Higher Education Evaluation Committee
A Higher Education Evaluation Committee consisting of members that are experts from outside FINEEC operates in connection with FINEEC’s Evaluation Council. The Committee provides FINEEC's evaluations with higher education institutions’, students’ and working life’s views on higher education.
The Higher Education Evaluation Committee makes decisions on
- the evaluation project plans related to higher education institutions
- the composition of planning and evaluation groups
- the final results of the audits of higher education institutions.
Through their expertise, the members of the Higher Education Evaluation Committee provide the project plans with new perspectives and ensure that the best expertise on the topic evaluated is available in the planning and evaluation groups. In addition, the Committee ensures that the audit decisions are equal.
The duties of the Higher Education Evaluation Committee have been determined in legislation:
Government Decree on the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre, section 7
Composition of the Higher Education Evaluation Committee
The Higher Education Evaluation Committee is appointed by the Ministry of Education and Culture by proposal of FINEEC's Evaluation Council. The members of the Committee must be familiar with the evaluation of higher education institutions. The members represent universities, universities of applied sciences, students and expertise from working life. The Committee is formed in such a way that it represents different regions, genders and higher education institutions and its members have diverse and up-to-date expertise in topics related to higher education.
The experts of the Higher Education Evaluation Committee change every four years. The composition of the Evaluation Council for the period 1 December 2022–31 May 2026 is the following:
- Nikolas Bursiewicz, Education Policy Specialist, National Union of University Students in Finland
- Johanna Fonsell, Education Policy Adviser, National Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences SAMOK
- Kati Komulainen, President/CEO, Vaasa University of Applied Sciences (chair)
- Jouni Koski, President/CEO, Laurea University of Applied Sciences
- Timo Lappi, CEO, Finnish Hospitality Association MaRa
- Manu Pajuluoma, Information and Digital Services Director, Lapland University Consortium LUC
- Merja Saarela, Principal Research Scientist, Häme University of Applied Sciences
- Martin Ubani, Professor, University of Eastern Finland (vice-chair)
- Gunilla Widén, Vice-rector, Åbo Akademi University.
The secretary of the Higher Education Evaluation Committee is Senior Evaluation Advisor Mira Huusko from FINEEC.
In the Committee, the members act as independent experts. In other words, they do not represent their background organisation, but promote equal decision-making and fair treatment of all higher education institutions.
The Higher Education Evaluation Committee also appoints an expert group on higher education in engineering for the duration of its term. Further information on the duties of the expert group on engineering and on accreditations of degree programmes in engineering.