Developing a Competency-Based Curriculum for Finnish Higher Education

Developing a Competency-Based Curriculum for Finnish Higher Education

The purpose of the project is to strengthen the competency-based approach of the Finnish higher education curricula. The project also contributes to the working life relevance into the practical curriculum and degree design. 

The project is aimed for the higher education institutions in the region of the European Social Fund Programme for Mainland Finland. The target group includes

• managers of higher education institutions (HEIs)
• deans
• heads of departments
• field-specific education and training forums between higher education institutions and working life organisations

Among the partners of the project are Universities Finland UNIFI, The Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences ARENE, The National Union of University Students in Finland SYL and The Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences SAMOK.

The project seeks to

• promote the development of the competency-based curricula in Finnish universities and universities of applied sciences
• encourage the Finnish stakeholders to take part in the development of the competency-based curricula in higher education
• establish cooperation between the Finnish HEIs and the stakeholders in the continuous development of the curricula
• support the implementation of the Bologna Framework in the Finnish higher education degrees
• help to accelerate the graduation of Finnish higher education students and  to facilitate their degree based employment  after graduation
• enhance cooperation between the Finnish HEIs in examining the contents and structure of the higher education degrees
• increase the mobility between the different  degree levels in Finnish higher education and to promote the practical implementation of the lifelong learning principles

The project is implemented through the following methods

• training and consultation on the development of the competency-based curricula
• evaluation and feedback on the progress of the curriculum design according to the goals of the Bologna Process
• general and field specific higher education forums for examining the contents and structure of the higher education degrees
• international networking in chosen fields to promote the European mobility in relation to the curriculum development for benchmarking the best practices
• seminars for the business community and social partners
• publications and brochures;  a report for the Finnish HEIs on the alternatives of the higher education degree reform

Project Period
1 January 2012 – 31 December 2014

Project Financing
The project is financed by the European Social Fund Programme for Mainland Finland under the 3rd priority: Promotion of innovation and networking and strengthening of knowledge structures.  The financing authority in Finland is The Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Pirkanmaa. 

Project Managing Authorities
University of Turku, Brahea Centre for Training and Development and HAMK University of Applied Sciences, Professional Teacher Education Unit

Contact information
Project Manager Kirsti Haihu, University of Turku, Brahea Centre for Training and Development,
tel. +358 40 555 5267, email: kirsti.haihu [at] utu.fi

Principal Lecturer (Research) Jaana Kullaslahti, HAMK University of Applied Sciences, Professional Teacher Education Unit, tel. +358 40 587 8201, email: jaana.kullaslahti [at] hamk.fi