Education

The key words in Finnish education policy are quality, efficiency, equity and internationalisation. Education is a factor for competitiveness. The current priorities in educational development are to raise the level of education and upgrade competencies among the population and the work force, to improve the efficiency of the education system, to prevent exclusion among children and young people, and to enlarge adult learning opportunities. Special attention is also paid to quality enhancement and impact in education, training and research and to internationalisation.

The Ministry of Education is the highest education authority in Finland, supervising publicly subsidised education and training provision, from primary and secondary general education and vocational training to polytechnic, university and adult education.

The Ministry of Education and the National Board of Education are responsible for implementing education policy and for administering the education system at the central government level. However, many matters are decided by the education and training providers themselves, that is, local authorities and their consortia. Pre-primary and basic education and upper secondary general and vocational education are governed by objectives set in legislation and by national core curricula. General education and vocational training are co-financed by the government and the local authorities.

Finland has 20 universities, which work on the principles of academic freedom and autonomy. They are very independent in their decision-making. All universities are state-run, the government providing some 70% of their budgets.

There are 28 polytechnics in the Ministry of Education sector, which are run either by local authorities or by private foundations. They are co-financed by the government and local authorities.

Adult education and training is available at all levels and largely financed by the government.