Minister Stubb: Obstacles limiting education-related exports must be eliminated

Press release 234/2013
4 November 2013

Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Alexander Stubb considers the report on education and training-related exports submitted by the working group set up by Minister of Education Krista Kiuru excellent. Stubb is of the opinion that, at the moment, Finland does not take advantage of the export opportunities offered by the Finnish educational system.

“Our school system always comes up in discussions abroad. I support the working group’s proposal that higher education institutions could establish service points abroad and turn their operations into a profitable business,” Stubb says.

Stubb commends Minister Kiuru for addressing the issue so rapidly. During autumn, Kiuru has made trade missions to promote education and training-related exports. After the publication of the report, she has also made a proposal for structural reforms. Legal obstacles limiting education exports should be eliminated as soon as possible.

“At the same time, as the structures are being geared up, Team Finland is adjusting its own services. The network must be able to give a push and provide services for higher education institutions. Higher education institutions could, for example, be given access to the premises of Finland’s foreign missions and Team Finland databases,” Stubb says.

The work of the working group is based on the Team Finland Strategy, adopted by the Government. In the strategy, the Ministry of Education and Culture was tasked with drafting an action plan for education and training-related exports by the end of this year.

Additional information: Mari-Kaisa Brander, Press Attaché to Minister Stubb, tel. +358 40 131 3388