Finland
Sources: OECD (2020[1]), TALIS 2018 Results (Volume II): Teachers and School Leaders as Valued Professionals, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/19cf08df-en; OECD (2020[2]), "Learning remotely when schools close: How well are students and schools prepared? Insights from PISA", OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19), OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/3bfda1f7-en; OECD (2019[3]), TALIS 2018 Results (Volume I): Teachers and School Leaders as Lifelong Learners, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/1d0bc92a-en; OECD (2019[4]), PISA 2018 Results (Volume II): Where All Students Can Succeed, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/b5fd1b8f-en; OECD (2019[5]), PISA 2018 Results (Volume III): What School Life Means for Students’ Lives, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/acd78851-en.
Selected education policies for Finland
Alternative Path to University (Toinen reitti yliopistoon, TRY project, 2019)
►. Level of resilience: System
The Alternative Path to University project (2019) promotes equitable access to higher education as part of a broader student admissions reform (2018-20). Through this project, open studies courses are available at most higher education institutions across Finland, which allow learners to study at evenings, weekends, and via distance learning. There are no admissions requirements, and courses come at a relatively low cost to learners. Although they do not lead to a qualification, open studies courses allow learners to gain credits recognised within the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), which can contribute towards a degree at the same university. In addition, the TRY project aims to develop new entry routes for secondary-level students, and admissions options that fit the needs of working life. The project was funded by Finland’s Ministry of Education and includes 11 of the country’s universities.
According to a study of the Finnish case, the TRY project has already contributed to an increase in the number of students entering degree programmes through the open studies pathway. By late 2019, there were more than 200 open studies pathways to bachelor and masters-level courses, exceeding the project’s original projections. The development of the open studies pathway provides learners who may not otherwise have entered higher education with greater flexibility and an alternative to the traditional, highly competitive route. This will be particularly importantly in the context of the global recession, when many workers are likely to be seeking opportunities to retrain. However, the open studies pathway is not available in all subject areas, including highly competitive fields such as medicine and teacher training. The report recommends that Finland introduce regulations to widen the offer of open studies courses.
Further reading: Moitus, S., L. Weimer and J. Välimaa (2020[6]), Flexible Learning Pathways in Higher Education: Finland’s country case study for the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP-UNESCO) SDG4 project in 2018–2021 Finnish Education Evaluation Centre, https://karvi.fi/app/uploads/2020/09/KARVI_1220.pdf (accessed on 19 May 2021).
Career guidance development programme (Opinto-ohjauksen kehittämisohjelma, 2020)
►. Level of resilience: System
Finland’s guidance counselling development programme aims to provide more targeted and personalised career guidance to students in primary, lower secondary, general upper-secondary education and VET. One of its key objectives is to increase equity in education by making the full range of educational and career opportunities visible to all. With this in mind, the strategy reinforces support and guidance for students with SEN, students from an immigrant background, and students with mental health issues. The programme also provides for more intensive and personalised guidance for 10 000 students in the 8th and 9th grades of lower-secondary school who have been identified as needing extra support. There is a particular focus on improving the quality and amount of career guidance for students in VET to improve learning outcomes and retention rates. Other objectives include improving the use of labour-market and skills forecasting data and using career guidance to identify and develop students’ competencies. The programme supports Finland’s recovery from the projected economic and social fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic by targeting career guidance towards those who are most likely to benefit. It also supports longer-term strategic objectives, such as the plan to extend compulsory schooling, and initiatives to improve the quality of VET and upper-secondary education.
Further reading: Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland (2020[7]), Opinto-ohjauksen kehittämisohjelma [Career guidance development programme], https://minedu.fi/hanke?tunnus=OKM033:00/2020 (accessed on 1 April 2021).
References
Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland (2020), Opinto-ohjauksen kehittämisohjelma [Career guidance development programme], https://minedu.fi/hanke?tunnus=OKM033:00/2020 (accessed on 1 April 2021). [7]
Moitus, S., L. Weimer and J. Välimaa (2020), Flexible Learning Pathways in Higher Education: Finland’s country case study for the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP-UNESCO) SDG4 project in 2018–2021, Finnish Education Evaluation Centre, https://karvi.fi/app/uploads/2020/09/KARVI_1220.pdf (accessed on 19 May 2021). [6]
OECD (2020), Learning remotely when schools close: How well are students and schools prepared? Insights from PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/3bfda1f7-en. [2]
OECD (2020), TALIS 2018 Results (Volume II): Teachers and School Leaders as Valued Professionals, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/19cf08df-en. [1]
OECD (2019), PISA 2018 Results (Volume II): Where All Students Can Succeed, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/b5fd1b8f-en. [4]
OECD (2019), PISA 2018 Results (Volume III): What School Life Means for Students’ Lives, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/acd78851-en. [5]
OECD (2019), TALIS 2018 Results (Volume I): Teachers and School Leaders as Lifelong Learners, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/1d0bc92a-en. [3]