Sino-Finnish Learning Garden:
“University of Applied Sciences in Finland and China:
What the two countries can learn from each other"
13.8.2014
Seppo Hölttä
seppo.holtta@uta.fi
Higher Education Group
School of Management
University of Tampere
FINLAND
The Finnish HE system
• University sector
– 14 research universities, including University of Arts
• Student enrollment 164 000
• Polytechnic sector, Universities of Applied Sciences (established in
the mid 1990s)
– 24 institutions
• Student enrollment 118 000
– Regional development tasks
– Bachelor degrees (vocational and professional degrees)
– (Professional) Master’s degrees on selected fields
• Governed by separate laws
GDP share of R&D expenditure in certain countries
Source: OECD, Main Science and
Technology Indicators
International Influence
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Academy of Turku (Currently University of Helsinki) established in 1640 by
King of Sweden
Deep Humboldtian roots (German/Nordic)
– Connection between research and teaching
– Role of government
– Academic autonomy of universities, academic freedom
Nordic connections
– History
– E.g. connection between HE policy and regional development policy
since the 1960c
– Nordic Welfare Society
International influence to the Finnish HE policy through
Influence of the main (European) national models of professional and
vocational institutions in te polytechnic reform in the 1990s
Influence of the European Union
– HE policy connected to the innovation policy and competitiveness of
Europe
Globalisation and HE (policy) - Markets
Characteristics of Finnish Higher
Education Policy
• Social values – Nordic welfare society
– Extensive provision of HE
– Tuition free system
• Broad understanding of diverse functions of HE
– Social, economic and cultural functions of HE
• Long term perspective and commitment of Government
– Stable growth of funding since the 1960s
• Education and research are regarded as the main resources of the
nation
• Connections between HE policy and other policies
– Regional development policy since 1960s
– National Innovation Policy since the early 1990s
– Globalisation
Developments of the Finnish HE
System
1960s – mid-1980s: Establishing the structures – start of massification
– Expansion of the system
– Regionalisation – regional development
– Democratisation of universities
– Modernisation of curriculum (study programmes, measuring
students’ work load)
– Planning and control of government
Mid-1980s – mid-1990s: Modernisation - massification
– Transfer towards extended institutional autonomy
– Establishment of the vocational and professional oriented HEIs
(Polytechnics = Universities of Applied Sciences)
– Innovation system framework for HE and research policies
– Higher priority for research and funding of research
The Polytechnic Reform
• From an elite system to a mass HE system
• Upgrading the level of vcational education
• Response to technological development and changing
labour markets
• Strong regional orientation (and regional ownership)
• Limited research (benefitting regional companies)
• Mergers of the former colleges and to create HEIs
• ”Equal but different” compared to universities
• Challenges
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Organisational reform / mergers
Governance and management
Multidisciplinary / adaptation of field based cultures
Training of teachers
Pedagogical training
Public image as HEIs
Late 1990s - 2000s: Internationalisation
– Establishment of the European Educational Area and European
Research Area
• Bologna process -- Harmonisation of degree and credit
systems, QA framework
– Changes in Government – Universities relationship
• Performance contracting
– Formula funding (goals and outputs in the terms of
Master and Phd degrees and research output)
• National evaluation system
– FINHEEC (Finnish HE Evaluation Council)
– Shared responsibility with HEIs
– Deeper linking HE education policy to innovation policy
– Further development of the polytechnic system (universities of
applied sciences)
– Increase autonomy of institutions
Since 2010: Adaptation to the system for Global Market
Economy
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New legal status for universities and Universities of Applied Sciences
– Universities
• Legal public entities
– Separated from government budget
• Foundation universities
– Initial capital from governemt and private companies
– Universities of Applied Sciences
• From diverse ownership/maintenance models to a Company Model
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Increase of international programmes
– Mainly Master Programmes
Experimentation with tuition fees
– Only for non-European students
– Scholarship funds required
Sharper profile of institutions
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Reseach universities, regional iinstitutions
Better fit with industry
Government subsidies have remained as before
Institutional mergers at both sectors
Innovative collaboration models among institutions (universities and UASs)
Different functions and tasks of universities and UASs have been remain