The most internationally active students, teachers and other staff members in Finland in 2018 come from the Jyväskylä Educational Consortium Gradia, the provider of both vocational and general upper secondary education.  

The annual statistics just published by the Finnish National Agency for Education on international mobility in vocational education and training concern the data of 121 VET providers in 2018.

Gradia’s outgoing students form the largest group in Finland in long-term mobilities (201) as well as hosting clearly the largest number of incoming students (266). Furthermore, teachers and other staff members of Gradia were the most active users of mobility grants in Finland (203).

Mobilities of vocational education and training are, mostly, international work placements.
The second and third stages in international activities go to Omnia, the Joint Authority of Education in Espoo Region, and the City of Tampere.   

International activities in VET were discussed during a national seminar organized by Gradia and the Finnish Agency for Education in Jyväskylä from 6th to 7th May with more than 150 VET professionals.
There is no accurate and comparable data available on international activities on the general upper secondary education level in Finland; national data is collected by municipal authorities concerning general education as a whole (comprehensive and high schools).

According to the municipal statistics during the academic school year 2017-2018, Jyväskylä is ranked third by sending out (222) and hosting (150) general upper secondary students, the most of whom were studying at Gradia. 

The staff mobilities of the comprehensive schools in the City of Jyväskylä and the Gradia General Upper Secondary Schools are also ranked third in the national statistics (103). Moreover, during the last academic school year, Jyväskylä was nationally on top by hosting foreign teachers and staff (587).

Mr. Vesa Saarikoski, CEO in Gradia, sees internationalization as a prerequisite to the upper secondary education:   

”These excellent mobility figures of Gradia follow our strategic guidelines. The quality of expertise meets global standards, and the international cooperation is growing both in the society and working life. In addition to international mobility, Gradia has pioneered in educational export which also enhances our own cultural competence. A competent and solid society as our target, internationalization is a more and more important part of our everyday lives and educational aims.”

App.: International student and staff mobilities in the Finnish vocational education and training in 2018.  

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Aino Malin, International Affairs Specialist, Gradia, tel. +358 40 341 5147
Ms. Milka Niskanen, International Affairs Specialist, Gradia, tel. +358 40 341 6158  
Ms. Rea Tuominen, International Affairs Specialist, Gradia, tel. +358 40 341 6159