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Finland - between East and West... but further to the north
With an established, well-respected and quality-controlled education system, Finland is becoming the choice of some of the world's leading postgraduate students. Jaanaliisa Kuoppa from CIMO outlines some of the features that make Finnish higher education an opportunity for international postgraduates
Finland is a Nordic country situated between West and East offering the best of both traditions. Independent since 1917, Finland today is in many ways a pioneering EU member state. It is a safe and stable state with a fully functioning infrastructure, education system, health care services and a vibrant cultural life, combining the advantages of a high-tech society with unspoilt nature.
Education is highly valued in Finland, and the high standard of education forms one of the cornerstones of the Finnish national strategy. Twenty universities and 29 polytechnics provide higher education in Finland. All these institutions are internationally oriented and the country's good reputation in higher education, combined with the wide range of courses offered in English, attract interest among an increasing number of international students.
Finnish universities have roots dating back to the 17th century and today the country has one of the most comprehensive university networks in Europe. Of the 20 Finnish universities, 10 are multi-faculty institutions, 3 are universities of technology, 3 schools of economics and business administration and 4 are art academies. The total university enrolment is currently 175,000 students, of which more than 4,400 are international degree-seeking students.
The reform of the Finnish university degrees will take effect in autumn 2005 after which students will take the lower university degree first – the bachelors qualification, comprising 180 ECTS credits and lasting three years of full-time study. For those wishing to pursue postgraduate-level study, the normal choice will be a masters degree of 120 ECTS credits, lasting two years of full-time studying.
The Finnish polytechnic system was established during the 1990s to create an alternative to the 20 universities. Polytechnic education emphasises close contacts with business, industry and services, especially at the regional level. The degrees are designed to meet the changing requirements and development needs of the world of work, having a pronounced occupational emphasis, and qualifying graduates for various expert duties. Polytechnics undertake some research and development with an applied and practical emphasis, with a range of post-experience master-level degrees in specific fields.
There are 29 polytechnics, most of which are multi-field and operate in several units. There are currently more than 130,000 registered students attending polytechnic institutions, with over 3,100 international degree-seeking students and a further 2,900 international visiting students.
At present, Finnish institutions of higher education offer more than 350 study programmes in English. Some of these programmes are short courses that usually can only be taken as part of an exchange programme – other, broader-based programmes take several years to complete and lead to an official Finnish higher education degree. An increasing number of these programmes are offered at the masters level.
Finnish universities and polytechnics cooperate extensively with their counterparts in many countries throughout the world, so there are many ways for you to come to study in Finland.
Exchange students can come to Finland through European Union programmes. Students from the USA may participate in the ISEP exchange programme, while students from the other Nordic countries can take advantage of the Nordplus scheme. Finnish institutions of higher education have bilateral agreements with many colleges and universities abroad that also cover exchange programmes. In special cases, students can be accepted from outside the above schemes.
Though reform is imminent, the current operation of the Finnish university sector is based on the unity of research and instruction. Doctoral studies (jatkokoulutus/påbyggnadsutbildning), in particular, are closely linked with the research work done at universities and international institutions. Licentiate (2 years) and Doctor’s (4 years) degrees are postgraduate degrees in Finland. Students can start working for a doctorate as soon as they have obtained the Masters degree. If they prefer, students can take a Licentiate’s degree (lisensiaatti/licentiat) before the Doctor’s degree. In medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine licentiate is currently a master-level degree, after which doctoral studies can be commenced.
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