FINLAND

Potential solutions investigated to address the situation of individuals with no right of residence

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — The Ministry of the Interior has completed an investigation into a statutory amendment that would allow a residence permit and alien’s passport to be issued to applicants whose lack of a travel document is the sole impediment to granting the permit. The same project also investigated other potential solutions to address the situation of individuals who have remained in Finland for an extended period with no right of residence.These investigations are part of a comprehensive package that seeks to prevent social exclusion and the emergence of a parallel society. The aim is to reduce the risks that living with no right of residence poses to individuals and to society. The background is the national Action Plan for the Prevention of Irregular Entry and Stay, which has been updated for the period from 2021 to 2024 in accordance with the Government Programme.The starting point requires individuals with no right to stay in Finland to leave the country, primarily on a voluntary basis. The measures proposed in the investigation report will not modify this basic policy. A mere policy of return is nevertheless insufficient under current circumstances, as cooperation with countries of origin does not always work as intended.“Undocumented migration is not something that will disappear of its own accord, and further solutions are also needed in addition to the policy of return. It is these solutions that we have now investigated,” explains Krista Mikkonen, Minister of the Interior.Margin of discretion proposed for travel document requirementThe investigation concerning the issuance of an alien’s passport reflects an entry in the Government Programme promoting more flexible access to workers’ residence permits for unsuccessful asylum-seekers who have secured employment.The ability of applicants to prove their identity with a reliable travel document is a basic condition for obtaining a residence permit. The inability of an applicant to present a valid national passport has been an impediment to issuing a permit in some cases. Obtaining such a document can be difficult, especially if the individual’s country of origin has no diplomatic or consular mission in Finland, as it is not possible to travel to another mission or to the country of origin without the required documentation.The investigation report proposes that a residence permit and an alien’s passport could be issued to an individual who satisfies all of the conditions for issuing a residence permit in Finland, other than the travel document requirement. This would enable individuals to travel, obtain the national passport of their own country of origin, and prove their identity when subsequently applying for an extended permit in Finland.The principle of equal treatment could also justify not assigning a special status to rejected asylum applicants by limiting the scope of the new provision to these applicants alone. Individuals in similar circumstances would thereby not be treated differently depending on the type of permit requested or on any prior application process. The ability to set aside the travel document requirement could likewise justifiably apply to all residence permit applications filed in Finland, and not only to those based on work.Residence of a specified group could be regularised at a strokeThe report on potential solutions addressing the situation of individuals with no right of residence includes a preliminary reflection on the cases of individuals who applied for asylum in 2015–2016 and have remained in Finland for a prolonged period with no right of residence. The report examines the conditions under which their residence could justifiably be regularised, and how this would be achieved. This work draws on solutions applied in other European countries, such as Sweden, Norway, Germany and Ireland.It is difficult to amend current provisions of the Aliens Act to address the situation of this heterogeneous target group while responding to the challenges of the future. A separate act providing a non-recurrent solution for a specified group has therefore been considered.This target group could comprise individuals who sought asylum in Finland on or before 31 December 2016 and are still residing in Finland with no residence permit when the act enters into force. It would also be possible to restrict the target group to families with children. The procedure would be time-limited, for example enabling residence permit applications to be filed during a 6-month window of opportunity. The conditions for issuing such a permit could be that the individual has remained in Finland almost continuously after submitting an asylum application and has not committed any criminal offence.It is estimated that fewer than 3,000 people residing in Finland originally sought asylum in 2015–2016 or earlier, and are either still in the asylum system or for whom the latest legally final refusal has been issued recently. About ten per cent of these individuals are children living in Finland with their parents.Government to decide further measuresIndividuals with no residence permit are in danger of social exclusion, either drifting into criminality or at risk of being exploited by criminals and even becoming victims of human trafficking. A clearly defined and readily applied, non-recurrent regularisation measure could benefit these individuals and society as a whole.“In Ireland, for example, a regularisation programme is currently under way that enables a residence permit to be issued, under certain conditions, to families of children who have lived in the country for more than three years with no residence permit, and who have otherwise been undocumented for more than four years. This kind of non-recurrent regularisation would be a humane solution that recognises the vulnerable position of the undocumented. It would also be in the interests of the government and society as a whole to reduce the grey economy and the abuse of labour,” Minister Mikkonen explains.“The Government has jointly recognised the problematic status of the undocumented, but if support for a non-recurrent regularisation proves insufficient, then relief will have to be sought in some other way. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is currently preparing a government proposal on healthcare for the undocumented. Ensuring the status of undocumented children is a matter of particular urgency,” the Minister says.The investigations now completed were prepared at the Ministry of the Interior. Key public authorities were consulted in these preparations, together with other specialists and participants such as civic organisations. The Government will decide on any further preparatory measures.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

