When browsing through various websites of Finnish higher education institutions (HEIs), you notice that the institutions emphasize the difference between studying in Finnish higher education and studying in some other country. But what does that actually mean? What are the differences between the Finnish system and a system in a completely different culture?
The Finnish higher education system – simple or not?
To understand the way of studying in Finnish HEIs, you need to start by exploring the Finnish culture, which is a complex mix of different traits. Two characteristics come up especially. The first is the emphasis of individuality. In the Finnish culture people are expected to take considerable responsibility of their own lives. In more collective cultures, people might rely on communities of different types in their life planning, such as their family or relatives. The second is the focus on independence. In the Finnish culture, it is highly appreciated to control your own life, to make independent choices and to take responsibility of them.
When studying in countries with the collective culture as a strong influencer, the focus is on teacher centered teaching methods. The Finnish way of studying, strongly affected by our individual culture, focuses more on student centered teaching methods and emphasizes the responsibility of the students as active agents in their own learning. In the Finnish world of HEIs there is a sense of equality between teachers and students. In more collective cultures the teacher is considered as a know-it-all.
Do not get intimidated by all this. You can learn to find your way and succeed in the Finnish world of higher education. Start by digging into your past. You have probably already acquired a vast collection of different study skills during your life. It is also equally important to understand, that while the previously learned study skills are useful, you might have to modify them suitable for studying in a Finnish higher education institution. And also, you might have to learn some totally new skills as well.
The skills you need in order to survive in Finnish higher education
In the Finnish universities and universities of applied sciences, study and learning skills are highly emphasized. Here are some examples (based on e.g. Kangasniemi & Murtonen 2017):
Self-knowledge:
Start by aiming to form an image of the skills and knowledge base, that you already have, and of the skills and knowledge you still need to learn to reach your goals. Not only in studying but also in working life, the key skill is to be able to map your competences.
Self-direction:
Self-direction has a major role in the Finnish world of higher education. For many students coming outside of Finland, this might be the key element which makes the Finnish way of studying so difficult to take in. Self-direction means, that you take responsibility of your own learning. You independently aim for understanding, and also for developing your thinking and expertise.
Time management:
The Finnish higher education gives you considerable freedom. But with that freedom comes responsibility. The courses take up a lot of your time and include also significant amount of independent work in addition to contact lessons, which need to fit into your everyday life. If you start studying in a somewhat new language, remember that it might take you longer to take on materials.
Planning skills:
Be prepared to plan the schedule of completing your degree including a yearly plan for courses to be finished. In addition to scheduling your studies, consider how you want your degree to look like. When planning, keep your focus in your future: what would be a good and useful mix of studies for the working life? Self-direction plays a strong part here as you ponder and find out things yourself.
Readiness for team work:
One of the most central ways to work around a course theme is to team work. This requires for you to be ready to communicate as you are not the only one in the team. Think of yourself in a group. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Step by step you create self-knowledge of you as a team member.
Need tools for your survival kit?
If you want to prepare yourself before pursuing degree studies in higher education, consider brushing up your study skills as well as Finnish language skills in the Metropolia Preparatory Education for Studies at the University of Applied Sciences for Immigrants, open for applications in August. Online version of the preparatory education, including a course in developing your study skills, is offered during the year 2019 by the development project Valmentavasta Valmiiksi, so stay tuned.
Sources:
Kangasniemi, Mari & Murtonen, Mari. 2017. Yliopiston toimijoiden näkemyksiä vastuullisen yliopisto- opiskelijan taidoista. Yliopistopedagogiikka. 24:1. https://yliopistopedagogiikka.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/kangasniemi-murtonen_press.pdf
AMK-opintoihin valmentavat koulutukset maahanmuuttajille –website. 11.5.2018. http://www.metropolia.fi/koulutukset/maahanmuuttajille/
Valmentavasta Valmiiksi – project website. 11.5.2018. http://www.metropolia.fi/tutkimus-kehittaminen-ja-innovaatiot/hankkeet/valmentavasta-valmiiksi/
2 Comments
It is difficult to compare Finland vs ‘others’ when even in Finland there are differences between universities and universities of applied sciences (probably also between degrees within the same institution). In addition, the mentioned skills are more buzzwords than reality. Self direction is limited to the approved curricula and available options. It is also particularly difficult to take courses from different departments in order to tailor the studies to our planned direction. When it comes to time management, “freedom” is an interesting concept when there is mandatory attendance, something that may not exist in other universities and other countries.
And, in practice, how does the different culture change the study experience? After studying in four different countries, I don’t see much difference.
Thank you for your comment, Hugo!
I agree with you, ‘others’ is a very vague concept and has so much variety in it that it would be difficult to describe it as a whole. I believe universities/universities of applied sciences do have differences between them and that the experiences of the students may vary from each other, depending even on the degree programme that they are in.
You have a good point in your comment, when you say that self-direction is limited to the approved curricula and available options. . When it comes to self-direction, my aim was more like to describe e.g. the need to take control of one’s own process in learning, which I feel requires self-direction.
Regarding time management, thank you for pointing out, that universities and universities of applied sciences have also mandatory attendance. This is an important element of the system. Though, I think this has some variety as well. My aim was to emphasize e.g. the freedom but also the need to schedule the independent work that is included in many courses.
Your last question is very interesting, thank you for bringing that up, and also for expressing your own answer to the question! I’d love to hear other opinions as well. Based on the feedback I have received from my customers at SIMHE-Metropolia, some do feel the culture has an affect on the study experience.
Thank you for starting up the conversation! : )
With kind regards,
Elisa Manninen
Project Coordinator
SIMHE-Metropolia