You can apply to EDUFI for financial support for projects in Finnish language and culture.

Due to the Russian invasion of the Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian universities cannot apply for financial support for the time being.

EDUFI awards support to universities to work together on projects in the field of Finnish language and culture. You can, for example, design a seminar, an online course or a study programme together.

Projects can involve universities outside Finland that offer teaching of Finnish language and culture. Participants can include

  • several universities, there is no limit to the number
  • universities from one country or from different countries
  • a Finnish university, too.

The project may also apply for additional funding from some other source, like a Finnish Embassy, cultural institute or some association or foundation connected with the field.

Back to top

The support awarded can be used to cover costs of the project. It can cover, for example,

  • salary costs of participating teachers
  • travel costs of teachers and students between universities (e.g. to attend joint seminars)
  • expenses of preparation of study materials or the use of online services (e.g. a joint online course). 

The support can cover a maximum of 75% of the total cost of a project, and not more than 20,000 euros/year. Participants can decide for themselves how they will divide the 25 per cent self-financing share among themselves.

Support can be requested for 1 to 2 years. The support period normally starts on 1 September and ends on 31 August. If needed, the period may start on 1 January.

The support cannot be used to cover general administrative costs of the university (overhead).
 

Back to top

One of the project participants will be chosen as the coordinating university that will submit the application to EDUFI. The coordinator cannot be a Finnish university.

The application deadline is in September/October each year. The next application deadline will be for the period from 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2026 (or 1 January 2024 - 31 December 2025).

The deadline is 16 October 2023 at 23.59 Finnish time (UTC +3). Late applications will not be considered.

The following attachments to the application will be required

  1. a plan for using the support
  2. a cost estimate, and
  3. commitments from the other participating universities.

The application must be signed by a person authorised to sign on behalf of the coordinating university. The application can also be signed electronically.

Please send the signed and scanned application or electronically signed application with attachments to kirjaamo [at] oph.fi. Write "Financial support for a cooperation project in Finnish language and culture OPH-3691-2023" in the subject field of the message.

Remember to retain the message you have sent and the automatic reply you have received from kirjaamo [at] oph.fi.

We reserve the right to request for further information after the deadline.

Application and commitment forms
Back to top

The coordinating universities will be informed about application results by 31 December.

Emphasis will be laid on the following characteristics in the decision-making:

  • The project will create something new in the teaching of Finnish language and culture that has not yet been offered in the participating universities .
  • Universities will develop or expand teaching of Finnish language and culture.

More detailed assessment criteria are available in the document below. Remember to familiarise yourself with the criteria before filling in the application form.

Assessment criteria
Back to top

The support will be paid to the coordinating university that will then forward the shares of other participants to them.

The coordinating university should submit an activity and financial report about the use of the support by the end of each support year. The end of the reporting period is 30 September each year unless an exceptional start date for the support was applied for.

If support was awarded for two years, the support for the second year will only be paid if required reports have been submitted and the support has been used according to the plan.

Report forms
Back to top

Contact person Leena Kärnä

Contact us: skk [at] oph.fi
Back to top

Autumn 2023

Universität zu Köln (coordinator, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Universität Bielefeld, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Universität Hamburg, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Universität Wien: Languages of Nature

Uniwersytet Warszawski (coordinator, Universität Greifswald, Universität zu Köln ja Univerzita Karlova: Autumn School for Fennistics abroad

Autumn 2022

No applications

Back to top

Click the link below to learn about cooperation projects in Finnish language and culture that EDUFI has previously supported.

Back to top