Universities expand English degrees, narrowing local options for some students

Finnish universities are adding English-language degree programmes, leaving some students unable to study their preferred subject in Finnish in their home city, Yle reports.

Janika Laurikainen, an upper-secondary student in Lappeenranta, had considered studying chemical engineering in Finnish at LUT University. The university is moving its Finnish-language chemical engineering programme from Lappeenranta to its campus in Lahti. From next year, new students in Lappeenranta will be able to study the subject only in English.

Laurikainen said the change influenced her decision not to stay in Lappeenranta to study at LUT. She would prefer to study mainly in Finnish, and said beginning a degree in English straight after upper-secondary school would be difficult. Another student, Inka Raskila, also hopes to continue studying in Finnish and would like to remain in her home city.

LUT University provost Mari Kallioinen-Mänttäri said she understood students’ disappointment when their preferred subject was no longer available locally. She encouraged them to consider English-language programmes, saying international work is increasingly important and English is often the working language in chemical engineering companies.

LUT has 70 bachelor’s and master’s programmes: 45 in English and 25 in Finnish. Two new English-language bachelor’s programmes began this year. Across Finland, universities now offer more than 600 English-language bachelor’s and master’s programmes. This year, six new English-language bachelor’s programmes and eight master’s programmes have started.

The University of Eastern Finland opened three English-language programmes this autumn, in health sciences, data engineering and theology. Aalto University, which already has many programmes in English, plans to add more next year.

Leena Nissilä, director of the Institute for the Languages of Finland, said internationalisation is important but is not universities’ primary purpose. She said their main task is to educate people for working life in Finland, and that studying only in English may not provide the language skills needed for that. Finnish-language education also helps develop professional terminology and communication skills in Finnish, she said. Nissilä wants higher education funding to encourage teaching in Finnish and Swedish.