Finland’s ESCI Champions – a shared goal: the digitalisation of student mobility administration

We sat down at the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) to discuss the digitalisation of mobility administration and the needs of higher education institutions with Finland’s ESCI Champions. As Champions, HAMK and SEAMK have made significant progress in implementing the different components of the European Student Card Initiative (ESCI), and through their work they support the digitalisation and simplification of Erasmus+ mobility administration processes.

The first European Champions were selected for the 2024–2025 term, during which Finland was represented by HAMK’s Malla Haaparanta. The next group of Champions was selected for the 2025–2027 term, and Finland’s representative for the current period is SEAMK’s Tiina Välimäki.

ESCI Champions as uniters of enthusiasm and structures

For HAMK’s Malla Haaparanta, the motivation to apply to become an ESCI Champion was from the very beginning above all an inspiring opportunity to learn and to make an impact. Her interest in digital operating models was already strong before applying, and the Champion role became a natural continuation of her earlier development work. HAMK’s agile organisational culture also aligned well with the exploratory nature of ESCI: the implementation of systems has been advanced boldly and with an open mindset.

SEAMK’s Tiina Välimäki applied for the second round of Champions at a point when the institution had already been engaged in systematic Erasmus Without Papers (EWP) and ESCI development work for a long time. Välimäki’s participation offered the university of applied sciences an opportunity to share its own effective practices and to bring everyday challenges from the field to the attention of the European Commission. SEAMK’s internal EWP working group has been a key support structure for advancing ESCI, and Välimäki sees the Champion role primarily as a tool to further strengthen this collaboration.

Photo: Mari Pohjola, Opetushallitus

Support from networks for different needs

Finnish ESCI higher education institutions benefit from the network in different ways. From HAMK’s perspective, the greatest value comes especially from situations where challenges can be worked through together with other users of the same system providers. Dialogue between practitioners makes everyday problem‑solving easier and reduces the workload of individual institutions.

For SEAMK, the emphasis is on European comparison. According to Välimäki, it is important to understand where other institutions and countries stand – and how Finland’s frontrunner position can support others as well. The Champion role also strengthens SEAMK’s internal ability to justify digitalisation needs and to build shared understanding within the organisation.

Finland’s strengths are visible in everyday practice

Finland’s ESCI readiness stands out clearly in European comparison. Higher education institutions have long used electronic processes, digital mobility management systems, and flexible operating models. The EWP contact persons’ network coordinated by EDUFI has provided consistent support to institutions, and the strong role of system providers has facilitated implementation.

HAMK’s agility and SEAMK’s strong cooperation structures illustrate well the strengths of the Finnish higher education landscape: both a willingness to experiment and a process‑oriented approach support progress in digitalisation.

However, both Champions also point out that being a frontrunner comes with challenges. Finnish higher education institutions sometimes experience frustration when partners elsewhere in Europe are not ready to move forward at the same pace. This slows development and creates a sense that processes are left waiting for other countries to reach the same level of readiness.

IT cooperation and fragmented information – the same challenge across higher education institutions

Both highlight the same core challenge in advancing ESCI: ensuring effective IT cooperation and dealing with the fragmentation of ESCI‑related information. At HAMK, the main challenge is securing IT resources and finding a common language between technical requirements and everyday processes. The ESCI jargon is often seen as heavy, and there is a clear need for designated individuals who understand both the technical and administrative dimensions.

At SEAMK, IT cooperation is structurally strong, but the challenge remains that ESCI‑related changes affect the entire organisation – not just the international office. Ensuring sufficient resources and shared understanding is essential to maintain smooth collaboration.

Both also point to the same issue: ESCI information comes from too many channels, making it difficult to grasp the overall picture.

The future of ESCI: steady progress and new steps forward

The Finnish Champions see ESCI’s development progressing steadily but consistently. New operating models, such as the nomination process, may be lighter than their predecessors because much of the required information already moves between higher education institutions.

In the future, ESCI structures will need to expand beyond Erasmus mobility so that institutions can fully benefit from the system. This will require both a European‑level commitment and national coordination – and this is precisely where the role of the ESCI Champions becomes essential.

The new programme period of Erasmus+ will introduce new dimensions to advancing ESCI, opening up opportunities but also requiring higher education institutions to intensify their development efforts in digitalising processes once again.

A shared message for Finnish higher education institutions

Although Haaparanta and Välimäki come from different higher education institutions, their message to other Finnish institutions is the same:

• cooperation is essential,
• the fundamentals must be in place, and
• ESCI development should not be seen as the responsibility of a single unit, but as broad, interdisciplinary expert collaboration.

The Champions particularly emphasise the importance of being open to asking for advice—both within Finland and from European partners. This is where ESCI development derives its strength: from learning together.