Minister Emma Kari: This spring will be critical in building fossil-free Finland

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — “This spring will be a critical time in building a carbon-neutral Finland. The Government’s proposals for a reformed Climate Change Act and all three key climate change plans will be finalised within the next few months,” Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Emma Kari said at her briefing on climate change policy.“With the new Climate Change Act, carbon neutrality by 2035 will be a binding target for Finland that will guide our climate work on a long-term basis across Government terms. The plans will serve as practical guidelines that will show how we can built a climate change resilient welfare state that is independent of fluctuations in the fossil economy,” Minister Kari said.The Medium-term Climate Change Policy Plan concerning transport, agriculture and the individual heating of buildings was circulated for comments from December to January. A summary of the comments received is almost ready, and on Friday the research institutes will submit their own assessments of whether the measures included in the plan will be sufficient to reach the targets. Based on these assessments, the Ministerial Working Group on Climate and Energy Policy will finalise the plan by mid-March.The Climate and Energy Strategy for the industrial sector and heat production, i.e. the emissions trading sector, and the climate plan concerning the land use sector that covers agriculture and forestry will also be sent out for comments within the next few months.“By boosting green transition we can keep the costs of heating and mobility under control”The climate change policy plans will be finalised in a situation where energy prices in the world market are rising fast.“The Government has supported clean energy production, energy renovations of private households and expanding the charging infrastructure for electric cars. These measures will make us less dependent on imported fossil fuels that are sensitive to price fluctuations. By boosting the green transition we can ensure reasonable costs of heating and mobility in the whole country.”According to Minister Kari, earmarked support for energy renovations should be targeted to low-income households.“Energy renovations can effectively prevent excessive and unexpected heating costs during freezing winter temperatures. However, for many families this kind of one-off investment would be too much. In the government spending limits discussion this spring the Ministry of the Environment will propose EUR 10 million as a new form of support to be targeted to low-income households. In addition to this, we will propose EUR 40 million in subsidies for improving the energy efficiency of residential buildings and for measures that aim for smart and flexible energy consumption,” the Minister said.Minister Kari pointed out that, in climate change policy, it is important to always look to the future.“Building a fossil-free welfare state will be our most important task in the coming decades. The work on climate issues must become the new normal in thinking about the decisions made in society, in the same way as the economy and the government spending limit procedures already are. The perspectives of climate change and environmental resilience should be incorporated in all use of state funds and legislation, in the same way as we are focusing on the economic aspects in the spending limit discussions,” Minister Kari said.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

About EUR 547 million of EU regional and structural policy funds for 2022 allocated to intermediate bodies

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — On 10 February 2022 the Government decided on the grant authorisations under the EU’s regional and structural policy programme, Innovation and Skills in Finland 2021−2027; and the Finnish structural funds programme, Sustainable growth and jobs 2014–2020, to the intermediary bodies in 2022. At the same time, the Government decided how to distribute the funds of the Interreg programmes for the period of 2021–2027 and the European Neighbourhood Instrument Cross-Border Cooperation 2014–2020 programme in 2022.EUR 520.4 million of the Innovation and Skills in Finland 2021−2027 programme allocatedThe Government authorised the granting of about EUR 520.4 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF +) to the intermediate bodies. These are the first authorisations for the programming period of 2021−2027. The intermediate bodies, including the ELY Centres, regional councils and the Finnish Food Authority, will allocate the funding for the implementation of Innovation and Skills in Finland 2021−2027, the EU’s regional and structural policy programme, and the Interreg programmes for the 2021−2027 programming period.The Innovation and Skills in Finland programme provides funding for research and development activities, SME growth and competitiveness, energy efficiency, climate change adaptation and circular economy. The projects funded by the programme also support employment and education and help prevent social exclusion.EUR 26.9 million in funds allocated in programming period 2014–2020 The Government allocated a total of approximately EUR 26.7 million of the funds of the Sustainable growth and jobs 2014–2020 programme to the ELY Centres and regional councils, which serve as intermediate bodies for Eastern and Northern Finland. In addition, the Government granted EUR 240,000 to the Regional Council of the Oulu Region for the implementation of the Karelia ENI CBC programme in 2014–2020, which is part of the European Neighbourhood Instrument Cross-Border Cooperation. These funds were distributed now, because the grant authorisations from the previous programming period had been cancelled and re-budgeted. This procedure aims to ensure that the regions use the funding of the programming period in full.The focus of the remainder of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funding will be on RDI and low-carbon projects. The projects of the European Social Fund (ESF) should increase the effectiveness of measures that respond to the challenges concerning the availability of skilled labour. The intermediate bodies will provide information on calls for project applications on the EURA 2021 digital portal.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

