Comparison of Finnish and Estonian post-secondary education systems
2.04.2009. Aune Valk
I Finnish education system
The Finnish education system is an egalitarian Nordic system. Education after primary school is divided into
vocational (40-45%) so called trade school and academic-oriented upper secondary schools (55-60%). Trade
school graduates may enter the workforce directly after graduation, upper secondary school graduates are
taught no vocational skills and are expected to continue to tertiary education. A national speciality is the
academic matriculation diploma (Abitur) received after successful completion of upper secondary school,
which holds a high prestige.
The tertiary level is divided into university and
university of applied sciences (ammattikorkeakoulu)
systems, whose diplomas are not mutually
interchangeable. Only universities award licentiates and
doctorates. Traditionally only university graduates may
obtain higher (postgraduate) degrees. The Bologna
process has resulted in some restructuring, where
vocational degree holders can qualify for further studies
by doing additional courses. There are 20 universities
and 30 polytechnics in the country. Recently the process
of merging and/or closer cooperation between different
HEIs has been initiated. The universities of applied
sciences (UAS) are governed by municipalities, or, in
special cases, by private entities. (As an exception to the
rule, Police College is governed by the Ministry of the
Interior.) All Finnish universities, on the other hand, are
owned by the state.
The focus for universities is research, and they give a
more theoretical education. The UAS focus on practical
skills and seldom pursue research, but they do engage in
industry development projects. A bachelor's degree
takes about three–four years. Depending on the
programme, this may be the point of graduation, but it is
usually only an intermediate step towards the master's
degree. UAS degree, on the other hand, takes about 3.5–
4.5 years.
Degrees
doctor
Vocational degrees
Age
employment
licentiate
Uni
master
UAS
master
(new)
employment
2-3
y
Uni
bachelor
UAS
bachelor
employment
3-4
y
upper
secondary
school
1819
vocational school
17
16
15
14
13
12
comprehensive school
11
10
9
8
7
pre-school
6
Formerly UAS-graduated Bachelors were often required to undertake perhaps a year's worth of additional
studies when applying to Master's degree programmes in universities. The Bologna process has progressively
lowered the amount of required additional studies and in some cases no additional studies are required. After
polytechnic graduates have completed three year's work experience in their field, they are also qualified to
apply for polytechnic master's degree-programmes (lower university degree graduates are qualified also, but
with additional studies) which are work-oriented — not academic. The polytechnic Master's degree
programme takes two years and can be undertaken in conjunction with regular work. Unlike the bachelor's, a
master's degree graduate from a polytechnic is considered equivalent to an academic master's graduate in a
related field. After the master's, the remaining degrees (Licentiate and Doctor) are available only in
universities. The polytechnic master's degree does not qualify its recipient for graduate studies at doctoral
level.
Attendance is compulsory in primary and secondary schools, but voluntary in universities and polytechnics.
No tuition fees are collected. However, there are plans (in the current government platform) to introduce
tuition fees to students from outside the European Union. In universities, membership in the students' union is
compulsory, one has to pay a fee and is quaranteed health care. Students' unions of polytechnics are similarly
recognized in the legislation, but membership is voluntary and does not include special university student
health care. Finnish students are entitled to a student benefit, which may be revoked if there is a persistent lack
of progress in the studies. The benefit is often insufficient and thus students usually work to help fund their
studies. State-guaranteed student loans are also available.
Some universities provide professional degrees in such fields as engineering and medicine. They have
additional requirements in addition to merely completing the studies, such as demonstrations of competence in
practice.
After the master's degree, there are two further post-graduate degrees - an intermediate postgraduate degree,
called Licentiate, and the Doctor (Doctorate) degree. A Licenciate programme has the same amount of
theoretical education as a Doctor, but its dissertation work has fewer requirements. (Licentiate can be
compared to research master degree in Estonia that is, however, about to end its existence due to curricula
reform of Bologna process.) On the other hand, the requirements for a doctoral dissertation are a little bit
higher than in other countries.
The most typical Finnish doctoral degree is Doctor of Philosophy (filosofian tohtori, filosofie doktorsexamen).
