Finnish language and culture guest lectures

Guest lectures

• are courses in Finnish language or culture
• are intensive on-site courses, online courses, or blended courses (including both on-site and online instruction periods)
• complement teaching in the host universities
• fit into students' study programs and university degree requirements
• are normally held in Finnish (or exceptionally in another language when appropriate)

The purpose of lecture visits is also to promote networking among Finnish and international university teachers and researchers.

Topics of guest lectures

The receiving university itself proposes the topic of the lecture visit according to its own needs. The lecture visit should complement the existing teaching. It is not appropriate to request a course that the university's own teachers could provide.

Lecture visits have been related to subjects such as the Finnish language, Finnish literature, translation, cultural history, the Sámi language, and Sámi culture, for example.

The format and duration of the lecture visit

On-site course

• 5 days of instruction (Mon-Fri) + travel days, which fall on weekends.
• 12-20 hours of lecture instruction (with each lecture lasting 45 minutes).

Online course

• up to 20 hours of instruction (with each instructional hour lasting 45 minutes)
• it can also be held for students from two or more universities if the number of students allows (preferably indicated during the application phase)
• the lessons can be divided, for example, between two lecturers
• the teaching hours are scheduled in a way that is convenient and suitable for both the visiting instructor and the university

Blended course

• it includes both on-site and online instruction periods, which means 5 days with a minimum of 12 hours of on-site instruction and up to 8 hours of online instruction, totaling a maximum of 20 instructional hours

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.