Introduction of tuition fees did not halt the internationalisation process of higher education institutions – room for growth in tuition fee revenue

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — The working group set up by the Ministry of Education and Culture to monitor and assess the introduction of tuition fees in higher education has completed its work. The working group monitored and evaluated between 2017 and 2021 how the introduction of tuition fees impacted the international dimension and student flows in higher education institutions. It also collected information on tuition fees used by higher education institutions and their grant and scholarship practices.The working group is of the opinion that the introduction of tuition fees has not had long-term adverse effects on making higher education institutions more international or on the willingness of non-EU/EEA students to study in Finnish higher education institutions. The introduction of tuition fees has not brought the internationalisation process of higher education institutions to a standstill either. The number of international students fell immediately after tuition fees were introduced, but the number of new foreign students now exceeds the level preceding the introduction of the fees.In 2020, higher education institutions had more than 5,800 new foreign students enrolled in degree programmes leading to a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. With the introduction of tuition fees, the number and ratio foreign students from among EU/EEA citizens has increased. Nevertheless, non-EU/EEA citizens still constitute a clear majority among new foreign students in Finnish higher education institutions. In 2020, 36% of all foreign students were students liable to pay tuition fees. Since 2017, the provision of foreign-language degrees has increased in higher education institutions, international student recruitment and marketing have become systematic, and application and admissions systems have evolved to cater to international needs.Different higher education institutions have made different choices regarding the introduction of tuition fees and international student recruitment. Not all higher education institutions have the same numbers of international students enrolling as before, and tuition fees are not deemed a significant source of revenue in all higher education institutions. The tuition fees sums charged by higher education institutions varied between EUR 4,000 and EUR 18,000. The most common single fees were EUR 6,000 and 8,000 for universities of applied sciences and EUR 8,000, EUR 10,000 and EUR 12,000 for universities. Higher education institutions use a broad range of grant and scholarship systems. Different categories and types of grants and scholarships are also used within the higher education institutions. Typically, the grants and scholarships consist of exemptions of different amounts from tuition fees.With the number of students liable for payment having increased, the financial return on tuition fees that higher education institutions received also grew over the period under review. The higher education institutions reported that they had collected some EUR 42 million in tuition fees in 2019–2020. However, the higher education institutions use a significant proportion of the potential return from tuition fees for student grants and scholarships. After subtracting the grants and scholarships, higher education institutions received approximately EUR 14 million in revenue from tuition fees.Some higher education institutions use grants and scholarships as a way to bring in students, which means that the grants and scholarships are typically large and awarded to multiple students. There are also higher education institutions that seek financial gain, which means that their grant and scholarship policy is stricter and the return on fees is more likely to be channelled to the higher education institutions rather than to the fee-paying students. The majority of higher education institutions aim for a balance between drawing in students and seeking financial gain. Half of the higher education institutions felt that introducing the tuition fees is economically profitable, because the fees have brought them the additional resources they were seeking. The other half of higher education institutions, instead, felt that the revenue from the tuition fees did not cover the costs incurred. Several of the higher education institutions that considered tuition fees unprofitable were also the ones to award many grants and scholarships to students.Foreign students in higher education institutions were for the most part satisfied with the services they received. Higher education institutions do not provide targeted services for students who pay tuition fees. Instead, the same services are offered to all international students. It is particularly challenging for international students to integrate into the Finnish world of work, and measures to support integration still warrant further improvement. Such development work should be pursued in cooperation between higher education institutions, regional stakeholders and various authorities.Rather than proposing amendments to the legislation on tuition fees, the working group considers it viable that the legislation leaves the higher education institutions the power to determine the amount of tuition fees and their practices for grant and scholarship systems. The working group drew attention to the fact that higher education institutions should, when making decisions, ensure that the tuition fees and grants and scholarships as a whole work in such a way that the tuition fees cover the costs of the education and provide higher education institutions with a wider funding base for broadening their international scope, as set out in the objectives of the legislation. The working group’s final report presents 15 proposals for developing tuition fees, grant and scholarship practices, student recruitment and student support.Working group’s report.Background information on the working group and tuition feesThe working group’s final report and the interim reports completed in 2018 and 2021 are based primarily on data collected by the working group, consisting of two surveys for higher education institutions and two surveys for international students in higher education institutions. In its work, the working group for monitoring and assessing the introduction of tuition fees also utilised other existing knowledge bases, statistical materials and research data.Universities and universities of applied sciences have had the right since 2016 to charge tuition fees from students outside the European Union and the European Economic Area who come to Finland to enrol in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programme in a foreign language. Tuition fees must be charged for students who started their studies on or after 1 August 2017.Higher education institutions themselves determine the amount of the tuition fees they charge and the practices for collecting them. However, the amount of the fee must be at least €1,500 per academic year. The revenue derived from tuition fees remains at the disposal of the higher education institutions. Higher education institutions must have a grant and scholarship system to aid students participating in the fee-charging degree programmes.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

