Satakunta’s first IB diploma programme fills up with minimal marketing

The first International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma programme in Finland’s Satakunta region has reached full capacity, despite almost no active promotion, according to a report by Finnish broadcaster Yle.

Twenty-three applicants listed the programme as their first choice in the joint application system, filling nearly all 25 available spots for the autumn 2024 intake. Additional students applied as second or third preferences.

Martin Hartman, principal of Svenska Kulturfonden i Björneborg (SKiB), which organises the English-language IB programme, expressed satisfaction with the response. He noted that demand demonstrates a clear need for international education in the region.

“We didn’t really market it at all,” Hartman said. “Only school counsellors in Satakunta informed students about the option.”

At least 90% of first-choice applicants are from within the Satakunta region, reinforcing the programme’s local appeal. The IB diploma, recognised globally, was previously available at 16 Finnish schools, with over 150 countries offering similar programmes worldwide.

Ministry approval and local support

The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture granted SKiB permission to expand its curriculum to include the IB programme last autumn. Hartman emphasised that the programme’s popularity confirms its necessity, offering students pathways to international opportunities.

Pori, where the programme is based, previously offered English-language upper secondary education, but students were still required to complete the Finnish matriculation exam in either Finnish or Swedish. Esa Kohtamäki, Pori’s director of education, earlier told Yle that the IB programme significantly diversifies the local education landscape.

“The need for English-language education is growing,” Kohtamäki said. “The city’s role is to enable and support frameworks where such specialised education can operate sustainably.”

Students will study at the newly opened Kulturhuset Fiini, a €55 million cultural campus developed by SKiB.

Turku’s IB programme faces restrictions

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education and Culture has ordered the city of Turku to discontinue its practice of purchasing English-language IB education as a service from Turku Normal School, affiliated with the University of Turku. The ministry ruled the funding model impermissible, though Turku Normal School’s own IB programme will continue. The city of Turku is now seeking independent approval to offer the programme.