Finnish National Agency for Education EDUFI
Organizācija
In Finland, EPALE – the Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe is administrated by the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI).
The Finnish National Agency for Education is responsible for developing education, early childhood education and care, lifelong learning and for promoting internationalisation. It implements programmes and agreements to promote the internationalisation of the Finnish society and produces information related to internationalisation.
Work programme
The objectives are raising awareness of the EPALE platform in Finland and enhancing its effectiveness, producing high-quality content, and inviting adult learning stakeholders to participate in the professional community.
EPALE is a platform for news, blog posts, events and information sources related to adult learning. Finnish adult learning experts can participate in its activities by proposing news topics, writing blog posts or uploading materials to the online platform, including articles or research and project reports.
EPALE also has an event calendar in which registered users can advertise events, seminars and continuing education courses.
EPALE organises online discussions on topical themes for the adult learning community across Europe and produces MOOC and OER resources for independent continuing education.
The Finnish EPALE team additionally produces a podcast series titled Aikuisten matkassa, which focuses on the platform’s topical themes, and organises events, information sessions and webinars for everyone interested in adult education.
Come and join a community of adult learning professionals!
The Team
The Finnish EPALE team works in the Finnish National Agency for Education's Information and Analysis unit. The members of our team are:
Linda Juntunen, Programme Manager, linda.juntunen@oph.fi
Fanny-Sofia Tarkio, Programme Adviser, fanny-sofia.tarkio@oph.fi
Alma Smolander, Programme Adviser, alma.smolander@oph.fi
Adult Learning
Education and training for adults leading to a qualification, liberal adult education as well as staff training and continuing education courses of different lengths are organised at more than 800 educational and higher education institutions in Finland. Additionally, significant learning takes place at workplaces and in different everyday situations. Labour market training is also regarded as adult education. In addition, adult education supports the integration of immigrants into education and training, the labour market and society.
Adult education is provided:
- at basic education and general upper secondary schools for adults
- at vocational institutions and vocational adult education centres
- at national specialised vocational education and training institutions
- at universities of applied sciences and universities
as well as at liberal adult education institutions and by NGOs:
- adult education centres
- folk high schools
- summer universities
- study centres
- sports institutes.
Libraries, museums and prisons also play an active part in adult education.
Adult education supports active and participatory citizenship and the prerequisites for continuous learning. It also contributes to extending working careers, increasing the employment rate and strengthening multiculturalism.
More information about Finnish adult education system is found at Eurydice.
Stakeholders
Authorities
- Ministry of Education and Culture
- Ministry of Employment and the Economy
- Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
- Criminal Sanctions Agency
National umbrella organisations and NGOs of adult learning
- Finnish Association of Adult Education Centres
- Finnish Folk High School Association
- Association of the Development of Vocational Education and Training
- Finnish Adult Education Association
- Summer Universities in Finland
- Bildningsalliansen
- Trade Union of Education in Finland
- Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities
- Finnish Lifelong Learning Foundation
- Finnish Society for Research on Adult Education
- Accosiation of Study Centres
Adult Education research and studies
Ambassadors
EPALE has four ambassadors who work in different adult education organisations around Finland. Their task is to raise awareness of the forum and enhance its effectiveness, organise events and publish content related to adult learning themes. In 2021, the EPALE Ambassadors are:
- Johanni Larjanko, Bildningsalliansen
- Lauramaija Hurme, The Finnish Association of Adult Education Centres
- Anni Karttunen, Globedu
- Lotta Ellonen, SKOL
The Finnish EPALE team is constantly looking for new ambassadors for various information tasks to give the platform the highest possible visibility in the national adult education field. In other words, do not hesitate to contact us if you are interested!
