Language redistribution
The radical viewpoint was expressed by the administration of the University of Helsinki, which proposed special vouchers to limit the duration of degree programs and introduce tuition fees for studies beyond the established period. In addition, the leadership of the University of Helsinki made a decision that, although it went unnoticed by the press, could become an important precedent for Finnish higher education.
Starting in 2009, entrance exams for bachelor's programs at the University of Helsinki will have to be taken only in Finnish or Swedish (previously, they could also be taken in English). In addition, even before the exams, foreign applicants must provide a certificate of proficiency in Finnish or Swedish. From now on, subjects in English will be taught only at the master's level.
The university leadership stated that it would allocate all funds designated for English-language instruction to master's programs. The administration justifies its decision by noting that there are three times as many foreign students in master's programs as in bachelor's programs, so it is more logical to develop this area.
Fewer universities?
In February 2007, the results of a study conducted by a working group of the Finnish Ministry of Education were published. A group of experts led by State Secretary Raimo Sailas spent several months developing proposals to adapt the country's existing higher education system to the conditions of globalization. The main goal of the reform is declared to be the creation of a competitive education system that can train competent specialists in line with the demands of the times.
The experts of the working group considered it advisable to abandon the current fragmented system of higher education institutions by merging several universities into one and increasing their cooperation. As a trial step, the experts proposed merging the Helsinki University of Technology, the Helsinki School of Economics, and the Helsinki School of Art and Design by 2009.
The project, dubbed the "super university" by the press, received mixed reviews from the academic community. Two weeks after the research results were announced, students from the Helsinki School of Art and Design held a protest rally on the steps of the parliament building. The students' main argument is that the merger will harm the creative spirit of the university, and art will be subordinated to business interests. Moreover, students and cultural figures assert that when preparing the merger plan, no one thought to ask for their opinion.
The head of the Finnish Student Union (SYL), Lasse Männistö, and the international secretary of this organization, Elena Gorshkov-Salonranta, commented on the Finnish government's decisions on higher education reform in an interview with a correspondent from Expert.
– How does SYL feel about the idea of charging tuition fees for students from non-EEA countries?
– It is planned that an experiment on introducing tuition fees for such students will start within the next four years, says Lasse Männistö. – SYL opposes this approach because if the government introduces tuition fees, the number of foreign students in Finnish universities will decrease significantly. By maintaining free education for foreigners, Finland can definitely benefit from such a strategy, since the university is an effective tool for integrating foreigners into Finnish society, and free education is a means to attract more personnel to the country and solve the problem caused by an aging population. The absence of tuition fees is one of the most important competitive advantages of the Finnish education system, because Finnish is not the most widespread language in the world; consequently, if tuition fees are introduced, potential students, for example from Russia or China, who can afford to pay for education, will rather go to study in England, the USA, or Australia.
– When Denmark introduced tuition fees for foreign students, their number decreased significantly, notes Elena Gorshkov-Salonranta. – Danish, like Finnish, is not a very widespread language, and although it is possible to study in English there, the range of such courses is limited. Our country is located in the North, and our education is not yet as well "promoted" as, for example, British education. In order to withstand competition, primarily with English universities, it is necessary to maintain free education even for foreigners.
– A strategy is needed to attract more foreigners to Finland, adds Lasse Männistö. – Foreign students come to Finnish universities mainly through exchanges, within the framework of Erasmus or for internships; very few stay for the entire period of study and receive a degree. Consequently, if the government introduces fees for them, such measures will reduce their already small number and will bring no financial benefit. According to SYL's calculations, the lion's share of the funds that universities will receive from foreigners will go to bureaucratic support of the process and the allocation of scholarships and grants; therefore, there will be no increase in the financial base either.
– How will the conflict over the planned introduction of vouchers for Finnish students be resolved?
– Not a single political party has proposed introducing tuition fees for Finnish students, – says the head of the Finnish student union. – At this stage, the vast majority of politicians in Finland believe that the population should be given maximum opportunities for education and advanced training, since this is the only way to maintain the competitiveness of the economy. There is an opinion that the current system, in which a student can study for free and for as long as they want at a university, encourages dependency, allowing them to enjoy student life even at the age of 30. However, as a rule, such people still combine study with work.
We believe that the introduction of vouchers will limit students in changing their specialty and will do more harm than good. Currently, a student can switch to another faculty at any time if they realize that their interests have changed. They are not pressured by the need to complete their education within a certain time frame, but if vouchers are introduced, strict deadlines will be set, and exceeding them will cost money. The current order has a positive effect on the quality of specialists because students have the opportunity to study exactly what interests them and freely change their profile.
SYL believes that it would be more effective to simply shorten the period between graduation from school and entering university. Currently, the process of submitting applications and preparing for entrance exams takes an average of two to three years; moreover, many young people prefer to serve in the army after school or lyceum and only then enter university. We believe that shortening this period could have a positive effect comparable to limiting the duration of study at the university.
– Do you share the opinion that there are too many universities in Finland and their number needs to be reduced?
– I agree, there are indeed too many higher education institutions in Finland. 100 universities and institutes of applied sciences for a population of five million is unjustifiably many. Reform is needed, as the current system is fragmented and rather disorderly. Undoubtedly, the restructuring process should be carried out under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and with the active participation of the universities themselves.
Furthermore, the discussion touches on how relations between universities and the state will be built in the future, primarily on the issue of funding. Today, the funding and management mechanism is absolutely identical in all universities, but it becomes clear that diversification of this system is needed depending on the profile of the university and its importance to the state. Perhaps universities specializing in areas strategically important for the state will receive more funding, whereas currently the determining factor for financial injections is the size of the university, i.e., the number of graduates it produces.
In addition, a more sophisticated system for assessing the quality of education is needed, and these indicators should also influence the amount of funding. Such an assessment system will allow universities to earn money themselves by selling programs to companies or abroad, organizing paid seminars and courses, and also receiving funding from non-state sources.
Currently, everything related to the financing of education is very heavily regulated by the state, even when it comes to private money. Changes are also planned in this area to give universities more financial independence and the ability to earn money themselves. But money coming from private companies should not affect the independence of research. It must not be allowed that university research centers fall under the control of private companies; fundamental science can generally only function on state funds. Universities must remain independent.
Moreover, despite all reforms, the position of student organizations within universities should remain as strong as it is now. Students are full participants in the educational process, not just consumers.
– Why are students protesting the merger of Helsinki University of Technology, the School of Economics, and the School of Art and Design?
– Despite the initial negative reaction, the student unions of these universities have now acknowledged that the merger will have a positive impact on their activities. The protest was intended to draw attention to the fact that students' opinions were not taken into account at all when making the decision on the merger. About 100 people took part in the protest at the Eduskunta, which is very few: one Helsinki University of Technology has almost 15,000 students.
The most vocal in expressing their disapproval were, naturally, students of the School of Art and Design, as they fear that the number of places for these specialties will be reduced to enroll more students in more profitable economic fields.
Nadezhda LINNAS.
Expert