Questions related to the higher education of immigrants and asylum seekers are especially discussed in the higher education institutions responsible for SIMHE services (Supporting Immigrants in Higher Education in Finland), supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Supporting Immigrants in Higher Education in Finland SIMHE
Image: Videotiiviste Oy

The aim of the SIMHE services is to streamline the identification and recognition of the prior learning of highly educated migrants arriving with different statuses as well as to facilitate their access to higher education, completion of degrees and employment in the Finnish labour market at the national and regional levels.

The objective of the SIMHE activities is to benefit the entire Finnish field of higher education and mainstream good practices and models nationally. The participating higher education institutions engage in diverse cooperation with regional, national and international actors.

National coordination of the activities is managed by the SIMHE cooperation group. The cooperation group supports the dissemination of good SIMHE practices in Finnish higher education institutions, bolsters the activities of the existing HEIs responsible for migrants, and develops inter-authority cooperation relevant to the integration of highly educated migrants and international higher education students.

The objective of the activities is to ensure that the prior learning and previously completed qualifications of highly educated migrants arriving in Finland would be identified and recognised in accordance with national practices as soon as possible, giving these persons access to appropriate education and career paths.

In the pilot stage in 2016, the first higher education institutions responsible for the activities were the University of Jyväskylä and Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. In 2017, four new higher education institutions joined in: the University of Helsinki, Karelia University of Applied Sciences, Oulu University of Applied Sciences and the University of Turku. Later on, Arcada University of Applied Sciences, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Tampere University of Applied Sciences and the University of Vaasa also became involved. The financing for the activities is included in the strategic funding of higher education institutions. Read more about the activities on the higher education institutions' websites.

 

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As of 2021 Arcada develops services for those who wish to integrate in Finland with Swedish as their first language. The services will be developed during 2021-2024 and will focus on guidance and counselling towards studies and career, validation of competences and support for increasing Swedish language skills. The paths for integration and studies in Swedish in Finland differ somewhat from those in Finnish, and are highly dependent on collaboration between different organisations nation-wide.

 

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The SIMHE Karelia guidance services produce services for immigrants related to guidance and identification of prior learning to support education paths, employment and integration.

The operation is connected to the inquiry-based development and systematic projectisation of immigrant work on a national and international level. SIMHE Karelia services are available for immigrants in the entire Central Finland area.

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Metropolia SIMHE services help immigrants with higher education studies or a degree and those eligible for higher education to find study and career paths in Finland, suitable for both their competence and situation in life. The services are available to immigrants living in Finland. The Metropolia SIMHE service concept includes guidance services and recognition of competence as well as different kinds of education services improving access to higher education and employment among immigrants. Services for employment are also developed in collaboration with the employment services of the Helsinki region. Also, Metropolia is part of several RDI projects (research, development and innovation) related to Talent Boost themes.

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SIMHE Oamk services are available for immigrants in the entire Northern Finland area. The SIMHE Oamk employees provide guidance for immigrants interested in higher education.

Guidance services include information on the Finnish higher education system and the possibility to pursue higher education studies as a degree student or as complementing studies. In addition, support is provided for the practices of recognition of prior learning and guidance for career planning and additional education for immigrants with earlier higher education studies.

SIMHE Oamk runs in close cooperation with other operators in Northern Finland promoting immigrants’ integration and employment and other higher education institutions in the area.

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SIMHE-Savonia services in North Savo provide personal and group guidance for immigrants interested in higher education, in Finnish courses and in recognition of competences in Finnish, in English, in Estonian and in Russian.

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Tampere University of Applied Sciences is responsible for the SIMHE services of the entire Tampere University Community (Tampere University of Applied Sciences and Tampere University). SIMHE services offer advice and guidance for people with immigrant background in higher education and in recognition of competences. SIMHE Services also offer Finnish language courses to support academic skills and employment.

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Advice and guidance for immigrants’ higher education and related questions on working life. The service is intended for all immigrants who need guidance and advice on reaching appropriate higher education and career paths. Advice is given by email and in individual appointments.

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Individual face-to-face guidance and by video for immigrants eligible for higher education or highly educated immigrants living in different parts of Finland. Guidance discussions are based on the person’s educational background and educational and professional interests in Finland as well as questions related to language skills.

Advice is also given to small groups and everyone interested at public study information events. SIMHE at JYU cooperates closely with the Home in Jyväskylä project, universities of applied sciences and other educational units to provide higher education advice in the Central Finland area. Operations also focus on improving the processes of student applications

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Advice and guidance for immigrants’ higher education and related questions on working life. The service is intended for all immigrants who need guidance and advice on reaching appropriate higher education and career paths. Advice is given by email and in individual appointments.

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University of Vaasa's Supporting Immigrants in Higher Education in Finland (SIMHE) services offer free guidance to immigrants who are at least eligible studying in higher education. The aim is to help immigrants with their higher education and related work-life issues in the area of Ostrobothnia and in Finland.

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SIMHE webinars provide topical information about essential and current themes of the SIMHE activities. Their aim is to share and develop good practices for the SIMHE activities nationally within the higher education community.

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See a short overview video (1:49 min) on SIMHE-services.

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Perspectives to higher education institutions’ SIMHE work report looks at SIMHE services (Supporting Immigrants in Higher Education in Finland) in the light of the statistics that SIMHE higher education institutions have collected on their guidance activities and the qualitative information they have reported on their activities. The report is aimed at opening perspectives to the effectiveness of the SIMHE services at the national level and as a whole.

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