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27 January 2009

Strategy for the Internationalisation of Higher Education Institutions in Finland 2009–2015

HS: Racist crimes decline

In the circumstances created by globalisation, Finland has to ensure the development of national strengths through international cooperation. Finland is an active player in the European higher education and research cooperation; however, several studies and comparisons demonstrate that scarcity of internationality is among the weaknesses of the Finnish higher education, research and innovation system. There is a paucity of foreign students, researchers and teachers in Finland; neither is there much in the way of foreign research or development funding. The mobility of students and researchers abroad has decreased. Finland’s attractiveness as a work environment for industrial production, high-end technology and top experts is insufficient.

On the other hand, the good reputation enjoyed by our education and research system abroad proves that there is a great deal of untapped opportunities in globalisation and internationalisation. This is why the creation of a national strategy for the internationalisation of higher education was entered in the Government Programme. The Government Programme emphasises increasing the international mobility of students, teachers and researchers. The higher education institutions must increasingly take into account global change factors and be able to exploit the opportunities afforded by them.

The strategy now completed shows the direction of the internationalisation of higher education institutions in the near future. The strategy defines the will and aims until 2015 as well as the key means and policy measures needed to attain these goals. The strategy is spearheaded by a genuinely international higher education community, increased quality and attractiveness, export of expertise, support for a multicultural society and the promotion of global responsibility. The strategy comprises over 30 concrete measures.

The ambitious mobility goals are attained by simultaneously developing services, study processes, researcher careers, recruiting, information, infrastructures as well as study and research environments for mobile individuals. For their part,attracting foreign experts and research funding to Finland, making a breakthrough in educational exports, improving the status of immigrants and developing service structures require cooperation between ministries, the business community, regional actors and financing organisations.

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Details

Authors
Ministry of Education
Geographic area
Finland
Contributor type
National governmental actor
Original source
Posted by
Elli Heikkilä
Country Coordinator

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