The vision for higher education and research forgets resources

The Student Union of the University of Vaasa has published a comment on the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Vision for higher education and research until 2040. The purpose of the vision is to respond to the changes in society and create guidelines and concrete actions to develop higher education and research. The Student Union supports many of the propositions in the vision, but reminds the Ministry to consider adequate resources and student subsistence.

VYY appreciates the strong value base

VYY considers in its statement that the vision has a strong, welcome value base, which emphasizes education, democracy, and scientific freedom the key forces to drive society forward. The importance of free education is an integral part of the vision, as is the goal to increase the rate of young adults with a higher education degree to 60 percent. 

The vision wants to strengthen student wellbeing and attachment to their academic community, which the Student Union sees as very favorable. VYY supports the vision’s proposal to develop action models for preventing and intervening in harassment and pressure in instutitions of higher education. 

The Student Union takes a cautiously open stand towards associate/short-cycle degrees*. Investigating them might be worthwhile, but these shorter degrees should not obscure the clarity of the degree system or replace full degrees. VYY suggests instead that these short-cycle degrees support lifelong learning and that applicants are set certain criteria, such as the demand for a previous higher education degree.

VYY supports the vision’s goal to include a mobility and internationalization section in all degrees, but reminds the Ministry to plan sufficient resources for it to ensure equality for all students. 

State core funding creates a strong basis for education

VYY considers the vision’s goals superficial and unrecognizing of the higher education community’s importance in strengthening critical thinking and innovativity. The Student Union is especially worried about funding for higher education: The autonomy of institutions and free education can only be secured through sustainable, reliable core funding from the state. Adequate funding creates the basis for high-quality education as well as research and innovation activity. VYY highlights the fact that insecurity does not foster growth, and that if funding does not keep up with the growing number of higher education students, the quality of education is at risk.

Additionally, VYY warns against seeking too much private funding. The Student Union states that pursuing private funding can disregard developing the quality of education. VYY emphasizes that funding should focus on valuing the quality of education and developing qualitative criteria. A high-quality education is the foundation of education, research, and innovation that responds to the needs of society. 

The vision lacks security for subsistence

VYY points out that the Ministry of Education and Culture’s vision in no way considers student subsistence, even though it is the prerequisite for accessible higher education regardless of background and starting point. The accessibility of higher education requires both action and resources if the vision aims to raise the number of young adults with degrees.

All in all, VYY thinks the vision is ambitious in its aims. However in terms of recommending measures, the vision is general in nature. The Student Union promotes focusing on the quality of higher education, access to studies, student wellbeing and community, flexibility of studies, and lifelong learning. However, the vision does not clearly consider the resources that reaching these goals requires. 

You can read the entire statement from the Student Union of the University of Vaasa in Finnish on Lausuntopalvelu.