Education evaluation results to be published in spring 2024

Release Vocational education Pre-primary, primary and lower secondary education Higher education General upper secondary education Liberal adult education Early childhood education and care

The Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC) will publish several sets of topical evaluation results in spring 2024. The themes of the publications will include an evaluation of education programmes in early childhood education and care, new forms of student counselling introduced as compulsory education was extended, and an overview of learning outcomes in Swedish-language schools. 

This press release contains advance information on evaluation results that will be published between March and May 2024. The purpose of this summary is to promote better use of evaluation evidence. The next summary of future releases of evaluation results will be published in May or June 2024. 

Publications that concern several levels of education

Evaluation of the new forms of student counselling (OHJA) 2022–2024: Viewpoints on supporting attachment to school and studies in education for young people at compulsory education age

In 2022–2024, FINEEC has evaluated new and enhanced forms of student counselling in primary and lower secondary (former called basic education) and upper secondary education, and transition phase and preparatory education following the extension of compulsory education. The evaluation also examines viewpoints on attachment to school and studies and reinforcing the sense of community. The broad objective of the evaluation was identifying practices that support the completion of compulsory education and promote students’ well-being.

The report will be published in March 2024.

Further information: 

Evaluation of education programmes in early childhood education and care

The evaluation of education in the early childhood education sector is timely as major changes have occurred in the steering system. The evaluation examines education programmes in early childhood education and care provided by universities, universities of applied sciences, vocational education and training providers and Snellman University College from the perspective of each programme’s objectives.

The evaluation produces information about needs to develop the contents of education programmes providing eligibility for teaching, management, education and care positions in early childhood education and care. The evaluation also investigates whether the quality of the education provided for early childhood education and care teachers and other personnel is consistent at the regional level.

The publication event of the evaluation will be held on 13 March 2024. 

Further information:

Early childhood education and care

FINEEC will evaluate the impact of Early Childhood Education and Care on the Move activities

The National Sports Council has commissioned FINEEC to conduct an external evaluation of its national Early Childhood Education and Care on the Move activities. Early Childhood Education and Care on the Move is one of the government's policy measures aiming to promote physically active lifestyles. No comprehensive external evaluation of these activities has been conducted previously. The external evaluation commissioned from FINEEC will cover the years 2017–2023.

The National Sports Council will publish the results of the evaluation and the evaluation report in its publication series in June 2024.

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Primary and lower secondary education (former called basic education)

Swedish-language comprehensive school – an overview of learning outcomes

The publication contains a compilation of up-to-date information on learning outcomes in Swedish-language schools. It discusses students' knowledge and skills and competence development in mother tongue and literature, mathematics, English and Finnish. The results to be presented concern comprehensive school education grades 1 and 2 as well as 6 and 9. The publication will include comparisons of learning outcomes in different subjects between Swedish-language and Finnish-speaking schools.

The report will be published on 18 April 2024.

Further information: 

PRICE OF COMPETENCE­ – Trends in costs and learning outcomes of primary and lower secondary education in 1996–2021 with special reference to knowledge and skills in mathematics

The report examines financial aspects relating to primary and lower secondary education from the viewpoint of long-term change in knowledge and skills in mathematics. Aspects related to productivity, efficiency and unit costs are examined by combining financial data to the results of an assessment of learning outcomes in mathematics at the final stage of lower secondary education conducted in spring 2021 and information on long-term trends in competence.

The report will be published in March 2024.

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General upper secondary education

Delivery of learning support in general upper secondary education –  findings of an evaluation focusing on the curriculum reform

FINEEC’s evaluation of the general upper secondary school reform monitors the stages of the reform in 2022–2024. This report evaluates the achievement of the objectives set for special needs education and other learning support at the end of the academic year 2022–2023. At that time, curricula prepared in accordance with the National core curriculum for general upper secondary education (LOPS 2019) had been in use for almost two school years. The evaluation looks at the state, delivery and practices of special needs education and other learning support as well as factors that promote and hinder the delivery of support from the perspectives of special needs teachers and principals in general upper secondary schools.

The report will be published in April. 

Further information: 

Higher education

Audits of higher education institutions

The purpose of the audit is

  • to evaluate whether the quality work at the higher education institution corresponds to the European principles for quality assurance,
  • to evaluate whether the quality management system produces information that is appropriate for strategy implementation and the continuous development of activities, and whether it leads to effective development measures,
  • to encourage internationalisation, experiments and a creative atmosphere in higher education institutions, and
  • to compile open and transparent information about the quality work of Finnish higher education institutions.

The audit covers the mission of higher education institutions, or education, research and societal interaction. The possibility given by the audit model for higher education institutions to select one of the evaluation areas supports their development. The audit also covers a benchlearning method.

Audit of Karelia University of Applied Sciences

Karelia University of Applied Sciences had selected the promotion of educational immigration as its optional evaluation area.  Its benchlearning partner is Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences and the benchlearning target is the quality system, in particular the use of the quality system in strategic management and the functioning and development of the quality system.

The audit report will be published on 1 March 2024.

Further information:

Audit of Police University College of Finland

The optional evaluation area selected by the Police University College is Proactive monitoring of the operating environment. The audit covers a benchlearning method. The benchlearning partner of the Police University College is Häme University of Applied Sciences, and the benchlearning target is Co-teaching.

The audit report will be published on 1 March 2024.

Further information:

Audit of the University of Oulu

The optional evaluation area chosen by the University of Oulu is internationality of degree programmes’ curricula and student experience. The benchlearning partner chosen by the university is Erasmus University Rotterdam, and the benchlearning target is Enhancing quality culture in doctoral schools.

The audit report will be published on 22 March 2024.

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