1. THE EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM OF FINLAND

2. Education Policy
The key objectives of the
current Development Plan
(2011-2016) include
promoting equality in
education, enhancing the
quality of education at all
levels and supporting lifelong
learning.

3.  Objectives and programmes
 Legislation
 Financing
 Evaluation
 Educational foresights
 International cooperation

4. Education Policy
One of the basic principles of
Finnish education is that all
people must have equal access
to high-quality education and
training.

5. The key words in Finnish
education policy are
quality, efficiency,
equity and
internationalisation.

6. Pre-Primary Education

7. Pre-primary education lays
emphasis on the preparation
for school. The national core
curriculum for pre-primary
education is determined by
the Finnish National Board
of Education.

8. The minimum scope of
pre-primary education is
700 hours per year.

9. Basic Education in
Finland

10. Basic education is a free
nine-year education
provided for the whole age
group (currently 60,000
children) in comprehensive
schools.

11. Compulsory schooling
starts in the year when a
child turns seven and ends
after the basic education
syllabus has been completed
or after ten years.

12. Basic education is free of
charge for pupils
Highly qualified teachers
Laws and regulations
Administration and finance

13. a. Morning and afternoon
activities for the youngest
pupils
b. Music and art education in
Finland

14. General Upper
Secondary Education

15. General upper secondary
education develops all-round
general knowledge
Matriculation examination
Specialized upper secondary
schools
Administration and finance
Laws and regulations

16. Vocational Education and
Training in Finland

17. The aim of vocational education
and training (VET) is to improve
the skills of the work force, to
respond to skills needs in the
world of work and to support
lifelong learning.
VET comprises initial vocational
training and further and
continuing training.

18. Initial VET
The qualification is 120 credits,
which takes three years of fulltime study, unless prior learning
can be counted towards the
qualification.
The qualification is based on
working life occupations and the
competencies required.

19.  The qualification includes at least 20
credits of on-the-job learning.
The training is built on the basic
education syllabus.
 Prior learning acquired in training,
working life or other learning
environments can be counted towards
the qualification.

20. Matriculated students can also
study in initial VET. Their prior
studies are equivalent to some 30
credits, which are counted towards
the vocational qualification.
A vocational qualification gives
general eligibility for polytechnic
and university studies.

21. Administration and finance
The Ministry of Education
and Culture is responsible for
the strategic and normative
steering of VET and leads
national development.

22. Qualifications and studies
Students in upper secondary
schools have the option of
studying for both a vocational
qualification and the
matriculation examination at
the same time.

23. VET is available in the following
fields:
 Humanities and Education
 Culture
 Social Sciences, Business and Administration
 Natural Sciences
 Technology, Communication and Transport
 Natural Resources and the Environment
 Social Services, Health and Sport
 Tourism, Catering and Domestic Services

24. On-the-job learning and
skills demonstrations

25. Competence-based
qualifications

26. Apprenticeship Training

27. Polytechnic education in
Finland

28. Polytechnics train
professionals in response to
labour market needs and
conduct R&D which
supports instruction and
promotes regional
development in particular

29. Polytechnics offer :
education for polytechnic degrees
education for polytechnic master's
degrees
professional specialization and other
adult education
open polytechnic education
vocational teacher training

30. Polytechnic education is provided in the following
fields:
 Humanities and Education
 Culture
 Social sciences, business and





administration
Natural sciences
Technology, communication and transport
Natural resources and the environment
Social services, health and sport
Tourism, catering and domestic services

31. University Education in
Finland

32. The mission of universities is to
conduct scientific research and
provide undergraduate and
postgraduate education based on it.
Universities must promote free
research and scientific and artistic
education, provide higher education
based on research, and educate
students to serve their country and
humanity.

33. Performance agreements
University core funding and
the funding model

34. Universities
Universities
Universities and University Networks
There are 14 universities in the Ministry of
Education and Culture sector; two of them
are foundation universities (*) and the rest
are public corporations.

