This article focuses on evidence regarding cross-national patterns of participation in adult education and an interpretation of these patterns from an institutional and public policy perspective. The interpretation follows from the perspective that sustaining high and widely distributed levels of investment in the development and maintenance of…

Recent changes in Finnish higher education are characterized by increased political trust and a desire to give the system a more important social role, by increasing direct public accountability through institutional evaluation and encouraging internal leadership and academic self-regulation. The changes will require more advanced institutional…

Examines reasons behind 1980s separation of higher and vocational education sectors in Finland and the directions of recent policy controlling student flow. Looks at the changing student market and student expectations about the practical versus theoretical orientations of the two sectors. Argues that the "different but equal" policy is…

Patterns in college student mobility between Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden are examined, with attention given to challenges posed by having three of these countries within the European Union and two outside it. The role of several formal agreements is discussed, and implications for policy needs concerning interinstitutional and/or…

This article examines the Finnish recession and its impacts including changing demand for qualifications in the labor market and the need for new strategies, for both individuals and organizations, for the transition from education to work. (JB)

Recent trends in Finnish higher education are examined, from the formulation of national policy since the 1980s to recent experiments in financing and accountability, efforts at promoting efficiency, and the conflict between traditional academic collegiality and imposition of government decision making. (MSE)

At a time when many countries are slowing expansion, Finland continues to provide for growth in funding, particularly research, until 1991. Pressures for reform include the growing number of students seeking higher education, the need for highly educated manpower, and pressure for international comparability of degrees. (MSE)

Three different approaches to the evaluation of higher education in European and Scandinavian countries are examined: evaluation of a single discipline across institutions (Finland, Norway, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, northern Germany); evaluation of several disciplines within certain institutions (France, Germany); and internal evaluation of…