Finns highlight climate change, EU’s shared values, young people and security at ‘We are Europe’ series of events

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — In autumn 2021 and at the start of 2022, Finnish ministers toured Finland to listen to people’s ideas and hopes for the future of Europe. The discussions highlighted a variety of concrete issues where citizens consider EU cooperation to bring added value and where they wanted to see action from the EU. The EU is widely seen as valuable both as a significant economic operator and as a community of values and security.Finns want the EU to take concrete action to combat climate change, to assume a stronger role in guaranteeing security, and to develop a common migration and asylum policy. A unifying theme raised in the discussions was the importance of strengthening the EU’s resilience to crises. The common values of the EU, such as democracy, the rule of law, fundamental rights, equality and minority rights, featured prominently in many of the discussions. Participants stressed that the EU must actively promote and defend these values both within its borders and in external relations. Solutions to the challenges we face today, such as climate change, digitalisation, migration and security, must be in line with the EU’s shared values.Finns considered it important to raise awareness about the tools for participating and exerting influence that exist within the EU and to further lower the threshold for participating in EU affairs. Participants also hoped for more consideration on what matters should be decided on at the national level (e.g. forest policy) and which areas would benefit from deeper EU cooperation. Young people in particular felt that they were willing to exert influence and hoped that their natural channels and means of participation could be better utilised. The opportunities provided by the EU for young people to study and work in the Union were considered very important.The atmosphere of the discussion events was positive. Many attendees welcomed the opportunity to participate in the discussion on the future of the EU. The citizens’ dialogues raised a wide variety of different opinions and perspectives. There was also some variation in how easily citizens could be reached and in how enthusiastic they were about participating, and in the nature and themes of events. The “We are Europe” series of events is part of the Conference on the Future of Europe. A total of 19 events have been organised around the country, from Helsinki to Utsjoki. Each discussion has been attended by a government minister, with altogether 12 ministers taking part. The events have been open to the public, and they have been marketed through cooperation partners and in traditional and social media. The events have been organised in cooperation with a variety of partners, such as cities.The aim has been to put citizens and their views at the centre of the events and to ensure that many different perspectives are heard. Around 2,000 Finns have attended the events, either in person or via remote connections. The citizens’ messages will be passed on as part of an EU-level debate on what kind of Europe we want to build. 

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

Finland and Morocco sign a memorandum of understanding on energy cooperation in Rabat

