New vision for higher education and research being prepared – take part in an open stakeholder survey
Minister of Science and Culture Mari-Leena Talvitie has launched a new vision for higher education and research. It will extend to 2040. In the first phase for the new vision, we will collect views from higher education and research organisations and other stakeholders so that a shared situation picture can be formed. The stakeholder survey is open until 4 April.
The kick-off webinar for the new vision held on 14 March attracted participation from a wide range of organisations in higher education and research, various stakeholders and others interested in the future of knowledge and competence.
“Higher education and science are transformational powers in Finnish society and worldwide. They are powers that shape people's thinking, provide quality education and pave the way for creativity, science and innovation. Freedom of science and the highest level of education represent the strongest understanding of the kind of world we live in and the kind of future we may be heading towards. The existing shared vision for the domain is important and I hope that the work that is now under way will provide a solid foundation for future higher education and science policy,” said Minister of Science and Culture Mari-Leena Talvitie in her speech.
The work on the new vision for higher education and research draws on the vision for 2030 published in 2017. The objectives drawn up in connection with the earlier vision have spearheaded Finland's higher education and science policy over several government terms.
These include raising society's research and development expenditure to four per cent of GDP and bringing the percentage of young adults with a higher education degree towards 50 per cent mark.
“Today’s world is nothing like it was in 2017. Higher education and science are not removed from these changes. The current vision has in fact stood the test of time and it is a pleasure to note that research and product development funding, for example, is progressing fully on schedule towards the 4 per cent target. As Minister of Science, I am, of course, very gratified and delighted about this,” Minister Talvitie says.
The figures show that in 2023, 39.1 per cent of young adults, in other words people between the ages of 25 and 34, had completed a degree in higher education. This means Finland is far from its objective set for 2030.
“We have not succeeded in raising the level of education even though this objective has been included in government programmes over several parliamentary terms. What we need is even more determined measures and insight into how we can increase our nation's knowledge capital. This is a huge challenge and to find solutions, we need to see the political arena, public sector and higher education institutions working in unison,” Talvitie continues.
Take part in the open stakeholder survey for a new vision
The work will be carried out in three progressive phases. We will bring the situation picture up to date in spring 2025 and outline the key objectives for the vision in the course of autumn 2025. Then we will finalise in the vision and the recommended measures for higher education and research in spring 2026.
Invitations will be extended to a broad spectrum of actors and stakeholders in higher education and research to take part in the work for a new vision. In addition to events and stakeholder meetings, an open online platform will make it possible to comment on the work at different stages of the process.
The first phase stakeholder survey was launched in connection with the kick-off webinar and is open until 4.4.2025. The survey is a key source for a shared situation picture.
Inquiries:
- Sirkku Linna, Director General, tel. +358 295 330515
- Emmi Venäläinen, Special Adviser to the Minister, tel. +358 50 453 2773
Vision for higher education and research on the Ministry's website
The press release was updated on 14.3.2025 at 13.05: the Ministers' quotations have been modified.