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11.6.2021 | The flagship event in the administrative branch of the Ministry of Education during the Finnish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers took place on 8¬-9 June 2021. Entitled ‘We All Make a Difference!’, the conference looked at sustainable development from the angles of education, culture, and the youth.

10.2.2022 | The working group set up by the Ministry of Education and Culture to monitor and assess the introduction of tuition fees in higher education has completed its work. The working group monitored and evaluated between 2017 and 2021 how the introduction of tuition fees impacted the international dimension and student flows in higher education institutions. It also collected information on tuition fees used by higher education institutions and their grant and scholarship practices.

9.9.2021 | Finland needs more work-based and education-based immigration to help companies find enough experts and to strengthen Finland’s vitality and public finances. The roadmap for education-based and work-based immigration is a long-term action plan to achieve the objectives set for immigration of specialists, entrepreneurs, researchers and students.

27.9.2021 | The Government submitted its budget proposal for 2022 to Parliament on 27 September. The proposed appropriations for the administrative branch of the Ministry of Education and Culture total EUR 7.41 million. Next year’s budget will continue to focus on improving quality and equity in education and on safeguarding funding for science and research. Funds will also be allocated for rebuilding the cultural sector in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

27.5.2021 | The Government appointed Dr Minna Kelhä as Director General of the Finnish National Agency for Education. The duration of the position is for five years, beginning on 7 June 2021 and ending on 6 June 2026.

6.9.2021 | The Government is adopting a single email suffix in stages during the remainder of 2021. Once the harmonisation process is complete, the email addresses of all staff members at the ministries will end in ‘gov.fi’. The Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of the Environment will adopt the new suffix on 6 September 2021.

2.9.2025 | The Government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has reached a decision on its budget proposal for 2026. The Government’s decisions aim to support economic growth, which is picking up. Supporting economic growth and continuing responsible fiscal management is necessary to ensure the security of people in Finland and safeguard their access to important services going forward.

28.4.2022 | Finnish universities and universities of applied sciences will open up new study opportunities to help Ukrainians entering the country. Students will be given opportunities to start or continue their studies, and researchers will be offered the opportunity to continue their research work in Finland.

27.10.2023 | Minister of Science and Culture Sari Multala will visit New York and Los Angeles from 30 October to 3 November 2023. Her aim is to deepen cooperation between Finland and the United States in culture, science and the creative sectors. Multala will meet with leaders of local cultural institutions and businesses, visit several universities, and talk to people playing key roles in culture, science and higher education.

11.2.2022 | Taking diversity into account at work is increasingly important as society becomes more diverse. A new electronic training course for public administration employees will provide information and tools for increasing diversity and strengthening a culture that includes everyone. 

16.5.2024 | The Government proposes amendments to the Universities Act and the Universities of Applied Sciences Act concerning tuition fees for non-EU and non-EEA students, and the introduction of an application fee for such students. The Government also proposes specifications to the provisions on commissioned education.

29.3.2023 | Minister of Science and Culture Petri Honkonen has appointed CEO, Master of Music Kaisa Rönkkö as Director of the Arts Promotion Centre (Taike) for the term 1 August 2023–31 July 2028.

22.8.2023 | The Ministry of Education and Culture has appointed a working group to prepare an increase in tuition fees for non-EU and non-EEA university students. The working group is also expected to propose legislation to prevent the circumvention of tuition fees and to re-introduce university application processing fees.

28.6.2023 | The Ministry of Education and Culture has drawn up an action plan to promote diversity in the arts and culture. The action plan is based on the final report which a working group appointed by the Ministry published in 2021. The action plan aims to take into account the diversity of the Finnish population in all planning and decision-making in the arts and cultural policy.

20.12.2022 | The Ministry of the Interior has commissioned an external study on the organisation of migration administration. Requested by the leaders of the five government parties, the study aims to provide an overall picture of migration legislation, processes related to entry into and stay in Finland, and the roles of national authorities.

14.4.2023 | 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.

2.3.2023 | On Thursday 2 March 2023, the Government appointed the members of the Finnish National Commission for UNESCO for the four-year term from 2 March 2023 to 31 December 2026. The Finnish National Commission for UNESCO is an expert and cooperation body providing advice on matters related to UNESCO.

4.7.2024 | In its plenary session on Thursday 4 July, the Finnish Government appointed Kristiina Kokko, Master of Theology and Bachelor of Business Administration, to serve as State Secretary to Minister of Local and Regional Government Anna-Kaisa Ikonen and Minister of Science and Culture Sari Multala as of 1 August. The term of the state secretaries is linked to that of the ministers.

5.12.2023 | Findings of the OECD’s PISA 2022 (Programme for International Student Assessment) show that the learning outcomes of young people in Finland have deteriorated. Anna-Maja Henriksson, the Finnish Minister of Education, says restructuring of educational policies and resources for implementing the changes will be needed to improve learning outcomes.

11.10.2023 | The latest EUROSTUDENT report provides an overview of the progress of studies, wellbeing, employment and livelihood of higher education students in different life situations. This time, the study focused specifically on digitalisation in higher education studies. For the first time, the EUROSTUDENT survey, carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2022, focused on students’ experiences related to the amount of remote education.