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Strategies and policy outlines Policies outlined by the Government guide the activities of the Ministry of Education and Culture. The Ministry prepares matters based on these policy outlines. The government strategy consists of the Strategic Gover...

General education General education comprises pre-primary, primary, lower secondary, general upper secondary education and other non-vocational studies, such as those at liberal adult education institutions. It also includes morning and afternoon ...

Financing and administration of general education The Ministry of Education and Culture drafts legislation and government resolutions related to general education and coordinates the activities under its remit. The policies outlined in the Governm...

Basic education Basic education provides a general education and general knowledge and is typically given in comprehensive schools. A pupil is not awarded a degree when graduating from comprehensive school, but it does provide them with the qualif...

National Youth Work and Youth Policy Programme The National Youth Work and Youth Policy Programme is a horizontal programme, which the Government adopts every four years with the aim of promoting a good environment for young people to grow up and ...

The aim is to produce a Government resolution for a cultural heritage strategy effective until 2030, with cultural heritage being seen as a source for sustainable solutions in all areas of society in the future.

The European Capital of Culture 2026 Based on a recommendation given by a European panel of experts, the Ministry of Education and Culture designated the City of Oulu as a 2026 European Capital of Culture. The other Capital of Culture in 2026 will...

Cultural Heritage Strategy The Government resolution for the Cultural Heritage Strategy emphasises the importance of cultural heritage in different sectors of society as a resource for future sustainable solutions. The key values of the strategy a...

Accessibility and diversity of culture The Ministry of Education and Culture aims to provide linguistic and cultural minorities, persons with disabilities and other special groups with opportunities to participate in culture and express their crea...

EU and international cooperation The Ministry of Education and Culture participates in various international organisations in sport-related cooperation between different countries, as well as in the preparation of sport-related matters in the Euro...

EU and international cooperation The Ministry of Education and Culture participates in various international organisations in sport-related cooperation between different countries, as well as in the preparation of sport-related matters in the Euro...

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its effects in the administrative branch of the Ministry of Education and Culture On this page, we will update information on the impacts of the situation in the administrative branch of the Ministry of Education a...

25.11.2025 | The EU ministers responsible for education, youth, culture and sport will meet in Brussels on 27–28 November. The Council’s agenda includes vocational education and training, the European Education Area, the Erasmus+ programme, the importance of culture for democratic resilience, the AgoraEU programme, and democracy and transparency in sport. The Oulu European Capital of Culture 2026 project will also be presented at the meeting.

12.3.2025 | Date 4.3.2025 Replaces previous version 7.10.2024 Ministry of Education and Culture Privacy Notice to Data Subjects Personal data processed in the online services related to discretionary government grant activities 1 General information This Priv...

19.12.2019 | Valtioneuvosto linjasi periaatepäätöksessään toimet, joilla edistetään nuorten kasvu- ja elinoloja hallituskauden aikana. Valtakunnallinen nuorisotyön ja -politiikan ohjelma (VANUPO) on poikkihallinnollinen ohjelma, joka hyväksytään joka neljäs vuosi. Ohjelman pääteemoja ovat nuorten syrjäytymisen ehkäisy sekä merkityksellisen elämän, turvallisuuden ja osallisuuden vahvistaminen. Hyväksytty ohjelma on laadittu vuosiksi 2020–2023.

22.11.2024 | The EU ministers responsible for education, youth, culture and sport will meet in Brussels on 25–26 November. Topics on their agenda include boosting Europe's skills and competitiveness through higher education, opportunities for young people in rural and remote areas, role of libraries in media literacy development, and key features of the European Sport Model, which are based on the values of free...

10.8.2017 | The new legislation on vocational education and training will reinforce professional skills in Finland. The most important task of vocational education and training will be to produce individual skills that meet the needs of students and working life. The Finnish Government proposed on 10 August that the President of the Republic adopt the new Act on Vocational Education and Training.

12.5.2020 | The Ministry of Education and Culture and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare have issued instructions that allow the return to early childhood education and contact teaching, taking care of safety and reducing the risk of COVID-19 infection. The latest instructions concern general upper secondary education, vocational education and training, universities, universities of applied sciences and liberal education.

27.9.2021 | The Government submitted its budget proposal for 2022 to Parliament on 27 September. The proposed appropriations for the administrative branch of the Ministry of Education and Culture total EUR 7.41 million. Next year’s budget will continue to focus on improving quality and equity in education and on safeguarding funding for science and research. Funds will also be allocated for rebuilding the cultural sector in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

12.10.2017 | In its resolution of 12 October, the Government outlined measures to be taken to promote young people’s growth and living conditions during the remainder of the government term. The National Youth Work and Youth Policy Programme is a cross-sectoral programme drawn up under the new Youth Act. The programme will be adopted as a government resolution every four years. As the Youth Act was amended during the current government term, the first programme now adopted covers only the period 2017–2019.