Finland

• Governmental membership
  Finland has been a Governmental Member of EQAR since March 2015.

  Map: EHEA countries by governmental membership

• General information on higher education

  The Finnish higher education system consists of universities and universities of applied sciences.

• National external quality assurance requirements

  Universities and universities of applied sciences must regularly participate in the external evaluations of their quality assurance system and publish the results of their evaluation (see the university act, Section 87. Evaluation (Amendment 1302/2013) and Act of Universities of Applied Sciences , Chapter 10, Section 62. Quality assessment).

  • Institutional audits
    have been implemented in Finland since 2005, and are offered to higher education institutions in six year cycles.

• EHEA key commitment

  Fully aligned with the ESG

  A fully functioning quality assurance system is in operation nationwide, in which all higher education institutions are subject to regular external quality assurance by an agency that has successfully demonstrated compliance with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the EHEA (ESG) through registration on EQAR

  Map: implementation of the EHEA key commitment

• Cross-border quality assurance

  Recognising EQAR-registered agencies as part of the national external QA requirements

  Generally yes, but based on a specific national regulations.

  • Eligibility requirements for foreign agencies: none

  • Recognition of reviews carried out by foreign agencies: treated in the same way as the evaluations carried out by the national QA agency (FINEEC)

  Map: recognition of cross-border quality assurance

• European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes

  European Approach available to all higher education institutions

  Yes, due to “self-accrediting” status for their programmes, higher education institutions can employ the European Approach.

  Map: availability of the European Approach for QA of Joint Programmes

• Permalink
  https://data.deqar.eu/country/59/
• Further information

  • University Act 558/2009 (in English)

  • Audit manual for the quality systems of higher education institutions

  • Finland - European Higher Education Area

  • Ministry responsible for higher education

  • Universities of Applied Sciences Act 932/2014 (Amendments up to 563/2016)

  • ENIC NARIC

Registered agencies operating in Finland