However, universities of technology award the title Doctor of Science, tekniikan tohtori, teknologie
doktorsexamen and there are several branch-specific titles, e.g., in medicine lääketieteen tohtori, medicine
doktorsexamen, in art taiteen tohtori, and in social sciences valtiotieteen tohtori, politices doktorsexamen.
Doctoral students can in some cases get financial support similar to ISCED 5 students, mostly they are
regarded as fully-fledged researchers and may have a special temporary employment contract to prepare their
doctorate.
II Estonian education system
The education system is based on four levels which include the pre-school, basic, secondary and higher
education. In 1997, 95.2 % of those who graduated from day basic school went on to secondary schools; 70 %
of them to upper-secondary schools (gümnaasium); and 25.2 % to vocational schools. The Estonian
educational system consists of state, municipal, public and private educational institutions.
Binary higher education
The higher education system is binary and consists of universities (ülikool) and applied higher education
institutions (rakenduskörgkool). Since the academic year 2002/2003, the general structure of higher education
is divided into two main cycles, following the undergraduate-graduate model. The first cycle is the bachelor
level; the second is the master level. For some specialities (basic medical studies, veterinary, pharmacy,
dentistry, architect-engineer and a classroom teacher program), the study programmes have been integrated
into a single long cycle, following the master level qualification. The highest stage at universities is doctoral
studies. Professional higher education programmes are at the first level of higher education and correspond to
the bachelor level programmes. The usual duration of studies is three to four years. In some specialties the
Bachelors and Master’s levels are integrated
into one unit.
PhD
employment
Estonian public universities have
Master
2-3
significantly more autonomy than applied
Master (AHE)
employment
(Uni)
y
higher education institutions. There are six
Vocatio
public universities, five private universities,
nal
eight state institutions of professional higher
based
education, thirteen private professional
applied higher
20bachelor (3)
on sec. employment
higher education institutions. The
education (3-4)
23
(ISCED
requirements set for higher education have
5B) (1been determined by the general standards of
3)
higher education; the state has established a
system of accreditation – curricula were
18vocationale 19
assessed by international commissions after
upper secondary secondary vocational
ducation
every 7 years.
school (3)
education (3-4)
17
(1-2)
16
In order to continue studies at a higher
15
educational institution, everybody has to pass
the state exams which are organised by the
14
Exam and Qualification Centre at the
13
Ministry of Education. Exam materials are
12
compiled by a special commission. Members
of the admissions commissions do not belong
basic school (9)
11
to school. An upper-secondary school
10
graduate must pass five graduation exams, at
9
least two of them being state exams. An
essay in the Estonian language is compulsory
8
for all. The student chooses state exams
7
according to his plans for higher education
pre-school
6
and the desired area of study at university or
a professional higher school. The student can
take all graduation exams as state exams. The graduate of a secondary school receives a diploma and
certificates of the state exams. Most universities and professional higher schools accept students on the basis
of the state exam results, while others (or is some special fields) require additional tests.
The state exams are not required from adult students who apply for open university (distance education)
studies.
Vocational education
Parallel to secondary and post-secondary education institutions there are also vocational schools, which
are primarily state funded. The main emphasis in vocational education lies in acquiring professional
skills and practical experience. There are 45 vocational schools in Estonia, 34 of which are public. The
vocational education system was developed from the secondary and post-secondary education levels so
that students could acquire either vocational secondary or vocational higher educations. The vocational
school graduates are entitled to sit for state exams and can therefore continue studies at a university or at an
applied higher education institution. In 2008/2009 there were 27239 students in vocational education, majority
of who were taking secondary vocational education (17648) or vocational education on the basis of secondary
education (ISCED5B), only 505 student studied vocational education without
III Comparison of the systems in EU perspective
Participation in higher education
For the entire EU-27, the participation rate of those aged 18-39 years in tertiary education is put at 11 % of all
people in this age group, but it varies very widely from one European country to the next. According to the
demographic data, the Baltic countries, Nordic countries, Greece, Poland and Slovenia are those with the
highest enrolment rate of adults aged 18-39 in tertiary education (Estonia: 16%, Finland 18%). Generally
speaking, slightly more women than men enrol in tertiary education. Their numbers are markedly higher in the
Baltic and Nordic countries. In Estonia the difference between male (12,0%) and female participation (19,4%)
is the highest in EU. IN Finland the differences are rather small: men 17%, female 19,6%.
