Finland is located in North-Eastern Europe. The country has a population of nearly 5.5 mil., which is spread very unevenly. The most populous city is the capital Helsinki – just under 600 000. It is a bilingual country, with Finnish and Swedish being the official languages.
The market economy is of the industrial-agrarian type. The country’s GDP is higher than the EU average. The most developed sectors are services, industry, and agriculture. Finland is also a leading producer of electronics, machinery, timber, chemical, and cars. A large portion of the required energy is generated within the country – (26%) via nuclear and thermal power plants (37%).
In 2015 Finland ranked 1st in terms of freedom of press according to data of Reporters Without Borders.
Finland has 14 state universities, 24 technical- and a number of private tertiary schools. The purpose of tertiary schools in Finland is to provide the required knowledge and skills, which the students need in order to handle the work environment issues as soon as they start working. Finnish tertiary educational establishments actively cooperate with many European universities. They have bilateral agreements for both student exchange, as well as joint research in many scientific areas.
Bachelor’s programs: 3.5-4.5 yrs.
Master’s programs: 2 yrs.
The role of teachers at higher education institutions in Finland tends to be an instructive one. Programs at technical universities focus on the building up of vocational skills and practical thinking. The teaching methods of universities comprise classes, exercises, individual and group projects, and seminars.
Some 20 000 international students arrived in Finland in 2016. Overall, 76% thereof are students hailing from outside of Europe and the EU. China, Russia, Vietnam, Nepal, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are the largest Asian sources of students for Finland, accounting for 40% of the total number international students. Most European students hail from Estonia, Sweden, and Germany. Finland is also a popular destination for students from the African countries of Kenya and Nigeria.
Nearly 60% of the international students choose business sciences and engineering specialties. Those specialties are a prime choice for Asian students as well. Humanities are also among the specialties preferred at traditional universities. Humanities in turn are a prime choice of European students. Most international students opt for technical universities for their Master’s degrees. International students deciding to have their doctoral degrees in Finland account for under 20% of the total number of international students.
According to the global QS World University Rankings® 2018, just two Finnish universities male the top 200 – they are the University of Helsinki and the Aalto University, ranked 102nd and 137th, respectively.
Other esteemed Finnish tertiary educational establishments include:
