1. Reformation of Higher Education in Finland
The prospect of EU membership (1 January 1995) and the continous economic recession has led to a structural reformation of higher technical education in Finland. In 1991-1992 the finnish GNP had decreased by 11%. According to the Union of Finnish Industry and Employers (Helsinki), no other OESO country had shown such a slackening of production. Investments had dwindled (by 16% in 1993 alone) while the burden of debt had risen for a lot of companies. In December 1994 the percentage of unemployment had risen to ± 20%. By the end of 1995 it had fallen back to about 16%. One of the policy measures to counter economic recess was the adaptation of higher
technical education to the needs of the industry. Finland followed in fact the
example of its neighbour Sweden. One measure was the creation of a training for "non-academically educated" engineers at the 32 already existing technical schools ("Teknillium opisto").
The "experiment" , as it is sometimes referred to in Finnish academic circles, has begun in 1991 and will end in 1999, when there will be a kind of "final evaluation". Apart from this first experiment there is a trial period for 22 "experimental polytechnics". These are new educational institutes for various types of higher education. These polytechnics are in fact fusions of 85 government-recognised schools. 24 out of the 32 technical schools offer one or other discipline at the polytechnics. The whole forms a rather complex "fusion" of departments from existing technical schools.
At the 22 polytechnics the discipline "technology" represents 37%, commerce and management 36%, health care 10%, the others 17%. Education at a technical school as well as the new polytechnics is practically oriented.
2. Finland and its industry in a nutshell
Finland is about 11 times the size of Belgium. In the Finnish territorial waters there are ± 81,000 islands and skerries. The Åland archipelago is of economic importance. It forms a bridge between southern Finland and central Sweden, and the main language is Swedish. Finland has a population of approximately 5 million. The majority speaks Finnish, a minority (6%) speaks Swedish. The main cities (with respectively the Finnish and Swedish name) are:
Helsinki (Helsingfors) : 510,000 inh.
Espoo (Esbo) : 182,000 inh.
Tampere (Tammerfors) : 176,000 inh.
Vantaa (Vanda) : 161,000 inh.
Turku (Åbo) : 160,000 inh.
The largest universities for engineers are located in Helsinki, Tampere and Turku. At the Turku university there is only one faculty of engineering. The names of the Åbo and Turku universities are often used without distinction. It is in fact one and the same university. The Finnish and Swedish names are used without distinction for other uni-versities too. 62% of the Finns live in those urban areas.
Forestry is one of the pillars of the Finnish economy (80% is destined for the export). As Finnish ores are nearing exhaustion, the importance of the mining industry based on nickel, copper, zinc and iron is declining. This sector employs less than 3,000 people1.
The wood and metal industry largely determine the Finnish industry. 90% of the enterprises in this sector are SME's with no more than 100 employees. Machines are manufactured in the first place for forestry and the wood industry. The Finnish lifts, icebreakers and luxury packet boats remain world famous.
The chemical industry is of modest size. The building sector is in sharp decline. Unemployment amongst construction workers is extremely high2.
The Finnish textile industry keeps pining away. Although the Finnish economy is in principle based on private ownership and free entreprise, the authorities still play an important role in several branches, with monopolies protected by law. The most important dock industries can be found in Helsinki, Hanko, Kotka and Turku.
The increase of Finnish foreign debt is alarming: in 1992 it amounted to 52% of the G.N.P. (twice as much as in 1991) and the estimates for the year 2000 indicate an 80% increase of the G.N.P.3. The country is, as is suggested in Finland, living beyond its
means.
3. Education of Finnish engineers
Finland has 16 universities and 4 higher academies of art for 130,000 students (1995). All universities are public institutes. The disciplines, whether or not reformed, are subject to a 1995 decree on university education.
For the engineering disciplines there are the so-called "long" and "short" studies. The long studies are provided by 3 universities of technology and 2 faculties of technology. The short studies were introduced about a decade ago and are provided by technical schools and by the recently created "experimental" polytechnical institutes. An outline of both types of education follows below.
1Source: Belgische Dienst voor Buitenlandse Handel, Brussel.
2Source:"Facts about the Finnish Economy", 1997, Union of the Finnish Industry and Employers.
