The Helsinki-based Metropolia University of Applied Sciences has a staff of approximately 1,000 people who are all at risk of temporary layoffs, according to an announcement made by the institution on Monday.
Metropolia said the decision was based on its poor financial situation and reduced government support for higher education. Since 2013, state funding for the institution specialising in health care and technology degrees has fallen by 27 million euros, or by some 26 percent, it said.
At present, there is a lack of highly educated experts in the capital region, said Metropolia’s principal and chief executive Riitta Konkola.
"Therefore it would be essential for the government to secure appropriate funding for universities of applied sciences and to take into account that different degree programmes have different costs for universities,” she said.
Negotiations between the institution's leadership and its employees are scheduled to start next week. Some 16,500 students were enrolled at Metropolia in 2015.