EDUCATION IN FINLAND

Finland is one of the most progressive and advanced countries in Europe. Against a backdrop of incredible scenery, the "country of lakes" has recently attracted attention in the area of higher education. Ross Geraghty speaks to Ms. Maija Rask.Finish minister of Education and Science.
The Finnish Education System is highly advanced, by international standards. What was done to make education this way?

I am very proud of the education system and its performance. Our national strategy is based on a high level of education and R&D (research and development). We have made a special effort to boost the development of the necessary infrastructure and expertise so that we can meet the expectations of the emerging knowledge-based economy.
In the 1990's we implemented major reforms in our education system and carried out a special investment programme in R&D. Today, we spend nearly seven percent on the education system. These are very high figures by international standards, and the government is committed to continuing this policy.
Our higher education system is fairly large: we have 20 universities and 29 polytechnics, and 65 percent of the age group start studies at higher education institutions. These figures illustrate our commitment to raising the level of education of the whole population.
In Finland, polytechnics are newcomers to the higher education scene. The system was created some ten years ago with a view to raising the level of vocational education and training and to accommodating the needs of the increasingly heterogeneous student population. The polytechnics were formed from post-secondary vocational institutions, which were upgraded to higher education level after a pilot phase and a rigorous external evaluation. Today I  would say the polytechnics form an integral part of our high quality higher education system.

Have numbers of students coming to study in Finland increased over the years?

The first action to boost internationalisation in Finnish university education was decised at the end of the 1980's. At that time we were able to allocate extra funding to building up the administrative infrastructure needed to take care of both outgoing  and incoming programmes at universitiewsw and polytechnics. Today, i am very pleased to say that all our higher education institutions offer programmes in English for the benefit of international students.

Why do you think students consider Finland as a study destination?

I think the most important reason is the good quality of our education and R&D and the fields of expertise Finland is known for eg,ICT,pulp and paper, design, architecture and music to name but a few.
also the good provision of English-language programmes in our higher education institutions is attractive to international students as well as the low cost of in here.

What does the Ministry of Education do, or any other body, to accredit the universities and polytechnics in Finland and to keep standards high?

Universities and polytechnics are obliged by law to systematically evaluate their  quality and performance. The polytechnics underwent a kind of accrediation process when they sought a permanent operating licence from the government.
The Finnish higher education evaluation Council is an independent advisory body to thr Ministry of Education, and it promotes and supports evaluations and quality work in high education institutions. The ministry rewards the institutions for high -quality performance.

Would you say that Finnish universities are strong in the IT area?

Why do you think that is so inportant, and does it give you a strong edge over other countries?
Our universities and polytechnics are definitely very strong in the ICT fields. As i said earlier, the development of this area has been one of the cornerstones in our education and science and technology policies.Our ICT firms played a major role in helping the Finnish economy flourish after the difficult years of recession in the early 1990s, and i firmly believe that this technology -driven economic growth will continue.Therefore it is very important that out education system  keeps up with-or rather ahead of- the rapid developments in the field.

I think most of our international students are aware of the Finnish expertise in the ICT fields,and for many students that was what attracted them to Finland in the first place.

In short,what else does Finland have to offer the international student?

In a nutshell: high quality,good education,and research facilities,a smoothly-running student hosing system,English-language programmes,a beautiful language.It is also a cost-effective country.

EDUCATION IN JAPAN

The Japanese Educational System

The schooling years in the Japanese education system are segmented along the lines of 6-3-3-4: 6 years of primary or elementary school; 3 years of middle or junior high school; 3 years of high school; and 4 years of university.
However, the government has just announced (October 2005, Daily Yomiuri) that it is intending to make changes in the Education Law to allow schools to merge the 6-3 division between elementary and middle schools. The key purpose for this change is to allow elementary and middle schools to pool or share their resources, with special regard to making available specialist teachers of middle schools to elementary schools. 

Many private schools, however, offer a six year programme incorporating both junior high school and high school. Specialised schools may offer a five year programme comprising high school and two years of junior college. There are two options for tertiary education: junior college (two years) and university (four years). 

A school year has three terms: summer, winter and spring, which are each followed by a vacation period. The school year begins in April and ends in March of the following year.

An elementary school (from 6 years) and junior high school (3 years) education, i.e. nine years of schooling are considered compulsory (see pages on legality of homeschooling).

This system, implemented by the School Education Law enacted in March 1947 after WWII, owes its origin to the American model 6-3-3 plus 4 years of university. Many other features of the Japanese educational system, are however, based on European models.

Compulsory education covers elementary school and junior high school. A break from the past, modern public schools in Japan today are mostly co-ed(more than 99% of elementary schools). The Japanese school year begins in April and students attend school for three terms except for brief spring and winter breaks and a one month long summer holiday.


Educational Reform & Other Current Issues

More than 90% of all students graduate from high school and 40% from university or junior college. 100 % of all students complete elementary school and Japan is repeatedly said to have achieved 100% literacy and to have the highest literacy rate in the world since the Edo period.

The Japanese educational system has been highly regarded by many countries and has been studied closely for the secrets to the success of its system, especially in the years before the economic bubble burst. However, following the bursting of the bubble and the ensuing decade of recession, a number of issues have come under scrutiny both at home and abroad. 

EDUCATION IN MEXICON STATES

WELCOME TO EDUCATIONSRV

Mexico, in full UNITED MEXICAN STATES (Spanish Estados Unidos Mexicanos), federal republic in North America, bounded on the north by the United States; on the east by the United States, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea; on the south by Belize and Guatemala; and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. Mexican federal jurisdiction extends, in addition to Mexico proper, over a number of offshore islands. The area of the country is 1,958,201 sq km (756,066 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Mexico City.
Most of Mexico is an immense, elevated plateau, flanked by mountain ranges that fall sharply off to narrow coastal plains in the west and east. The two mountain chains, the Sierra Madre Occidental to the west and the Sierra Madre Oriental in the east, meet in a region called La Junta in the southeast. At La Junta the two ranges form the Sierra Madre del Sur, a maze of volcanic mountains containing the highest peaks in Mexico (see SIERRA MADRE). The Sierra Madre del Sur leads into the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, which lies between the Bay of Campeche and the Gulf of Tehuantepec.
The prominent topographical feature of the country is the central plateau, a continuation of the plains of the southwestern United States. Comprising more than half the total area of Mexico, the plateau slopes downward from the west to the east and from the south, where the elevation varies from about 1830 to 2440 m (about 6000 to 8000 ft) above sea level, to the north with an elevation of about 1070 to 1220 m (about 3500 to 4000 ft). Two large valleys form notable depressions in the plateau: the Bolsón de Mapimí in the north and the Valley of Mexico, or Anahuac, in central Mexico.
The coastal plains are generally low, flat, and sandy, although the Pacific coast is occasionally broken by mountain spurs. Baja California, a long, narrow peninsula extending about 1225 km (some 760 mi) south from the northwestern corner of the country, is traversed by mountains that are a continuation of the coastal ranges in the U.S. state of California. The Yucatan Peninsula, which forms the southeastern tip of the country, is low and flat, averaging about 30 m (about 100 ft) in elevation.