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — Finland and Morocco have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on energy. The aim of the document is to develop technical and economic cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector and promote the access of Finnish companies to the Moroccan market.Finland’s Ambassador to Morocco Pekka Hyvönen, acting on behalf of Minister of Economic Affairs and Employment Mika Lintilä, and Leïla Benali, Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development signed the MOU at a virtual event in Rabat on 9 February 2022. The MOU in the energy sector emphasises the need to develop cooperation especially in the use of renewable energy. Opportunities for cooperation are also available in the fields of energy efficiency, energy technology, the hydrogen economy, and research and development.“Investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy systems are essential in a successful society. Finland has developed strong expertise in these areas and we are pleased to begin practical cooperation with Morocco,” Lintilä says.“The MOU signed today provides a good foundation for developing the partnership between the two countries. It is an important tool for strengthening the networks between companies, universities and research organisations, as well as creating closer commercial and investment links between our countries,” he adds.Morocco aims to achieve a comprehensive energy transition and to become a regional superpower in green energy in the long term. From Finland’s point of view, Morocco is an interesting market that, due to its geographical location, also serves as a gateway to the growing African market. Bilateral relations between the two countries are excellent, and they have already cooperated in many sectors, with energy offering the greatest potential. There is growing interest in and opportunities for economic cooperation in water, wind and solar energy. Morocco has set the target to exceed 52 % of installed electrical capacity of renewable origin by 2030.. In addition to renewable energy and clean energy technologies, Morocco is interested in information and communication technology as well as waste and water treatment plants, in which Finland has significant knowhow. The Team Finland network in Rabat and the Business Finland office in Casablanca, which was opened in 2019, are helping Finnish companies to access the Moroccan market and making Morocco better known in Finland.   The Memorandum of Understanding was prepared in Finland by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment with the support of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and together with the energy industry. The Finnish companies’ current plans include consolidating their position in Morocco and raising awareness of their business in North and West Africa.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

Winners of Nord StarT competition announced – diverse solutions presented for climate change

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture organised the Nordic Nord StarT Climate Change Competition in autumn 2021. The competition was part of the programme of Finland’s Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2021. Organised in cooperation with the LUMA Centre Finland’s StarT programme, the competition aimed to engage children, young people and adults, all the way from early childhood education and care to higher education, to come up with concrete ways to tackle climate change. Minister of Education Li Andersson congratulated the winners on Wednesday 9 February 2022 at an open online event.It was possible to enter the Nord StarT competition with projects or practices where different age groups at different educational levels work together. Schools, groups, clubs or any other set of children, young people or adults could enter a good project in the competition showing how to tackle climate change. Teachers were able to participate in the competition by entering a good teaching practice. The competition was designed for all educational levels from early childhood education and care to higher education.  The works of the winners covered a broad range of topics on climate issues from the Bokashi method to sustainable poetry. In her award speech, Minister of Education Li Andersson emphasized the importance of schools offering knowledge and skills to combat climate change. – Environmental issues and climate change are our main societal challenges. Climate change mitigation affects every aspect of society. It is important that schools and educational institutions are able to provide good knowledge and skills to deal with the climate crisis. Effective and research-based sustainability education helps to focus young people’s concerns towards action to tackle the crisis, said Minister Andersson.The Nordic jury felt that the winning projects harness scientific practices by means of investigation and lab collaboration, empower students and give a voice to children too. According to the jury, the projects also empower young people to take action by themselves and together with others, and use culture and poetry to showcase children’s and young people’s own thoughts about climate change.The main prizes amounted to EUR 500. The winners of the competition are: 0 to 5-year-olds Piilometsä early education centre – Bokashi and biocarbon in horticultural cultivation 13 to 15-year-olds Vuoksenniska school centre – Young children and climate change16 to 18-year-olds Chemistry students at the Rajamäki unit of Nurmijärvi General Upper Secondary School – Toxins in natureFIN-CHI Innovation and Education Association – Youth Race-to-Zero Climate ActionBest teaching practice: Sustainable Poetry. Swedish collaboration between teachers and educators.The purpose of the Nord StarT competition was to showcase what kinds of visions Nordic children, young people and young adults have about climate change mitigation and to present examples of how to curb climate change.  It also aimed to strengthen cooperation and the sense of community among the Nordic countries, develop sustainable development pedagogics and promote curriculum-based activities. Further information and material: The works of the winners can be viewed on the NordStarT websiteUlla-Jill Karlsson, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Education and Culture, tel. +358 295 330 141Outi Haatainen, Project Manager, LUMA Centre Finland, tel. +358 50 448 9508More about the competition: start.luma.fi/en/nordstart

