Research and Innovation System
Strong commitment to research and innovation has made Finland one of the leading knowledge-based economies in the world. Higher education institutions together with public and private research sector make up a system of networks and collaboration that foster efficiency in the society and provide a stable environment for research.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture ensures the overall functioning of higher education and science in Finland. The Ministry is responsible for the planning and implementation of higher education and science policy, and it prepares the related statutes, national budget proposals and government decisions. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is responsible for preparing and implementing Finland’s innovation policy. The Research and Innovation Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, coordinates the development of Finland’s innovation system.
The Finnish higher education system consists of 13 universities and 22 universities of applied sciences (UAS) that operate under the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. Additionally, 12 public research institutes work under related ministries. Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is a key cooperation partner for companies, research institutes, higher education institutions and policy makers both nationally and internationally. Other public research institutes are more mission-oriented, with a broad range of research objectives. Their mandate can vary from research (both basic and applied) to additional responsibilities, such as monitoring, data collection and management, certification and inspection.
Companies are key research partners for higher education institutions and research institutions. Increased private sector cooperation is one of the priority areas in the National Roadmap for Research, Development and Innovation , released 2020. The new partnership model responds to the wishes by the private sector for a radical renewal in the use of public funding for the development of ecosystems (research, development and growth) as well as creating new operating models for testing, piloting and scaling innovations. The new model will also better group national programme financing with EU and other international funding. Partnerships target key growth areas and identified ecosystems and the selections for funding are made on a competitive basis.
Universities
The mission of the universities is to promote free research and to provide academic and artistic higher education based on research. The universities interact closely with the society.
There are 13 universities operating under the Ministry of Education and Culture, 11 institutions operate under public law and two are foundations pursuant to the Foundations Act. The 14th university is the Finnish National Defence University, which operates under the defence administration.
Universities provide lower (Bachelor's) and higher (Master's) degrees and scientific postgraduate degrees. Universities may also offer continuing education and open university instruction.
Universities total R&D expenditure is about 1,4 billion euros out of which one third is basic funding from the state. Most of the competitive project- and programme-based research funding comes from the Academy of Finland, Business Finland and European Union.
Universities
- Aalto University
- Helsinki University
- University of Eastern Finland
- University of Jyväskylä
- University of Lapland
- Lappeenranta University of Technology
- National Defence University
- University of Oulu
- Hanken School of Economics
- University of the Arts Helsinki
- Tampere University
- University of Turku
- University of Vaasa
- University of Åbo
Universities of applied sciences
The mission of the Finnish UASs is to provide higher education for professional expertise necessary in the working life and its further development.
UAS education draws from research, and/or artistic and cultural foundations. UAS also engage in applied research, development, innovative and artistic activities in support of their education as well as regional development. Their basic offering consists of Bachelor's degrees, but they also offer a professionally orientated Master’s degree that requires a minimum of three years of prior working experience. In addition to UAS-degrees, they provide vocational specialist training and vocational teacher education.
UASs also provide open education in all fields of vocational education and training available to anybody interested in higher education, regardless of age or previous educational level.
There are 22 UASs administered by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The Police University College functions under the Ministry of the Interior.
Universities of Applied Sciences’ total R&D expenditure is around 180 million euros. Of this about 40 % is basic funding from state. Most of the competitive research funding comes from the European Union and national public sources.
Universities of applied sciences
- Centria University of Applied Sciences
- Diaconia University of Applied Sciences
- Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences
- HUMAK University of Applied Sciences
- Häme University of Applied Sciences
- Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences
- South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences
- Kajaani Polytechnic
- Karelia University of Applied Sciences
- LAB University of Applied Sciences
- Lapland University of Applied Sciences
- Laurea University of Applied Sciences
- Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
- Oulu Polytechnic
- Police University College
- Satakunta University of Applied Sciences
- Savonia University of Applied Sciences
- Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences
- Tampere University of Applied Sciences
- Turku University of Applied Sciences
- Vaasa University of Applied Sciences
- Yrkeshögskolan Arcada
- Yrkeshögskolan Novia
State research institutes
State research institutes conduct solution-oriented research that supports societal decision-making and business sector.
In addition to research activities, institutes perform a variety of expert and official tasks as well as fee-based and other service activities. Research institutes maintain significant research infrastructures, datasets and long time series from different sectors of society. Research institutes provide services horizontally for most administrative branches, the public sector, companies and third sector actors. International cooperation plays a key role both in research and in expert and official tasks.
Finland's 12 state research institutes operate in seven different administrative branches. Of these research institutes, ten are performance-based agencies, one is a limited liability company owned and controlled by the state, and one is an independent body governed by public law. The departments define the research priorities together with the ministry steering the performance. The research itself is independent and its funding increasingly comes from several sources from the domestic public and private sectors as well as from international funders.
State research institutes
- Geological Survey of Finland
- Finnish Meteorological Institute
- Natural Resources Institute Finland
- National Land Survey of Finland
- Finnish Food Authority
- Finnish Environment Institute
- Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority
- Technical Research Centre of Finland VTT
- National Institute for Health and Welfare
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
- Finnish Institute of International Affairs
- VATT Institute for Economic Research
University hospitals
University hospitals form health research clusters together with the universities' medical faculties. In cooperation with universities, higher education institutions and companies, university hospitals produce research that develops health services and their organization and promotes the health of the population and patients.
University hospitals
Other research institutes
In addition to state research institutes, research is also conducted in numerous other public or private research institutes or in the research units of individual organizations. These include, for example, economic research institutes, the Bank of Finland and the Research Department of the Social Insurance Institution of Finland.
Approximately two-thirds of Finnish research and development take place in companies. In addition to the R&D, companies engage in a significant amount of innovation, which they use to develop and market new products, services or production processes.
Research funders
In Finland, both public and private sectors invest heavily in research and development. In 2018, the total investment for R&D was 6.4 billion euros, with private sector funding constituting around two thirds and public sector one third of the total.
The government is the main source of funding for universities and the UASs. Additionally, funding by private foundations has been instrumental to the development of many disciplines in Finland.