In all systems, various weaknesses or inhibitors to the steady evolution of internationalisation may be detected. In the case of Finland, the following arose from discussions at national and institutional levels:
− A perception that Finland is far away from important economic and industrial centres; is inclined to be expensive; has a climate which may deter international students or immigrants; and has a difficult language. Although Finnish may not be an easy language to learn for adult immigrants, the knowledge of English has improved considerably in the Finnish population during the last decades, and is today excellent. Furthermore, countries with much higher taxes and no better foreign language skills (e.g. Sweden) are able to attract a much larger share of foreigners. The location of Finland is only a couple of hours flight away from the centres of European research and industry. Singapore, for example, developed fast within R&D in spite of much larger distances to such centres.
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− In the survey among foreign Ph.D. students and researchers there was considerable dissatisfaction with the immigration formalities as well as with the access to health care and social security (in addition to the expected complaints about the high taxes). It also seems to be a general problem that it is hard to locate and access the needed information and guidance for foreigners working in Finland, even when it is available, e.g. on the web. This is especially a problem for persons that bring family members with them to Finland.
− In addition to these general weaknesses in the Finnish system, there are specific problems in connection with the international recruitment in the higher education institutions. The most important of these is the shortage of attractive early career opportunities. While talented, young Finnish researchers may be willing to accept the long path towards more permanent employment in a higher education institution, this will be a much less attractive adventure for a talented foreigner who often may prefer to take safer employment in another country.
− While policy-level guidance is focused on internationalisation, several of the higher education institutions with which we met did not have, in general, what could be described as an internationalisation strategy, compared with say, the International Quality Review benchmark.
7.4 Recommendations
In the light of the above discussion, there are a series of actions which should greatly advance the international agenda. It is emphasised that ambitions and plans should be realistic, and closely geared to the very pragmatic scenarios discussed earlier and the specific Finnish geographical and cultural setting.
The overarching economic agenda is the need for increased employment based immigration. The Finnish net loss of brains can hardly be blamed on a too large emigration of highly educated Finns. Compared with the situation in other OECD countries, the level of Finnish emigration may be considered normal. The main problem is that relatively few foreigners with a higher education background take jobs in Finland. The challenge is to increase the immigration of workers with the highest qualifications in the fields where the needs are (and will become) the greatest, especially technology.
In this context therefore, it is reasonable to determine how higher education institutions may help meet this need. The assumption could be that a substantial proportion of overseas students studying in Finland for
7. INTERNATIONALISATION AND GLOBALISATION – 67 either the whole or part of their studies’ would be induced to seek employment in Finland after graduation, whether at bachelors, masters or doctoral level. Clearly, the incentives and attractions would need to be high to deliver students in sufficient numbers and quality, and such elements are to be found in non HEI contexts as much as within institutions. The corollary, of course, is to ensure that Finnish students who undertake part of their degree studies aboard return to employment in Finland.
Higher education institutions may become important channels in this connection as they are in many other countries. In general, there is a wide consensus that opening up higher education for larger numbers of international students and recruiting staff more internationally would have many important benefits, as is evident elsewhere.
− It would help bring new talents into the institutions and the country, both in the form of staff and students.
− It would help further internationalise the environment in the higher education institutions; this would also be important at the undergraduate level.
− It would broaden the experience among staff.
− It would facilitate cooperation with research environments abroad.
− Potentially it would raise considerable income if tuition fees were charged.
There is clearly scope for improvement in the field of international marketing of Finnish higher education:
− The Ministry, FINHEEC and the Rectors’ Conferences may wish to give further detailed consideration to the branding image/identity of Finnish Higher Education for an international market, and positively proselytise this through diplomatic, economic and education channels. Institutions might well be marketed internationally on a “subject specialist” basis rather than as whole institutions.
− Marketing could be more collaborative, especially via the above agencies, and on a regional basis via partnerships of HEI, municipalities and chambers of commerce, selling respective “knowledge regions”.
− International student marketing should be targeted especially to those critical areas of the economy where skilled graduate employees are in short supply, and where global penetration is desired.
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− There is a case for a review of immigration/work placement policy for those engaged in the Higher Education sector, and the bureaucracy may be capable of substantially simplification and incentivisation.
− International tuition fees should be considered seriously to provide additional resources and incentives for institutions to internationalise. The review group fully realises this would be a big significant step, which may well impinge on strongly held beliefs and would certainly have ramifications elsewhere.
− Government and higher education institutions should eliminate the uncertainty related to career opportunities for highly qualified teachers and researchers and institutions should duly strengthen their recruitment drives to this end.
− The Ministry and institutions should together ensure that all institutions have a comprehensive international strategy benchmarked against the EUA – IMHE – ACA International Quality Review Framework, and this is built into performance agreements.
− In the light of the above, collaborative international agreements should be revised in terms of:
correlation between agreements and areas of employment need and market demand;
whether agreements actually deliver desired research, educational and market outcomes;
whether development organisations like FINIDA are engaged with regard to cooperation with developing countries (to counteract ‘brain drain’);
curriculum studies and design e.g. the obligatory inclusion of work placements in Finnish companies as part of the foreign students; learning experience as part of a Finnish degree; establishment of cooperative agreements within undergraduate
education and foreign, e.g. Chinese universities. This might lead to, for example, a 2+2 Bachelor programme in which the foreign students would be prepared at the home university for two years and then would study two additional years for the final degree in Finland.
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− There would seem to be a case for institutions to review and, if necessary, strengthen information, support and resources for international students.
Clearly, the development of future internationalisation policy has to be compatible with and support initiatives in other domains such as research and Innovation and Regional Role and it is hoped this Report does establish these lateral connections.