A paid degree path raises equality concerns

Text meri eskola images getty images english translation marko saajanaho

Thus far, the core principle of Finnish higher education has been that training leading to a degree is free to students. Now, the government is preparing a model in which a higher education degree could also be obtained through a paid programme at an open higher education institution.

The arguments for this reform include increased education opportunities, more flexible education paths, and more highly educated people. In practice, it would add a path next to free degree education that would involve the student paying all their education costs themselves.

The open higher education institution degree would be equivalent to regular degree education in terms of content and quality, but the same admission and study right regulations would not apply to students.

Strong criticism for paid studies

The model proposed by the government has raised strong criticism in the higher education field. Operators interviewed by Acatiimi suspect that the paid path would not be a solution for increasing the level of education but would instead create new, difficult questions to solve.

“We see nothing good in this proposal. It does not solve the problem and instead causes more problems for higher education institutions”, says Union of Research Professionals Executive Director Nina Hahtela.

The Finnish Union of University Professors highlights the effects of the model on university personnel.

“Before such a sweeping change, an extensive impact assessment should be made. This should also include its effects on university teaching and research staff as well as other specialist and support personnel”, Finnish Union of University Professors Executive Director Tarja Niemelä says.

Increased polarisation of society

A major weakness in the proposal identified by the interviewees is that paid education would erode the very foundation of Finnish society – the principle of equality. The reform would place higher education applicants in inequal positions based on financial reasons. Wealthy individuals would get the option to “buy” a degree.

“Paid degrees increase polarisation in society and inequality in education. This threatens overall safety”, the Finnish Union of University Professors’ Tarja Niemelä states.

Jari Multisilta, Chair of the Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (Arene), agrees.

“Finland is a small nation, and free education has enabled us to make use of the best talent regardless of socioeconomic background”, he points out.

“Paid degrees increase polarisation in society and inequality in education. This threatens overall safety.”

The National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) do not believe the proposal for open higher education institution degrees is up to the challenges that increasing the level of education in Finland would require.

“Education is already heavily hereditary, and young people left outside higher education most commonly come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. We are also concerned about the reform creating inequality between those trying to get into higher education”, says SYL board member Vilma Sippola.

According to National Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (SAMOK) President of the Board Helena Maijanen, flexible pathways to higher education institutions already exist at universities of applied sciences.

“The proposal would just unravel the principle of free education”, she says.

Paid path would not reach young people

Many interviewees also note the issue of the proposal not actually meeting the demographic most desired to seek higher education – young people. According to Council of Rectors of Finnish Universities (Unifi) Executive Director Heikki Holopainen, it is difficult to see young people being attracted by paid education. He specifically highlights young men and second-generation immigrants, groups already underrepresented among higher education applicants.

“How would you get them to seek paid education?”

Dual system administration would be difficult to build

The reform would also bring major administrative challenges with it. Higher education institutions would have to organise representation, guidance, and student counselling. This would increase the workload on teachers.

Union for University Teachers and Researchers in Finland (YLL) Chair Santeri Palviainen speculates that paid degree programmes would have to be arranged as hybrid lessons, but the current structures of higher education institutions were not designed to accommodate a large number of new students.

“How would you arrange their thesis guidance, for example?” Palviainen asks.

The position of students also raises questions. For examples, it remains unclear if a student who starts in a paid programme can later transfer to a free degree programme and how such transfers would affect study planning.

“Creating course offerings would be difficult with such unpredictable customer behaviour.”

“Creating course offerings would be difficult with such unpredictable customer behaviour”, Unifi’s Heikki Holopainen remarks.

SYL considers the position of open path students.

“Open degree students would be in an inequal position in terms of student status, FSHS, rights, and livelihood”, Vilma Sippola mentions.

It also remains unclear how students’ education paths would be built and who would manage the whole while ensuring that the paid studies accurately reflect the content of the respective degree programmes.

“We fear the paid studies would end up being used as a prep course. That might turn into a bureaucracy loop, with the student bouncing between free and paid education. And how is the study right calculated?” asks SAMOK President of the Board Helena Maijanen.

Reform funding is unclear

According to the government’s proposal, the funding for paid education would not cover the full cost. Therefore, higher education institutions would also be forced to spend their core funding on paid education. Here, the operators interviewed by Acatiimi see the risk of the government not increasing overall higher education institution funding and instead dumping part of the costs to the institutions and students.

“I doubt the government proposal would increase the total amount, and it would likely change the structure. The money would increasingly come from students’ pockets”, says YLL’s Santeri Palviainen.

SYL worries that extending the open right to confer degrees could change the balance between paid and free education.

“In the long term, this could increase the marketisation of higher education and change the status of publicly funded education”, Vilma Sippola says.

“In the long term, this could increase the marketisation of higher education and change the status of publicly funded education.”

The Finnish Union of University Professors’ Tarja Niemelä sees the risk of certain fields being emphasised in the paid studies on the open path.

“In practice, this would lead to so-called ‘expensive fields’ or fields heavily focused on practical training not being available at the open university”, she stresses.

The role of the student as a paying customer, known from abroad, feels foreign to Finns. Here, students are part of the academic community. They do not buy an education service, they study to cultivate themselves and be beneficial to society.

Arene Chair Jari Multisilta already finds higher education institutions performing a service job. “Our goal is for students to graduate and join the workforce. Every higher education institution employee’s focus has to be that we are working for the student.”.