Ministry of Education and Culture. Joint educational objectives and university- and polytechnic-specific performance targets are determined in the performance negotiations between the higher education institutions and the Ministry of Education and Culture. Quantitative targets are set for degrees as well as adult education, for example. On the basis of these negotiations, higher education institutions decide on student intake in their fields of study and select their own students. They also draw up their own curricula and design their instruction within the framework of national statutes. Equal access to higher education is ensured by the wide institutional network, the free education, student financial aid as well as the flexible pathways to higher education. Efforts have also been made to lower the threshold to apply to higher education by developing an on-line joint application system. According to the legislation both universities and polytechnics must operate in interaction with the rest of the society. Higher education institutions are very autonomous in organising their instruction and academic year. Generally instruction is offered in two semesters. At universities the academic year usually extends from mid-September to mid-May. Instruction at polytechnics generally starts in August or September and ends in May. The structure of the higher education sector in Finland has been developed for the last few years and will continue to be developed further. The structural development of higher education institutions aims at reallocating resources from structures to improve the quality of teaching and research and to boost international competitiveness by means of, for example, aggregating activities to larger entities. The structural development seeks to contribute to greater effectiveness and quality of teaching, collaboration between institutions, the society and businesses. Also internationalisation is high on the agenda. |
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