Survey takes stock of degree programmes taught in a foreign language in Finnish higher education

Education given through a foreign language is one of the clues to making Finnish higher education institutions more international. While such education was first designed to meet the needs of exchange students, the focus has since extended to recruiting international degree students and building entire degree programmes.

With more than 330 degree programmes taught in a foreign language, Finland has a lot to offer. In relation to the size of the educational system, Finland punches above her weight in international education in Europe, coming second only to the Netherlands.

All of the degree programmes taught in a foreign language in Finland are conducted in English. Finnish higher education thus conceives of “taught in a foreign language” as “taught in English”. Most of these degree programmes are offered on a Master’s level. The three most common fields are Business Studies; Engineering and Technology; and Information Technology.

CIMO survey

The Centre for International Mobility sought an overview of the degree programmes taught in English in Finland: what is there on offer and what drives the development of these programmes? How have they organised their teaching, student recruitment and services, and what is the scope and nature of their working life contacts? Also, what kind of experiences have the institutions gained from these programmes?

The survey data was gathered in autumn 2008 with a questionnaire sent to the heads of degree programmes. This data was added to by interviews, statistics on the programmes and analysis of the institutional strategies.

Programme development driven by a host of reasons

According to the programme heads, there are several parallel reasons for developing English-taught degree programmes. Both national and institutional strategies call for the further development of international education, which clearly pushes staff at programme level, too, toward creating and running degree programmes taught in English. Another significant reason is responding to labour market needs. Practical reasons can also count, as English-taught degree programmes facilitate student and staff mobility and international networking.

Both international and Finnish students are wanted

In most cases, the programmes wish to attract a “suitable mix” of Finnish and international students where no one nationality dominates. However, it is mainly international students that Finnish higher education institutions educate in their foreign-language programmes: 79 % of the applicants and 65 % of the accepted students come from outside Finland. The share of international applicants and students is even bigger in the university programmes than in the universities of applied sciences. Also, some educational fields have practically only international students, including Agriculture and Forestry; Information Technology; and Interdisciplinary Programmes.

International encounters make a difference

The heads of the English-taught degree programmes felt that their biggest successes were all linked to international students and intercultural encounters: student recruitment had produced a working mix; there was fruitful interaction in a multicultural group; and the students were enthusiastic and motivated.

These very issues posed challenges, too. Questions related to international students – recruitment, support, teaching, integration, employability – hold the key to a successful foreign-language programme. International students also encourage programme heads to consider processes of recruitment, study and services from many different angles.
Degree programmes taught through a foreign language are international only if they have students from many countries. It is therefore vitally important to address the needs of the international students and a multicultural student group from the outset of the programme.

Irma Garam: Degree programmes taught through a foreign language in Finnish higher education. CIMO 2009.
Full report
http://www.cimo.fi/dman/Document.phx/~public/Julkaisut+ja+tilastot/English/degree_programmes.pdf
Summary of key findings:
http://www.cimo.fi/dman/Document.phx/~public/Julkaisut+ja+tilastot/English/faktaa_2b.pdf