Digital transformation supports equal opportunities for learning and development – new common policies to increase cooperation
Finland aims to become the world’s leading developer and user of sustainable digitalisation in teaching and education and training. This aim will also promote equal opportunities for learning and development. The common policies published on 14 April 2023 point the way for the sector's digital transformation.
The set of policies extending until 2027 aim to ensure that the digital transformation will promote equal opportunities for high-quality learning and competence development using first-class interoperable systems and services. The plan is to create a digital environment that promotes cooperation and knowledge-based development.
“We have been asked to determine a common direction. For the first time, our vision for the digital transformation points the way for the entire teaching, education and training sector,” says Kalervo Koskimies, Senior Specialist at the Ministry of Education and Culture. The policies also make it easier for a diverse range of operators to join the common development efforts.
The information resources of the Ministry of Education and Culture’s branch of government are used for the guidance and direction of the education system and for making decisions on education policy. Common principles and recommendations will help ensure interoperability in the digital environment.
“It is important that digital services and the infrastructure supporting them are managed as a whole. Anticipation, guidance and development are based on information, and for that we need both up-to-date and high-quality register data and intelligent analytics,” says Kalervo Koskimies.
Minna Kelhä, Director General of the Finnish National Agency for Education, says that the sectors in the field of education and training have already put in a lot of effort to advance digitalisation.
“It is our aim to ensure the provision of secure and high-quality digital services and content for teaching and learning. Everyone should be able to develop their digital competence seamlessly at each step of their learning path. The personnel's pedagogical and digital competences will also be developed. The digital transformation can diversify the provision of teaching and education and training, improving accessibility, increasing learners' freedom of choice and reducing regional inequality.”
Digital solutions for teaching and learning continue to be developed together
The digital transformation policies support the achievement of the objectives defined in the Education Policy Report, the Digital Compass Report and other strategic documents.
“The policies will be applied in practice as we continue to draw up more detailed roadmaps together with our partners,” says Minna Kelhä. A wide range of parties is invited to get involved in the development work.
The Ministry of Education and Culture's branch of government already provides several shared digital services for education and training. These include services for applying for education and training and for managing student admissions, information resources for early childhood education and care, for teaching, education and training, and for higher education institutions, a service for the monitoring and controlling compulsory education, and a service for the disclosure of study and qualification data. In addition, the Ministry’s branch of government uses the eCurriculum for curricula, qualifications and programmes, a joint statistical service for the education administration, and a centralised login solution for education providers.
Inquiries:
Kalervo Koskimies, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Education and Culture, tel. +358 295 330 176, [email protected]
Paula Merikko, Director, Finnish National Agency for Education, tel. +358 295 331 783, [email protected]