1. Internationalisation of the Finnish higher education institutes
Kirsti Virtanen
Internationalisation of the Finnish higher education institutes

2. THE DEVELOPMENT NETWORK PINNET FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS OF FINNISH UNIVERSITIES OF APPLIED SCIENCES

3. PINNET
OBJECTIVES
The objective of the network is to develop and strengthen the international operations of universities of applied sciences in all their task areas.
TASKS
It is the task of the network to develop common procedures for the universities of applied sciences in their international operations, and to recognize and gather best practices.
MEMBERS
All Finnish universities of applied sciences working under the Ministry of Education partake in the activities of the network.
ORGANS
Other organs in the network are the coordinating unit and the steering group.

4. PINNET: COORDINATING UNIT
Turku University of Applied Sciences acts as the coordinating unit.
Tasks: planning and preparations, publicity and reports, coordination of project financing.
The coordinating unit employs a project manager and other needed personnel.
Members in the network are the persons responsible for coordinating the international activities of the universities of applied sciences

5. PINNET: STEERING GROUP
It is the main task of the steering group to act as a supportive and guiding organ for the network, and to take a stand on the guidelines pertaining to the activities of the network, to the evaluation of operations and to the utilisation of the activities.
The steering group convenes at least 3 times a year.
The steering group consists of:
Chair: the Rector of the university of applied sciences
Members are representatives for the following organisations: CIMO, Student Union SAMOK, working life, the faculty of the university of applied sciences, the university, the Pinnet network
Presenter: The project manager of the network

6. PINNET: FORMS OF ACTION
The member HEIs in the network form among themselves diverse working groups to attain the goals of the network.
Working groups can for instance be formed per project, per educational field or on the basis of geographical location. The network decides the basis on which agreed projects will be implemented.
The working groups and their projects will be recorded on the website of the network.

7. PINNET: PROJECTS 2004-2008 Criteria for international partner analysis
Handbook of best practices in international activities
Virtual orientation programme for students going abroad
International communications and marketing plan for universities
of applied sciences
Internationalisation training for student counselling services staff  
Status survey of foreign degree students  

8. PINNET: ACTION PLAN 2009
charting and development of international orientation practices
crisis training for the members of the network
charting of the job descriptions of the international staff
ethical issues in international operations
development of the international collaboration outside the EU
publication activities
closing seminar

9. PINNET: OTHER ACTIVITIES
statements, initiatives
participation in the internationalisation of R&D and regional development activities
collaboration with other agents in issues pertaining to foreign degree students
participation in the development of the internationalisation of Master’s degrees at universities of applied sciences

10. Finland: Current national developments in the internationalisation of the Finnish HE
Positive:
- Finland has participated actively in European higher education cooperation. The Erasmus educational programme has proved a great success for Finland.
- The number of Finnish exchange students abroad has more than quadrupled in the last ten years. Moreover, Finland is one of the leading nations in the Erasmus teacher exchange.
- The amount of funding that has been channelled into Finland through the European Union educational and research programmes exceeds our share of payments.
- Our higher education institutions are among the first to have implemented the reforms required by the Bologna Process, which aims at establishing a European higher education area.

11. Finland: Current national developments in the internationalisation of the Finnish HE
Negative:
- Compared with the competition, however, Finland’s relatively low level of internationalism is still one of our weaknesses
- Finland is among the minority of OECD countries suffering from a brain drain. Currently, more people with higher education degrees are moving out of than into Finland.
- Not only are we behind the large science nations in researcher, teacher and student mobility but we are also behind small developed countries.
- There are very few non-Finnish teachers and other persons with a foreign educational or research background in the personnel of our higher education institutions.
- Student interest in studying abroad has decreased. Ever since the turn of the millennium, university teacher and research visits abroad have been decreasing in most fields.

12. Internationalisation Strategy for the Finnish Higher Education Institutes 2009-2015
The HEI internationalisation strategy sets the goals for the internationalisation of higher education institutions in and presents concrete measures to support the attainment of these goals.
It sets five primary aims for internationalisation:
A genuinely international higher education community
Increasing the quality and attractiveness of higher education institutions
Promoting the export of higher education
Supporting a multicultural society
Promoting global responsibility

13. Internationalisation Strategy 2009-2015
1.GENUINELY INTERNATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION COMMUNITY
- Finnish HE education provides the competence to work in an international operating environment.
- The international experience of the staff of HE institutes improve the quality of research and education and support the internationalisation of the students.
- The HE institutes offer high-quality education in English focused on their expert areas and actively utilise international cooperation opportunities, in particular within the EU and Nordic countries.
- By 2015, the number of non-Finnish teachers, researchers and degree students will have risen considerably and higher education institutions will have become genuinely international study and work communities. -

14. Internationalisation Strategy 2009-2015
1.GENUINELY INTERNATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION COMMUNITY
- The mobility of students will be increased. Higher education institutions are responsible for the quality of mobility and recognition of acquired competence.
- The basic assumption of student mobility is at least a 3-month exchange or trainee period. Imbalance in exchange are corrected by supplementing traditional forms of mobility with alternative forms such as e-mobility, visits and group mobility.
- International trainee periods are particularly important in fields with little in the way of traditional student exchange.

15. Internationalisation Strategy 2009-2015
2.INCREASING QUALITY AND ATTRACTIVENESS
- Finnish higher education institutions are internationally renowned and attractive study and work environments.
- Talented foreign students and researchers who choose Finnish higher education are attracted by the high-quality education and research as well as by the opportunities afforded by Finnish working life.
- Well-functioning services support coming to and staying in Finland.

16. Internationalisation Strategy 2009-2015
3. EXPORT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
- Finnish higher education institutions are attractive and reliable cooperation partners who engage in high-quality and mutually beneficial international research, education and cultural cooperation.
- Higher education and competence are nationally significant exports.

17. Internationalisation Strategy 2009-2015
4.SUPPORTING A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY
- HE institutions are proactive in the consolidation of the multicultural higher education community and civic society. People with immigrant backgrounds and foreign exchange and degree students, teachers, researchers and other foreign personnel of HE institutions in Finland are a resource that promotes internationalisation at home. The share of students in higher education with an immigrant background corresponds to their share of the whole population.

18. Internationalisation Strategy 2009-2015
5. GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY
- Finnish higher education institutions utilise their research and expertise to solve global problems and to consolidate competence in developing countries.
The activities of higher education institutions are ethically sustainable and support student prerequisites to function in a global environment as well as to understand the global effects of their activities.

19. Internationalisation Strategy 2009-2015
The aims of the strategy will be included in the agreements between the Ministry of Education and the HE institutes
The Ministry of Education will evaluate the implementation of strategy
in 2011.
The Ministry of Education will commission an international final evaluation on the attainment of the strategy goals in 2016.