Finland:The Europa World of Learning

Introductory Survey

The Higher Education System

The higher education system consists of two parallel systems, universities and polytechnics: universities focus on academic teaching and research while polytechnics specialize in professional and vocational training. The structure of the degree system is the same in both sectors. There are 20 universities and 31 polytechnics. The oldest university is the Kuvataideakatemia (Academy of Fine Arts), which was founded in 1848. In 2007 student enrolments were as follows: Vocational and professional institutions 266,479; Polytechnics 133,284; Universities 176,304.

All universities are state-owned and are administered by the Ministry of Education’s Department for Education and Science Policy. University-level education is currently free but students may be required to pay extraneous services, such as health care and compulsory membership of the Student’s Union. Under the Universities Act, universities are obliged to promote free research and provide free education. However, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development suggested in 2010 that students be charged to study as part of a number of reforms to help Finland out of recession. This might encourage them to finish their degrees more quickly. Other suggestions include replacing grants with repayable loans and speeding up the admissions system by standardizing university entrance requirements. Universities have enjoyed relative autonomy in decision-making, based on three-year performance agreements with the Ministry of Education. Government funding used to account for about 64% of university budgets, with the rest coming from the Academy of Finland, the Technology Development Centre Tekes, business enterprises, the European Union and other public bodies. The new Universities Bill of June 2009 further extended the autonomy of universities by giving them an independent legal personality, either as a public corporation or as a foundation under private law, with university staff no longer being employed by the State. The Government continued to provide core funding with the universities responsible for acquiring additional finance.

The current polytechnic system emerged during the 1990s and was in place by 2000. Like the universities, the polytechnics are controlled by the Department for Education and Science Policy within the Ministry of Education. The polytechnics are a mix of municipal and private ownership. Funding of public polytechnics is shared between central government and local government. Polytechnics follow performance agreements made with the Ministry of Education.

Admission to both universities and polytechnics is on the basis of completed secondary education and entrance examinations. University admissions are subjected to the Universities Decree (115/1998), and admission to polytechnics is governed by the Polytechnic Studies Act (351/2003). In 2005 a two-tier Bachelors and Masters degree system was implemented in both universities and polytechnics, in accordance with the Bologna Process. The award of degrees is based on a US-style academic ‘credit’ system. The university Bachelors degree lasts for three years and students must accrue 120 credits; the university Masters degree is a two-year course requiring 40–60 credits. The polytechnic Bachelors requires 120–160 credits over three-and-a-half to four years, and the polytechnic Masters 40–60 credits in one-and-a-half years. (Admission to the polytechnic Masters requires a polytechnic Bachelors and three years’ professional experience.)

In some subject areas the old-style degree system remains in place. For dentistry, medicine and veterinary medicine, the first degree is the Lisensiaatti or Licentiate, which requires 200–250 credits and takes five to six years. The Lisensiaatti/Licentiate is a doctoral-level degree. Students who have received the Masters may take the Tohtori or Doctorate, which lasts four years. In addition to the technical and vocational education offered by polytechnics there is also an apprenticeship scheme combining workplace and classroom learning.