Abstract
The study opens a new series of EPC publications that will compare the development of higher education, particularly its expansion and diversification, in various European countries. Finland has been chosen as the first example, as it has founded its social and economic development predominantly on education and considers its higher education institutions to be an essential element of national and regional innovation systems.
The study begins by providing a wider - in particular, economic - context to the development of Finnish higher education and education policy. The second part deals with the emergence of its binary structure, the impact of globalisation and the formulation of long-term strategies.
It is followed by analysing the higher education system from all aspects - access and participation, organisation of studies and the employability and the position of graduates at the labour market. Further partial aspects of higher education governance are discussed as steering, funding, evaluation and monitoring of quality, research and development and the support of excellence.
The study concludes by trying to answer, what the Finnish experience could mean for us.