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Editorial
A Year of Adjustments
Ahead – Again?
The economic misery is not showing signs of calming down. Where
does the reason for the prolonging of the depression lie? There have
been speculations concerning poor productivity, high costs per unit
and inadequate competence in marketing as well as product development.
Also trade unions and universally valid agreements have been
blamed. Even the Prime Minister has criticized the Nordic tradition of
consensus that has become firmly established in Finland.
What is often forgotten in these conversations is how surprisingly
stable and reliable society Finland is, when entrepreneurship is concerned.
The praise for this belongs largely to the public sector, and
especially our educational system, which produces equality, competence
and knowledge in myriad lines of business. Trade union confederations
have twice consecutively reached an agreement on moderate
increments in salaries and also decided on the renovation of the
pension system. Single trade unions have been there to support these
processes.
From the decision makers, however, we receive the message that
working as before is not enough. This message is vague: for many
people, working as before means that the work is performed conscientiously,
matters are managed via telecommunication from home
even in the evenings and people commit themselves to what they are
doing. At times, however, it feels that us academics should also carry
bad conscience because of inadequate productivity and too high costs
per unit.
Proper education and research are the result of the work of academic personnel and students. The quality of work is
created by contribution to work and personal competence,
but there is also added value that has an influence
on our output. This comes from networking,
but also from the support of the university for the
fulfillment of its basic duties (databases, services,
management of the teaching in general). In addition,
an important factor influencing quality is academic
freedom. Good teaching, for instance, is based on the
independent authority of each teacher over the consistent
execution of the study plan. This includes the
methods used in teaching, the use of various teaching
environments and assessment.
In any case, something is now expected of us. The
Ministry of Education and Culture is currently performing
a survey, which examines the requirements
for improving the Finnish educational system in relationship
to those of Denmark, Switzerland, Ireland
and the Netherlands. In the background lies the view
that Finland should enhance the levels of academic
education, performance, competence and the level
of science in general. This should be achieved faster
than the above competitors, to enable economic
growth and the appearance of new jobs that demand
high level of knowledge and competence.
It is easy to go along with this view, but, unfortunately,
it has a flip side to it. The duty of the University
Institution in the contemporary society is to
produce economic growth. Growth is no longer the
gateway to all-round education and rich intellectual and spiritual life, but it has become a guarantee for
hacking it in the global competition.
The various degrees have been continuously renewed
after the Bologna-process. The next thing expected
of us is the profiling of scientific fields. At the
same time, the personnel is in many places burdened
with uncertainty concerning the continuation of
their own training programs. The chance on concentrating
on producing results has become secondary
compared to the new renovations and adjustments.
—In Tampere, three universities have began to contemplate
on the deepening of the co-operation with
each other. Reforms requiring the efforts of the whole
University community will have to be especially well
justified. The goals of these reforms will have to be
made understandable, and the personnel, who are
to implement the changes in practice, will have to
be properly committed to the goals and execution of
these reforms. And the creation of this commitment
requires skill.
An atmosphere of uncertainty does not produce the
optimal spirit for working on study plans and for
making decisions in the departments. One of the central
aims of the renovations for the year 2015 should,
accordingly, be the restitution of serene and unhurried
working environment and the elimination of the
continuous state of uncertainty.
Seppo Sainio
Chair, The Union for
University Teachers
and Researchers in
Finland (YLL)
- Painetussa lehdessä sivu 36
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