Finland

  • Finland has long traditions in non-formal adult education and education is offered nationwide. Non-formal adult education institutions include adult education centres, folk high schools, learning centres, sports training centres and summer universities. The participation to adult learning is higher than European average, but people with lower education levels are underrepresented. 

Finland country reports


Finland 2022

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Finland 2021

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Finland 2020

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Finland 2019

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  • Finland introduction

    Finland is addressing new issues in the adult education sector, now aiming to create individual learning pathways and to tackle the challenge of changes to working life. To cope with this, several reforms pla...

  • Recent developments in Finland

    In 2019 Finland experienced positive changes in the sphere of adult education which have raised hopes for the future of the field. To start with, following the parliamentary elections in April 2019, the new leftist-central-liberal government decla...

  • Links to EU and international policy in Finland

    Finland actively participates in the implementation of SDGs in its internal and external policies. Within the country, Finland is putting to use society’s commitment to sustainability to ensure the involvement of all stakeholders in the commitment...

  • Challenges and recommendations in Finland

    The “Sitra” Fund identified some challenges that the Finnish lifelong learning policy may face in the near future. One of the challenges is the changes to the job market and the current inability to predict the skills required by employers in the...


EAEA members view

General situation of adult education
happy face has slightly improved in 2022
Funding situation of adult education
coin pile with arrow pointing slightly up has slightly improved in 2022

Participation in adult education

% of persons aged 25-64
30.5% participation rate last 4 weeks (European Labour Force Survey 2021)
54.1% participation rate last 12 months (European Adult Education Survey 2016)