3.1. Education at Universities of Technology and Faculties of Technology
3.1.1. Universities of Technology The possibility exists at:
- The Helsinki University of Technology (Teknillinen Korkeakoulu).
The Helsinki University of Technology or "HUT" was founded in 1849. It was given university status in 1908. At the HUT almost all engineering disciplines are possible (forestry, civil engineering, chemistry, computer science, electricity, electronics, physics, land surveying, management, material sciences, mechanics, etc.).
The HUT also has a division in Espoo (a city south of Helsinki). There is also a large research centre (VTT) associated with the HUT. Around the university there is an amalgam of high tech companies (the "Innopoli"). The HUT has approximately 10,000 students and about 2,200 engineers graduate4 each year.
Duration of studies: 5 years (including a 3 to 6 month traineeship).
The first two years are polyvalent, the 3 final years are oriented towards the chosen specialisation.
Title: "Diploma-insinööri" or "Diplomingenjör" (Swedish)
This academic degree is equivalent to the international degree of "Master of Science in Engineering" (MSc.Eng.).
- The Tampere University of Technology ("TUT").
Founded in 1965, it is the largest university of technology outside the Helsinki region. A research centre is associated with the TUT. About 6,000 students are enrolled for engineering (5 years, academic education) (1995 data). Each year about 900 engineers graduate from the TUT.
Title: see "HUT" (Helsinki)
- The Lappeenranta University of Technology ("LUT") (Teknillinen Korkeakoulu)
The LUT was founded in 1975 and is specialised (also because of its location) in forestry. About 2,600 engineering students graduated from the LUT in 1995 (230 gradutes per year).
Title: see "HUT" (Helsinki) 3.1.2. Faculties of Technology
In Finland, the academic degree of engineer ("Diploma-insinöör") can also be issued by two faculties of technology. Both are associated with a university offering non-technical disciplines as well. Those two universities are the ones of Oulu and Åbo (Turku). The Åbo university is called "Åbo Akademi Universiteit". - Faculty of Technology - Oulu University
("Yliopisto Teknillinen Tiedekunta")
The faculty was created in 1958 and counted about 2,800 students in 1995 (± 250 graduates each year)5. It is principally known for its research in the
field of electronics and telecommunications. - Faculty of Technology - Åbo Akademi
This faculty with ± 460 students (1995) trains engineers in the field of chemistry. The Åbo Akademi is well-known in Finland for its language training.
N.B. The same title as before is valid for engineers in Oulu and Åbo.
Universities offering a non-technical education can be found a.o. in Helsinki, Jyväskylä, Joensuu, Kuopio, Vaasa, Rovaniemi,...
3.2. Education at non-universities (since 1991)
The education of non-academically trained engineers in Finland is possible at 32 technical schools and at the newly created polytechnics (see before). The profile of this education is not clear. It is mainly practically oriented (few theoretical courses).
Duration of studies: 3 to 4 years
(depending on the type of institution)
Title: "Insinööri" ("Ingenjör" in Swedish).
The degree is internationally equivalent with that of "bachelor".
No official data are available on the number of students and institutes. In Finland the "Insinööri" is considered as a higher technician.
4. Doctor's degree
As in Sweden, there are two levels of postgraduate degrees: "LICENTIAAT" and "DOCTOR". Admission to the research programmes is granted on the basis of an academic degree of engineer ("Diploma-insinöör") or an internationally accredited "MSc.Eng." degree.
The degree of "Licentiaat" ("Lic.Techn." or "Tekniikan Lisensiaatti") can be obtained after 2 years of research. This degree is in fact an intermediary one towards a doctor's degree (PhD).
The degree of "Doctor" (Dr.Techn." or "Tekniikan Tohtori") can be obtained at the earliest after 4 years of research.
At the Helsinki University of Technology 107 "Lic.Techn." and 60 "Dr.Techn." were promoted in 1994. At the Tampere University of Technology this was respectively 43 and 246.
5. “Industrieel ingenieur” versus the Finnish engineer
The scientific level of the education of “industrieel ingenieur” is higher compared to the 4 year education of the Finnish "insinöör". He or she also enjoys a polyvalent training. The 5 year education of the Finnish "Diploma-insinöör" can be compared with that of our "burgerlijk ingenieur".