Compared to EU countries Finland has the highest % of science, math and technology students in higher
education (almost 40% compared to average of 25%) (Ba-Ma programmes). The difference mainly comes in
from higher male participation. In Estonia this % is slightly lower than EU average on Ba-Ma level but higher
(and even slightly higher than in FI) on PhD level (42% compared to average of 38%).
Students in different programmes
Among all EU students enrolled in tertiary education, the great majority are in programmes that are
‘theoretically based’, ‘research preparatory’ or give access to ‘professions with high skills requirements’
(ISCED 5A= Bachelor programmes in FI and EST) as opposed to those doing shorter more practically
oriented programmes (around 13 % belong to ISCED level 5B). Only 3 % of all students in the EU are
enrolled in advanced research programmes (ISCED 6=PhD). A considerable difference is apparent in the
relative position of this level. In the Czech Republic, Austria and Finland (7,1%), the proportion of students
concerned is more than twice as high as in the EU as a whole. In Estonia the % of PhD students is somewhat
below EU average 2,5% - comparable to the situation in DK; NO, IE and RO.
*The data in the table depend on the national classification traditions. In Estonia 3-4 year applied higher education
programmes are classified as ISCED 5B, analogous Polytechnic= University of Applied Sciences programmes in FI are
classified as 5A. In addition, the statistics depend on the exmatriculation rules, while in Estonia universities are rather
strict regarding exmatriculation of all students after the end of nominal time incl the ones at PhD level, in Finland the
students can stay in the PhD student status for much longer (see also data of students’ ages).
Age of students
The age of students in Finland is considerably higher compared to EUR average. Estonian students ages
resemble EU average situation except the range of ages of PhD students is somewhat smaller.
Figure: Distribution by age and sex of full-time and part-time students in tertiary education (ISCED
5B, 5A and 6), 2003/04 (Source Eurostat, UOE)
ECTS and organisation of an academic year
In Estonia, as in ca half of the EU countries, the academic year begins officially in the first fortnight in
September, most generally on the 1st or the 3rd of the month. In Finland academic years begins on 1 August.
In Estonia the official end of the academic year is usually in the end of June, in Finland in the end of July.
Length of academic
year in h
ECTS credit
point
Length of
academic year
in weeks
Estonia
1560h
26h
39 weeks
Finland
1600h
27h
34 weeks
Mobility
The % of local students who study abroad is slightly over EU average (2,2%) both in FI (2,9%) and in EST
(3,5%) while % of foreign students is under EU average (2,6) both in EST (0,9%) and FI (1,0%).
The proportion of people in the 25-64 age group who hold a tertiary education qualification varies quite
widely between countries. In almost half of them, these graduates represent between 20 % and 30 % of the
reference population, compared to the weighted European average of 22.3 %. However, the proportion ranges
from under 15 % (in the Czech Republic, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Romania and Slovakia) to over 30 % (in
Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, the Netherlands, Finland and Norway).
Student selection and recruitment
In the Estonia (as in several other CEE countries) each institution determines its own selection procedures and
the number of places available. However, the government fixes the number of places for which it will provide
funding. In Finland, recruiting new students, the national matriculation examination and entrance
examinations are used as criteria for student selection in first cycle; open access to the second cycle exists in
the case of all courses except polytechnic study programmes for which institutions may select their students.
Sources
ECTS workload survey (December 2007). By European Commission, assisted by a Consultant and a Drafting
Group of ECTS Counsellors.
Education in Estonia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Estonia
Estonian information society website www.esis.ee
Education in Finland http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Finland
Key Data on Higher Education in Europe 2007 Edition European Commission: Education and Culture DG
The European education directory http://www.euroeducation.net/prof/estonco.htm
Valk, A. (2008) Open higher education in Estonia. ScieCom Info, Vol 4, No 2
http://nile.lub.lu.se/ojs/index.php/sciecominfo/article/view/651
Website of the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research, www.hm.ee