Engineering education in Finland

Journal of Engineering Education, Apr 1999 by King, Joe

ABS rRi-cT

The Finnish education system differs considerably from that of the United States. Starting at age seven, Finnish students are legally required to complete nine years of formal education. They then have the option of either entering the workforce or attending a vocational school, a polytechnic, or a university. This paper describes the path a Finn takes to acquire a degree in engineering. It describes Finland's goal of using engineering education to help adapt itself to survival in a technology-based 21 st century. The paper's main focus is on the Bachelor's degree; however, it also describes the Master's and Doctorate degrees.

I. FINLAND

With roughly one-third of its land above the Arctic Circle, Finland is second only to Iceland among the world's northernmost countries. Finland's national neighbors include Russia, Norway, and Sweden. The Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, lie to the south, across the Gulf of Finland. Finland is approximately the same size and shape as California.

To the casual observer, Finland seems to consist mainly of trees and lakes. In fact, forests cover 73 percent of the land, making Finland the world's third largest exporter of wood pulp and paper. Finland claims to have over 188,000 lakes, covering 10 percent of the country.

At 5 million, Finland's population is less than one-sixth that of California. Helsinki, the capital and largest city, has a population of about 800,000, including its suburbs, Espo and Vantaa. Finland's second largest city is Tampere, with a population of 176,000 (430,000 in its metropolitan area). Third largest, at 165,000, is Turku, Finland's original capital.

Finland was a part of Sweden for nearly 700 years, starting in 1155. In 1809, as a result of military pressure, Sweden ceded Finland to Russia. The capital was moved from Turku to Helsinki in 1812. When the communists overthrew the Russiar Czar in 1917, Finland declared its independence. The new Russia was the first to recognize Finland as an independent nation.

Both Finnish and Swedish are official languages. Due to the many years as a part of Sweden, about 6 percent of the population still speak Swedish as their native tongue. About 85 percent of the population belong to the state-supported Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Finland is a strong, stable western-European democracy, with complete freedom of the press and freedom of religion. Although politically a socialist nation, it maintains a free enterprise, privateownership market economy. The standard of living is among the highest in the world. The Finns are 100 percent literate, and statistically they are among the healthiest people in the world.

II. EDUCATION IN FINLAND

For Finnish children, education (Figure 1) begins in a voluntary preschool program that is provided through the age of six by the municipally sponsored paivdkoti, a neighborhood center combining the functions of day-care and kindergarten. Children under one are usually cared for at home, as Finns are entitled to paid maternity or paternity leave up to a year, with guaranteed job return.

Compulsory education consists of a 9-year peruskoulu, or comprehensive school, which children typically enter at age seven and complete at age sixteen. Upon completing peruskoulu, pupils may apply to a lukio, or senior secondary school. Admission to a lukio is competitive, based upon one's record in peruskoulu. Alternately, pupils may choose an ammattioppilaitos (vocational school), or else enter the labor force directly. More than 85 percent of Finnish students attain some education beyond the compulsory peruskoulu. However, Finnish educational planning is now based on the principle of having 100 percent of its students receive some post-secondary education. In fact, those who do not cannot receive unemployment payments before they are 25 years old.

Most students who attend the lukio do so to prepare for admission to an institution of higher education, either an ammattikorkeakoulu (AMK), or polytechnic, or a yliopisto, or university. The main focus of the AMK institutions are their Bachelor's degree programs, although some AMKs cooperate with a university in the granting of post-graduate degrees. The universities concentrate on granting post-graduate programs. Official Finnish-Swedish bilingualism guarantees the Swedish-speaking minority equal opportunities in education at all levels. All students must know both Finnish and Swedish. Some 90 percent choose to learn English as a third language.

All education in Finland is cost-free. In the lower schools, even books and school supplies are provided. At the AMK and university, students pay only student union and health insurance fees, and receive government-guaranteed study loans, housing allowances, and financial grants.

III. PRIMARY, SECONDARY, AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

Al. Comprehensive Schools The Finnish 9-year comprehensive (peruskoulu) school consists of two parts, the first lasting six years, the second lasting three years. The six-year ala-aste, or lower stage, corresponds to the American primary school, while the three-year yla-aste, or upper stage, corresponds to a cross between an American junior high and senior high school education (Figure 1). Most students are 16 years old when they complete their comprehensive education.