A new 34-nation OECD report shows that the number of young people in Finland between the ages of 25-34 with a degree from an institution of higher education has been holding steady at around 40% of the age group.
"The numbers of people starting and finishing degree courses here has been more or less static since the start of the millennium. Many countries have made a deliberate effort to increase and expand higher education. Our lag is thus relative, not an indication that there are fewer highly educated people than before," points out Hannu Sirén of the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Finland has, however, fallen behind the target of 42% set by the European Commission.
Statistics don't tell all
Evaluations of success in the educational field rarely tell the whole truth because of variations in the systems in place in different countries.
"For example, in the UK and Sweden there are relatively short higher education degree programmes. For us, the assumption is that students will go on to a master’s degree, which takes five years. Degrees at universities of applied sciences require three and a half to four years. Then, there are countries where there are short two-year degree studies," Sirén explains.
There is a government programme in place that is intended to temporarily increase the number of spots available to students at institutions of higher learning, with the aim of clearing a backlog of applicants. At present, while three-fourths of all secondary school graduates apply to continue their education, only one-third are accepted.
However, opening the doors of universities and colleges to more students is not the only road to a more highly educated population.
"In addition, it is terribly important what happens during studies, so that those who start also finish their degrees," says Hannu Sirén.