International cooperation
The Ministry of Education and Culture outlines national policy concerning cooperation with international organisations, councils and other bodies in matters within its remit relating to education and training, culture, youth, sports and certain fields of research.
In international affairs, the Ministry
- participates in the work of major international organisations and regional councils
- implements programmes and initiatives nationally
- supports cultural cooperations and expatriate activities
The Ministry's international strategies and programmes focus on a given subject matter or a geographical region.
Also the EU external relations and its wide-ranging development policy offer a channel for cooperation with non-EU countries.
Nordic cooperation relating to culture, education and training is conducted within the scope of the Nordic Council of Ministers and its agencies, and the Nordic Cultural Fund. Important bodies in cooperation with neighbouring areas and within the EU Northern Dimension are the Baltic Sea Council, the Barents Euro-Arctic Council and the Arctic Council.
The Ministry of Education and Culture promotes and supports cultural and educational cooperation. Cooperation is also governed by bilateral agreements, programmes and Memorandums of Understanding.
The foremost agencies in international cooperation in the Ministry's sectors are those based on intergovernmental agreements:
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation UNESCO
- Council of Europe
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
- International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM)
- World Trade Organisation (WTO)
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
- World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
The Ministry of Education and Culture also participates in multilateral intergovernmental cooperation under the aegis of different organisations, notably Council of Europe, the Nordic Council of Ministers and regional councils: the Council of the Baltic Sea States, the Arctic Council and the Barents Euro-Arctic Council.
Bilateral cooperation is carried out within the system of cooperation with neighbouring areas.
More information kas.okm(a)gov.fi