TFK Programme funds 6 cooperation projects in the separate Call for Ukraine
Finnish National Agency for Education granted in total 2 018 338 euros for 30 projects in the third application round of the TFK programme: the share of total grant for the 6 projects selected in the call for Ukraine is 457 194 euros. Funding amount per project varies between 35 688 and 80 000 euros and project period is 1.8.2025-31.12.2027.
The call for Ukraine received 12 project proposals in total, and the applied funding was in total 919 044 euros. Universities handed in more applications by the deadline than universities of applied sciences; 7 projects applied were coordinated by a university and 5 projects by a university of applied sciences. Three higher education institutions submitted more than one application in the Ukraine call and all in all, 15 Finnish higher education institutions were involved in the project proposals either as coordinators or as project partners; 9 of which were universities and 6 universities of applied sciences. The call was open to all degree levels and disciplines.
The most common study fields represented in the project applications were teacher training and education science, social and behavioral science, engineering and engineering trades and business and administration. A single project can involve more than one study field.
In the Ukraine call 50 percent of the applied projects received funding. The primary assessment criterion was the quality of the project application. In addition, according to the TFK programme’s call for Ukraine guidelines only one project per higher education institution can be funded for cooperation with Ukraine. 6 projects in total received funding and the selected projects include 3 Finnish universities of applied sciences and 4 universities as well as 7 HEIs from Ukraine.
More information on results of the TFK programme’s actual Call 2025
Selected projects aim to increase expertise on ecological reconstruction, critical materials flow management and healthy school meals
The selected projects represent different fields, such as teacher training and educational science, social and behavioral science, engineering and environmental protection. The most popular field of education in the selected projects is teacher education and education science. The selected projects aim, for example, to increase resilience in early childhood education and to develop vocational teacher education, education on ecological chemistry and sustainable post-war reconstruction. Projects advance also expertise on human nutrition and healthy school meals and in critical materials flow management. The projects emphasize mutual learning and responsible cooperation between Ukrainian and Finnish HEI’s.
The ongoing war in Ukraine sets its own challenges for cooperation activities between the Ukrainian and Finnish HEI’s. Nevertheless, there are many possible forms of cooperation in all selected projects, and it is characteristic for them to combine different activities: common study modules, courses and intensive courses, mobility of students and staff from Ukraine to Finland, and development and implementation of digital/virtual teaching are the most popular forms activities. In addition to these, also curriculum and working life collaboration are included in the projects.
The next call for TFK programme will open in early 2026
The purpose of the Team Finland Knowledge programme is to create and strengthen cooperation between Finnish higher education institutions and the target regions and countries selected to the TFK network, and to design new operating models for cooperation. The programme funds educational cooperation between higher education institutions through cooperation and mobility projects. The programme is open to all higher education institutions in Finland and in the target regions and countries of the programme.
The next call will be opened in early 2026. The target countries and regions will be announced later.