Towards a Finland of talents together – insights on the SIMHE operations

Abstract

Finnish society needs talents. To solve this nationwide challenge, the SIMHE member institutions and their co-operation networks have developed new operating models for continuous learning. By working together, we will secure Finland’s growth, well-being and innovativeness and support all of the talents in our society in finding their individual educational and career paths.

This publication describes the SIMHE – Supporting Immigrants in Higher Education in Finland operations, launched in 2016, through the perspectives and experiences of a vast network of actors. The objective of the operations, funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture, has been to develop models that support the access to higher education of highly educated immigrants and immigrants eligible for higher education, as well as their employability in Finland.

The publication is a compilation of the insights, best practices and identified development needs from the 2017–2020 strategy period. The operations are covered from the perspectives of the SIMHE member institutions, various projects and the multi-actor co-operation network. International talents who have used SIMHE guidance and counselling and other services also share their experiences of studying and building careers in Finland. The publication thus offers an extensive overview of the SIMHE operations and supports the launch of the services and their development in the future.