Finnish language and culture teaching visits

Teaching visits

• are intensive courses on Finnish language and culture
• compliment teaching in the host universities
• fit the content of the study programme of students and the local curriculum
• are normally held in Finnish (or exceptionally in another language when appropriate)

The aim of teaching visits is to promote networking between teachers and researchers in Finland and other countries.

Topics of teaching visits

The host university selects the topic of the teaching visit based on its own needs.

Previous teaching visits have included topics, such as Finnish language, Finnish literature, translation, cultural history, Sámi language and Sámi culture.

Duration of a teaching visit 

The duration of a teaching visit is 

• 5–10 days and includes
• 12–25 hours of lectures (the length of a lesson is 45 min).

The course offered can also include advance assignments, a final exam or a final assignment.

You can apply to go on a teaching visit if you are

• a university teacher or researcher in a Finnish university, or
• an expert working in a relevent Finnish research centre or similar.

The deadline for applications is usually in October-November. 

You can apply for several teaching visits with the same application. We can select the same person for a maximum of two teaching visits per year.

Before applying, please make sure that your home university can take care of the transfer of funds (see section “Practical arrangements – Transfer of funds”).

Selection results to teachers

We will send the applications of teachers to the host universities, which will make the final selection. When the number of applicants is great, we will make a pre-selection before sending a short list to the host university.

Applicants will be informed about the selection by email.

The contact person for the programme in EDUFI will coordinate teaching visits between the home and the host universities.

The host universities and visiting teachers will agree on the details of the teaching visits (contents and implementation of the course, the date, duration etc.) directly between themselves. 

Teachers will make their own travel arrangements.

Costs

EDUFI will pay for the salaries of teachers and reimburse for their travel and subsistence costs.

The salary will include a contribution to the time spent for planning and implementation of the course as well as for preparation of study material, exams and assessment of assignments.

Travel costs will be reimbursed according to the Finnish State Travel Regulations. Please note:

• Per diem allowance will only be paid for travel and teaching days.
• Travel will be reimbursed using the most economical way of travel.
• The visit can only include one weekend (or e.g. arrival on a Sunday and departure on a Saturday).
• The visit cannot include days without teaching (exceptions must be agreed in advance).

We hope that the host university will arrange and pay for the accommodation. If this is not possible, we can also pay for accommodation costs. However, we will expect the host university to help us find inexpensive accommodation.

Transfer of funds

Important: We will not pay the salary and travel costs directly to the teacher, but all transfers of funds will be made through the Finnish university (or other organisation).

The teacher will make the budget together with his/her manager and send it to the person responsible for coordination of teaching visits in EDUFI at the latest a month before the visit. The decision about the size of the award will be made based on this.

After the visit, the Finnish university (or other organisation) will invoice us for costs incurred during the visit (up to the maximum of allowance awarded by EDUFI). There will be no extra funds to pay for management of the transfer of funds.