Spring has been busy and eventful in the field of education policy. Critical discussions have taken place within the university community as well as on national and international levels concerning funding, degree structures, and the future of academic freedom. This blog post offers a glance at the key developments in education policy from this spring and looks ahead to what the autumn might bring.
TYY’s education policy sector began the spring with faculty visits hosted by Vice-Rector for Education Tapio Salakoski. Topics discussed during these visits included artificial intelligence, internationalisation and future workforce needs. The balance between in-person and remote teaching, continuous learning, the role of the Open University, the attractiveness and retention of studies, as well as the scarcity of internships and (summer) jobs, were also raised. Particular attention was paid to how interdisciplinary teaching could be enhanced and how bottlenecks delaying graduation could be addressed.
Artificial intelligence, a major topic of discussion during the faculty visits, has remained high on the agenda throughout the spring. The university has been working on more detailed guidelines for the responsible use of AI in teaching and learning - supporting students without enabling misconduct. Starting this autumn, the University of Turku will also tighten its policies on academic misconduct: planned cheating will generally result in a fixed-term suspension. This change highlights the need for clear communication and places more pressure on ensuring students have access to sufficient information about what constitutes misconduct.
The University of Turku’s financial balancing measures have also continued to spark debate. While cost-cutting has helped reduce the deficit and the university has fared relatively well in national funding, state budget cuts are affecting us, too. Rector Marjo Kaartinen has launched a reassessment of the university’s facility program, which currently focuses on square meter savings. As part of this, the usage rates of facilities will be reviewed in more detail, and new savings measures will be discussed in August at the meetings of the University Collegium and the Board.
Facility-related discussions with university leadership this spring have also included campus opening hours, student access rights, and increasing the number of gender-neutral toilets. The aim is to ensure spaces are used purposefully and equitably by all students.
Education policy has also been lively at the national level, driven by a wave of reforms that reflect the government’s aim to raise the national level of education. The Ministry of Education and Culture’s Higher Education Vision 2040 seeks to ensure Finland’s economic growth and global competitiveness by aiming for half of young adults to hold a higher education degree by 2030.
The reform of entrance exams has aimed to streamline the admissions process for both applicants and universities. In spring 2025, universities organized nine national digital entrance exams. TYY supports subject-specific joint exams that reduce the burden on applicants but remains critical of overly broad structures. Accessibility and the ability of entrance exams to assess program suitability must still be guaranteed. More information about the success of the exams will become available by autumn, enabling a more thorough assessment of the reform’s impact.
As part of the ministry’s action plan to raise the education level, quotas for first-time applicants and the proportion of students admitted based on matriculation exam results have already been significantly increased. These changes aim to prioritise study places for those without an existing degree. Currently under political preparation is a legislative proposal to limit students to one simultaneous right to study towards a degree. This reform could take effect no earlier than August 2026. Importantly, existing study rights would not need to be given up when the law comes into force. TYY is monitoring the proposal closely and emphasises the need to ensure smooth interdisciplinary mobility between universities, uphold academic freedom, and facilitate switching majors or supplementing one's studies. TYY will provide a detailed statement on the matter early this autumn.
Meanwhile, the spring’s government budget session resulted in significant cuts to basic funding for higher education institutions—totaling €65 million between 2026 and 2028. These cuts will reduce funding by €30 million in 2026, €20 million in 2027, and €15 million annually from 2028 onward. Although the size of the cuts decreases slightly over time, basic funding will permanently drop by around €40–45 million. Simultaneously, RDI (research, development, and innovation) funding will increase by €20 million in 2026 and by €39 million annually from 2027 onwards.
Ambitions are rising, but the means to implement them are falling short. The cuts are permanent, while the additional funding is temporary. This imbalance raises critical questions: How can we guarantee the quality of teaching, the academic standards of degrees, and adequate student support, especially when intake is growing while core funding shrinks? The government has also promised a free 30-credit study voucher for those who have completed upper secondary education but have not secured a study place. However, no additional funding has been specifically allocated for this initiative.
One of the most controversial issues this spring has been the Finnish government’s proposal to allow Open Universities to award degrees. This would essentially introduce tuition-based degree programs and bring a major shift to the Finnish higher education system. TYY, along with 12 other student unions, opposes the proposal and demands that Open Universities not become degree-granting entities. Their role should remain in providing supplementary education and serving as an alternative pathway into higher education. Accessibility and equality must continue to be the cornerstones of Finland’s education system.
Despite the concerns raised by these reforms, the goal of increasing the level of education is ambitious and worth pursuing. Since the early 2000s, the proportion of higher-educated people in Finland has stagnated while other comparable countries have surged ahead. A key reason for this is the insufficient resourcing of Finnish universities. Lofty goals are meaningless without concrete support. Due to funding cuts and index freezes in the 2010s, Finland’s per-student higher education funding is approximately 20–35% lower than in Sweden, Denmark, or Norway. Real core funding per master’s degree has decreased by over 30% since 2010. Ambitions grow every year—but if funding doesn’t follow, progress stalls.
At the international level, growing science denialism and the spread of anti-rights movements are also causes for concern. This trend is particularly visible in the United States, where scientific research has come under pressure from political actors. As public research funding tightens and political pressures increase, we must remain vigilant about the independence of academic research. It’s important to consider how these global developments could affect Finland and what means we have to safeguard academic freedom and the integrity of science.
Education policy work will continue in the autumn—with no signs of slowing down! On campus, students will prepare for the Student Union representative council elections, which offer opportunities to influence shared matters. Early in the autumn, applications will also open for hallopeds—student representatives in university administration. TYY is currently developing a new online info package to support hallopeds in their work and lower the threshold for getting involved.
More to come this autumn – we’re ready to make an impact!
Victoria Luovikari,
Member of the Executive Board