Expansion and Curtailing in Finnish Higher Education Between 1950–2015: The Impact of Economy, Politics and Regional Policy on the Higher Education Network

Finnish mergers: Change in the Context of Continuity

“…This tradition is supported by the value basis of a Nordic welfare state, rooted in equality of educational opportunities (Arnesen & Lundahl 2006), and which includes in regard to higher education respect for institutional autonomy in combination with valuing effectiveness and efficiency of the higher education system. Against this backdrop of continuity, the instruments for achieving these values have varied over time (Saarivirta & Jaatinen 2016).…”

“…Simultaneously, this policy itself can be seen as an instrument to make Finnish welfare society more equal. In the next phase, the 1990s, the higher education system further expanded to universal access through establishing polytechnics, spurred by the belief that establishing higher education institutions around the country would increase the qualifications of the labour force and thus contribute to the economic development of the country and help keep the entire country populated (Välimaa 2012;Saarivirta & Jaatinen 2016). This development was followed by the establishment of numerous university centres, i.e.…”