1. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION /Department for Education and Science Policy University Division/pmm/24.10.2003/1. SECOND UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION ETHICAL FORUM, 16 OCTOBER 2003 UBIQUITOUS ENGLISH? THE EXTREME CASE OF FINLAND Anita Lehikoinen, Counsellor for Education MINISTRY OF EDUCATION FINLAND

2. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION /Department for Education and Science Policy University Division/pmm/24.10.2003/2. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW 20 + 29 HEIs - very national Finnish/Swedish- system First strategy for internationalisation of higher education in the late 1980s Quality of education (and research) and wider provision of education Student, teacher and staff exchanges were seen as tools for internationalisation Ambitious quantitative goals set for student exchanges ― articulated as a number of outgoing students

3. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION /Department for Education and Science Policy University Division/pmm/24.10.2003/3. WHY ENGLISH-LANGUAGE EDUCATION For the benefit of international exchange students and Finnish students Non-degree students could not be expected to know enough Finnish/Swedish Clearly different approach to foreign degree students - knowledge of Finnish/Swedish required First programmes in architecture, pulp and paper, Northern Studies, Finnish Culture, Design

4. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION /Department for Education and Science Policy University Division/pmm/24.10.2003/4. UNIVERSITIES AND POLYTECHNICS ― TWO DIFFERENT APPROACHES Polytechnic system established in the 1990s Internationalisation one of the key objectives from the start Needs of the working life Competitive edge compared to universities Degree programmes in English A few programmes in German (with a little success)

5. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION /Department for Education and Science Policy University Division/pmm/24.10.2003/5. SITUATION NOW 5 - 10 % of all HE provision in English English-language courses in all universities and polytechnics Most programmes in business and technology, music, design, visual arts c. 350 programmes altogether Successful strategy: attractiveness of Finnish higher education has increased Balance reached by universities Finland: the little Britain in Continental Europe

6. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION /Department for Education and Science Policy University Division/pmm/24.10.2003/6. NEW INTERNATIONALISATION STRATEGY Internationalisation as a response to globalisation Competition, labour market needs, demographic facts More foreign degree students, teachers, staff Programmes in the fields of HEIs expertise Integration of foreign students in Finnish society after studies Every European country has the same strategy - what is our niche? Fee-free education English-taught programmes Quality through international cooperation

7. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION /Department for Education and Science Policy University Division/pmm/24.10.2003/7. THINGS TO (RE)CONSIDER Safeguarding HE provision in the national languages Language proficiency of teachers and students Integration of Finnish and international students Role of Finnish/Swedish for foreigners What will happen to mobility in the Bologna process?  Competitiveness of Finnish HE Are we committing a linguistic suicide?

8. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION /Department for Education and Science Policy University Division/pmm/24.10.2003/8. DEFINITELY NOT!