EUR 1,000 tuition fee proposed for higher education students

Accrued EUR 250 million could be used to hire more teaching staff

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A Ministry of Education working group is discussing ways to shorten the graduation times of the students of higher education in Finland.
      One of the suggested alternatives is the introduction of a uniform tuition fee of, for example, EUR 1,000 per year.
      The maximum amount of the state-backed student loan would then be raised by the same sum.
     
With the present student volumes, such a fee would bring in extra cash for the funding of universities and polytechnics to the tune of around EUR 250 million per year.
      The money could be used, for example, to improve the student/teacher ratio.
      The fee would also facilitate better management of the international student exchange.
     
The last time the fee issue was brought up took place when a committee discussing the export of Finnish education suggested that the question of chargeable university studies should be raised in connection with the preparation of the next government policy programme.
      This was interpreted to refer to the introduction of tuition fees for Finnish higher education students as well.
      After that nearly all the political parties have kept issuing assurances that there are no plans to introduce fees for Finnish students.
      Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) reiterated in ast week’s Parliamentary question-time that not a single step has been taken in that direction.
     
Nevertheless, different types of models have been discussed in the attempt to extend the number of years people spend in working life.
      One solution would be to make the students graduate quicker.
      In addition to the introduction of a general tuition fee, another alternative that has been discussed is to limit the right to free education to one higher academic degree.
      In practice this would mean that students are granted 12 semesters (6 years) of free education to receive their Master’s degree.
     
Models for a kind of education voucher and for result-linked state loans have also been considered.
      With the education voucher paid by the government, a student could study for a certain amount of time, after which cashing the note would become the student’s own responsibility.
      In the result-linked state loan model the academic institutions would introduce semester fees paid by the government.
      A student would pay his or her semester fees after graduation in a form of a supplementary levy.
      For this an Australian system has been used as a model.
     
There is a desire to urge the universities, too, to structure their courses in such a way that it encourages the students to complete their studies.
      For example course credits earned during the summer months would increase funding for the university.
      A scholarship incentive system for students who advance in their studies quickly and with high grades would also be introduced by universities.
     
The same working group also wants to lay more emphasis on the matriculation examination results by increasing direct admittance to institutes of higher education based on the upper secondary and matriculation examination certificates.
      The universities, however, do not wish to give up entrance examinations altogether.
      The suggestions are scheduled to be handed to the Minister of Education on March 18th.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Reform of university requirements to cause surge in Master´s degrees (18.6.2007)
  SITRA calls for fees on university studies (28.4.2005)

See also:
  Demonstrators offer chilly reception to new Universities Act (20.2.2009)
  Belt-tightening at universities sparks anger among staff (16.2.2010)
  Tuition fees for foreign students to be introduced on trial basis in 2010 (15.8.2008)

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