The Webinar “Revitalising Regions: Strengthening Attractiveness through Education”, held on 09 April 2025 in the framework of the Mapineq project, explored territorial inequalities and local challenges and strategies, particularly educational opportunities, in enhancing the attractiveness of regions and reducing regional disparities. How can these challenges be addressed, and how can young people be encouraged to stay or return to areas suffering from population loss? What role do regional educational opportunities play in reducing future inequalities?
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Tutustu politiikkasuosituksiimme
Speakers:
Elina Kilpi-Jakonen, Professor of Sociology, University of Turku
Kari Nyyssölä, Counsellor of Education, Finnish National Agency for Education
Kyösti Värri, Special Advisor, Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities
Päivi Mäki, Director of Education Department, Municipality of Liminka
Commentators:
Suvi Savolainen, Ministerial Adviser Ministry of Finance
Anna Berlina, Research Consultant at Nordregio, Education and Young Adults in Nordic Rural Areas (EDYNORA) project
Key Discussion Themes and Actionable Recommendations
1 – Tailoring Education Policy to Regional Realities
- Despite Finland’s strong education system, regional disparities continue to shape educational access and outcomes. A growing number of applications to study in Helsinki masks a less visible but widening gap across other regions.
- In municipalities like Liminka, local initiatives—such as bilingual education from early childhood and collaboration across municipal borders in organising upper secondary education —demonstrate the potential of regionally anchored education policies to retain families and attract newcomers.
- Action Point: Develop regionally responsive education plans in cooperation with local stakeholders. Strengthen collaboration between municipalities, educational institutions, and employers (for vocational training) to align education offers with demographic, cultural, and labour market realities.
2 – Addressing Inequalities in Access to Education
- Family background still plays a substantial role in determining who enters higher education. Cuts to upper secondary funding have been partially offset by municipalities, but questions remain about the long-term sustainability of this support. The recent increase in the compulsory education age is expected to improve graduation rates, but its impact will take time to be measured.
- Vulnerable students require more than academic support—well-being and personalised attention in schools are essential.
- Action Point: Reinforce country-level investment in high-quality and inclusive education from early childhood onwards. Expand targeted support for vulnerable students, with a focus on well-being. Establish minimum service guarantees to prevent school closures that increase drop-out risks in depopulating areas.
3 – Rethinking Vocational Training and Lifelong Learning
- There is growing recognition that vocational training should be elevated as a future-oriented pathway for both youth and adults. Cooperation between companies and educational providers is key to creating relevant programmes, particularly in emerging fields such as AI and data science.
- Enhancing links between vocational training, labour market opportunities, and universities of applied sciences could improve retention and job prospects across regions.
- Action Point: Develop new vocational study areas linked to local economic needs and future skill demands. Ensure vocational graduates have the skills necessary to both succeed in the labour market and continue into higher education.
4 - Making Places Attractive through Education
- Research from the Mapineq project reveals that low costs of living and short waiting times to access public services, in particular public health care, are key factors in making places attractive in Finland. Younger adults (under 40) rate openness towards minorities as important, while older adults prioritise trust in neighbours and quick access to services. The presence of higher education institutions is particularly important for immigrants.
- Proximity to home influences educational choices, especially among boys. Supporting young people to access education closer to home, while maintaining opportunities for social connection and peer interaction, is critical.
- Action Point: Ensure that proximity, accessibility, and relevance shape education offerings—especially in shrinking regions. Explore hybrid models that combine remote learning with in-person peer engagement, prioritising in-person participation.
5- A Gender and Inclusion Lens on Educational Futures
- Gendered educational trajectories require more attention: while boys tend to prefer staying close to home, efforts could be made to attract girls back to their home regions after completing their studies.
- Education policies must also reflect the diversity of Finland’s population. The preferences and needs of immigrants, low-income households, and women differ significantly and should shape local and national strategies.
- Action Point: Integrate a strong gender and inclusion perspective into all education policies. Use disaggregated data to inform tailored interventions, including campaigns to retain or return educated young people to their home regions.
Acknowledgement:
This publication is part of the Mapineq project, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the grant agreement No. 101061645 (www.mapineq.eu). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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