35. • Aalto University
• Hanken School of
Economics
• Lappeenranta
•
•
•
•
University of
Technology
Tampere University of
Technology
University of Helsinki
University of Eastern
Finland
University of the Arts
Helsinki
• University of
•
•
•
•
•
•
Lapland
University of Oulu
University of
Tampere
University of
Turku
University of Vaasa
Åbo Akademi
University
University of
Jyväskylä

36. University Centers and
University Networks

37. Studies and Degrees

38. Statistics

39. Adult Education
Adult education is designed to provide
study opportunities for adults. It
encompasses self-motivated education,
staff training and labour market training.
The Ministry of Education and Culture is
responsible for self-motivated education,
the Ministry of Employment and the
Economy for labour market training and
employers for staff training.

40. The tasks and key reforms of
adult education policy
 Adult education policy supports efforts to
extend working life, raise the employment
rate, improve productivity, enhance
multiculturalism and implement the
conditions for lifelong learning. In addition,
adult education alleviates the effects of the
recession.

41. Adult education and the
Ministry of Education and
Culture
 At the Ministry of Education and Culture,
adult education comes under the Division for
Adult Education and Training of the
Department for Education and Science Policy

42. The following issues come under the scope of the
Division for Adult Education and Training:
• Developing the conditions for national adult
education policy and lifelong learning
• Vocational adult education and training,
apprenticeship training and competence-based
qualifications
• Adult education offered by higher education
institutions and open learning
• General adult education and national
certificates of language proficiency
• Liberal adult education and educational and
guidance organisations

43. • Guidance on adult education, counselling and
the recognition of competence acquired in
different ways
• Assessing the need for and provision of adult
education as well as guidance (permission to
provide education and performance steering)
Coordinating training for teaching staff and
immigrants
• Legislation, funding and economic planning
for the sector
The quality of the activities, evaluations and
international cooperation

44. Finance and
Administration

45. Adult education system
Adult education is available within the
official education system in:
adult upper secondary schools
vocational institutions and vocational
adult training centres
national and private vocational
institutions
polytechnics and universities

46. and in liberal adult education
in:
adult education centres
folk high schools
summer universities
study centres
sports institutes

47. Studies and degrees in adult
education

48. Aiming for a certificate
Self-development
Basic education
Studies in basic education
Basic education certificate
General upper secondary
education
Certificate from an adult
upper secondary school
Vocational education and
training
Studies in an adult upper
secondary school

49. Training preparing for a Continuing vocational
competence-based
training
qualification, incl.
apprenticeship training
Training preparing for a
further or specialist
qualification, incl.
apprenticeship training
Training preparing for a
further or specialist
qualification, incl.
apprenticeship training

50. Training arranged by
private vocational
institutes
Polytechnics
Adult education leading
to a polytechnic degree
Staff-development
training arranged by
private institutes
Open polytechnic
Polytechnic Master's
Specialization studies in
a polytechnic
Continuing professional
education

51. Universities
Separate Master's
programmes
Liberal adult education
Open university
Specialization studies
in a university
Continuing
professional education
Adult education centres
Folk high schools
Study centres
Sport institutes
Summer universities

52. Student Financial Aid in
Finland

53. Financial aid is provided in the form of the
following benefits:
study grant
housing supplement
government guarantee for student loans.
Student financial aid is granted for fulltime studies aiming at
an upper secondary school certificate,
a vocational qualification,

54.  a polytechnic or university degree, and
 for additional studies qualifying for a
profession or a post.
 Study grant, housing supplement and
government guarantee for student
loan
 Tax concession for loan
 Student financial aid reform
 International student aid

55. Social and Economic Conditions
of Student Life in Europe

56. The main aim of the Euro student
project is to collate comparable data on
the social dimension of European higher
education. It focuses on the socioeconomic background and on the living
conditions of students, but it also
investigates temporary international
mobility. The project strives to provide
reliable and insightful cross-country
comparisons.

57. The reporting structure of Euros
tudent consists of a comparative
report and a more detailed,
searchable database, which enables
users to download data and a full
National Profile for each country.
The fourth round of Euro student
was completed in 2011.

58. Thank You