The Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) has released a review of Finland’s higher education institutional cooperation in Africa, covering the 2020–2024 period of Higher Education Institutions Institutional Cooperation Instrument (HEI ICI) and the initial phase 2024–2025 of  Higher Education Partnership Programme (HEP). 

The projects are funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and administered by EDUFI. They focus on developing the methodological, pedagogical and administrative capacities of higher education institutions. 

Findings show that Finnish–African partnerships strongly support the alignment of higher education with labour market needs, adding particular value in the areas of digitalisation, innovation, modern pedagogy, entrepreneurship and the development of working life skills. 

One particularly noteworthy finding is that the changes brought about through these partnerships extended across entire organisations and even influenced national strategies – for instance, reforms in teacher education, digital transformation in higher education and the adoption of student-centred learning approaches. 

In a broader context, international academic cooperation plays a key role in Finland’s science and education diplomacy, strengthening mutual understanding, trust and collaboration in an increasingly complex geopolitical environment.  

The review shows that the Finnish education model serves as an inspiration for partner universities, while Finnish partnerships are recognised for their ethical and respectful approach, reliability, co-creation and inclusive models. 

Read more in EDUFI’s press release here.