Finland: A non-Competitive Education for a Competitive Economy

Finland has been ranked as one of the top-performing countries in PISA for the past decade. During the same period, it has also been cited as one of the world’s most competitive economies. This chapter looks at some of the factors that contribute to this double success, including an emphasis on co-operation and networking, rather than competition education policies that favour informality, flexibility and quick decision making career guidance and work placements that bridge formal education and the world of work and an emphasis on teaching skills and creativity.