Perspectives to higher education institutions’ SIMHE work

The number of students with an immigrant or foreign background studying at Finnish higher education institutions has increased significantly, having more than doubled between 2010 and 2020. The customer numbers of guidance services intended to support the higher education and employment of people born outside of Finland have also increased significantly in recent years.

This 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. Background for the information reported by the higher education institutions (HEIs) is provided with more general statistics describing students whose mother tongue is a foreign language and who have a foreign background.

The report is aimed at opening perspectives to the effectiveness of the SIMHE services at the national level and as a whole. The examination of the SIMHE services focuses on the year 2021, in particular. The report will also serve as a basis for monitoring the activities and the development of their effectiveness in future.