NARIC guide on Higher Education Systems in the European Union

All these 20 universities undertake research, provide postgraduate education and confer doctorates. Scientific research is an
essential function of the universities; all university tuition is based on the principle of the unity of teaching and research —
teaching is based on research and there is a research element in all degrees.
The number of faculties in multi-field universities varies from four to nine. The faculties are further divided into departments.
The specialised
institutions sometimes offer degree programmes beyond their field of
specialisation, e.g. Lappeenrannan teknillinen korkeakoulu — one of the technical universities — has a degree programme in
economics and business administration. In the same way, some multi-field universities provide education in engineering and
architecture, economics, the arts, etc.
Other institutions
University-level degrees are also provided by a military institution under the Ministry of Defence, i.e.
Maanpuolustuskorkeakoulu/Försvarshögskolan.
Non-university higher education
Finland is gradually building up a non-university sector of higher education consisting of institutions known as
ammattikorkeakoulut (AMK institutions, institutes of professional higher education or polytechnics in English). AMK
institutions are being formed by upgrading the specialised institutions (which offer vocational higher education) and by
merging them to form new, multi-field AMK institutions. The vocational higher education reform was launched in 1991 with
the enactment of legislation on experimental AMKs. Twenty-two temporary AMK institutions were established under the act
throughout the country; the institutions were composed of 85 vocational institutions. Favourable feedback from the
experiment prompted rapid action: in March 1995 the parliament approved legislation making the AMK system permanent,
and the first permanent operating licences were granted to nine institutions. The licences will be granted annually on the basis
of quality and performance during the experimental phase. The creation of the non-university sector of higher education will
last until the end of this decade, by which time a permanent network of AMK institutions will be established.
Along with the AMK reform, all vocational education has undergone a structural reform. Until now, the concept of vocational
education in Finland covered both secondary and higher vocational education; for example, there were no special institutions
for higher education (except for the field of technology). The complicated system made for multiple education; the same
institutions offered vocational programmes for comprehensive school leavers and matriculated students at three levels
(kouluaste/skolnivå, opistoaste/institutnivå and ammatillinen korkea-aste/yrkesutbildning på högre nivå). A sequential
programme structure has recently been introduced to vocational education: students first take a basic vocational qualification
and then move on to higher education, i.e. to AMK institutions or to post-secondary level programmes in vocational
institutions. Implementation of the new structure started in autumn 1995 with initial vocational education, in autumn 1996 it
came into use in post-secondary level as well. However, the post-secondary level will be dismantled by the year 2000, and all
the non-university higher education will be provided by AMK institutions.
AMK institutions
In autumn 1996, the number of AMK institutions was 28. When two new institutions joined the system in August 1997, the
basic network of AMK institutions could be considered complete. The government will grant
permanent operating licences until the end of the 1990s: nine of the
institutions gained permanent status in autumn 1996, seven others will get it in autumn 1997. At the same time, new
vocational institutions will join the existing AMKs, and some AMKs may merge to form a new larger entity. According to
current plans, the number of AMK institutions should stabilise at around 25 by the year 2000.