Ability of the education system to respond to challenges of continuous learning in sudden structural changes

The evaluation looks at the ability of the education system to respond to the challenges of continuous learning in situations where sudden structural changes occur. It focuses on vocational education and training and higher education. In the evaluation, the currently ongoing national reform of continuous learning and the sudden structural changes that have become more and more significant over the past ten years are brought together at the regional and global level. The evaluation will be implemented in 2020–2021.

The evaluation examines the following issues

1. How do the continuous learning services/competence development services of education providers and higher education institutions (HEIs) function in situations where sudden structural changes occur?
2. How do the continuous learning services/competence development services of education providers and HEIs respond to the competence development needs of the working-age population in sudden structural changes?
3. What factors promote and hinder responses to the competence needs of workplaces, businesses and individuals in situations where sudden structural changes occur?
4. What are the characteristics of a well-functioning continuous learning service/competence development service?

Collection of evaluation data

At the system level, a large amount of recent information on issues related to the evaluation theme, gained from studies and evaluations conducted by ministries, the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra and other key actors, already exists. It has been systematically used in planning the evaluation. A wide range of authorities and stakeholders important from the point of view of the evaluation theme were also interviewed at the planning stage.

At the moment, the greatest information needs concern the ability and potential of education providers and HEIs to provide guidance services and education and training related to continuous learning in situations where sudden structural changes occur. In addition, the evaluation deals with issues related to interfaces in the steering of education and HEIs’ ability to respond to the needs of employers and individuals.

Evaluation data will be collected from HEIs and vocational education and training providers through a survey. Webinars will be organised to employers. FINEEC will also organise two regional events. The first results will be discussed with HEIs and education providers in webinars during autumn 2021.

Evaluation team appointed for the evaluation:

• Irma Hirsjärvi, Chair of the Board, Finnish National Organisation of the Unemployed
• Tapio Huttula, Senior Advisor, Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra
• Pasi Kankare, CEO, Careeria
• Oona Löytänen, Student, University of Applied Sciences Students in Finland – SAMOK
• Juho Malinen, Student, Finnish national union for students OSKU ry
• Päivi Myllykangas, Director, Innovation and Foresight, Council of Tampere Region
• Maire Mäki, Director, North Ostrobothnia Employment and Economic Development Office
• Åsa Stenbacka, Principal, Vamia
• Petri Suomala, Vice President, Aalto University