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

Capacity project results to be used to standardise rescue services operations

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — The final reports of the “Capacity of and planning criteria for rescue services and civil emergency preparedness” project have been published on the Institutional Repository for the Government (Valto). The objective of the project was to produce a basis for the national planning criteria for rescue services and investigate how well the resources and capacity of rescue services and civil emergency preparedness correspond to the operating environment, risks and customer needs. The project yielded an abundant amount of results, such as a model for the planning criteria of rescue services, descriptions of capacity demands, and an estimate of needs for development and deviations in rescue services, prevention of accidents, preparedness, and civil defence. The results also included a rescuer need analysis, foundation material for rescue services funding criteria, a description of the special characteristics of the countryside and sparsely populated areas, and a selection of ideas for development. The knowledge base of rescue services and the prediction model for accidents were updated. The aim is to use the results to standardise rescue services operations so that changes in the operational environments and accident risks can be reacted to efficiently.Assessment of the rescue services capacity, risks, and scenarios must be performed on a national levelThe implementation of the national planning criteria model requires cooperation from the whole sector. The project produced basic descriptions of which skills, materials or operational models are required in the different parts of rescue services and accident prevention. These descriptions will in future be used as a basis for assessing the wellbeing services counties’ rescue department services and the need to develop them.National forecasting of the trends and changes in the operational environment of rescue services should be implemented regularly. The maintenance and development of the prediction model for accidents should be continuous and the model should be nationally uniform. This requires allocating resources to research and development.Furthermore, a scenario description model must be drafted to describe national rescue services scenarios in cooperation with the police, Finnish Border Guard, Finnish Defence Forces and the healthcare and social welfare services. A national cooperation network is needed for managing national scenarios and implementing the resulting capacity requirements.Information-based management requires automation and a systematic and customer-oriented approachRescue services must ensure that the information collected regarding the operations is high-quality, consistent and can easily be found in one place so that the information can be used efficiently in the guidance and management of rescue services. Comparing the rescue services information between wellbeing services counties is necessary for strategic purposes and the development of the operations. It is also required by the legislation concerning the organisation of rescue services.The development of information-based management demands that the quality of the information being collected be improved and that new information collecting methods be implemented in the near future. In practice, manually performed recording should be replaced with automated data collection. This would decrease the time spent on recording, improve the reliability of the information and standardise the information sources.Furthermore, international and domestic data should be used systematically in strategic work and the planning of operations. The defining of rescue services terms should be continued and the use of the terms should be controlled. There is also a need to have the international terms translated as that would enable smoother utilisation of international materials.The monitoring and analysing of economic and personnel information must be annual in order to improve information-based management and strategic guidance. This requires the ability to produce a situation picture of the rescue departments’ financial situation, the rescue services’ calculated funding, and the general government fiscal plan. The development of a customer-oriented mode of action should also be ensured. This requires the continuous maintenance of customer information.Background for the capacity projectThe capacity project is part of the rescue services reform. The project was also used to implement Prime Minister Marin’s government programme objective according to which the capacity and resources of rescue services and emergency response centre operations are ensured by taking the national and regional needs for services into consideration. The project was launched on 4 February 2020 and it ended on 31 December 2021.Further information:
Senior Specialist Teija Mankkinen, 0295 488 671, [email protected]
Senior Specialist Jari Soininen, 0295 488 322, [email protected]

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

Finland sends an expert in international civil protection to Madagascar

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — The Ministry of the Interior has decided to send an expert to Madagascar, where tropical cyclone Batsirai has caused extensive damage due to heavy rains, strong wind and floods. Pelastusopisto – Emergency Services Academy Finland is the employer of the posted expert.By decision of the Ministry of the Interior, the Emergency Services Academy will send an expert to Madagascar as part of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, through which Madagascar has requested international assistance. The purpose of the expert group deployed through the Mechanism is to survey damage and coordinate possible international civil protection operations together with local authorities. The task of the expert posted by Finland is to collect information and maintain a picture of the situation. According to a preliminary estimate, the mission will last about three weeks.Finland is an active provider of expert assistanceInternational civil protection operations refer to the provision of assistance to other countries and reception of assistance in Finland under international treaties and legislation in the aftermath of a natural or man-made disaster or incident when the affected country lacks adequate resources. Finland participates in international civil protection operations through the European Union and international organisations, as well as in accordance with bilateral and multilateral international treaties. 

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

Finland creates an educational package to make cybersecurity a civic skill across the European Union

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — Researchers at Aalto University are creating an educational package on cybersecurity, which will be shared with all EU countries. Finland has been awarded EUR 5 million for this project from the EU recovery instrument for a three-year period.Cybersecurity awareness and the related civic skills play an increasingly important role as our societies become more digitalised. With that in mind, Aalto University and the Ministry of Transport and Communications are carrying out an extensive project to create an educational package to promote cybersecurity skills in the EU Member States. An agreement for a three-year project has been signed.“Understanding the basics of information security is increasingly important, and digital literacy in general is a civic skill in today’s digital societies,” says Jarno Limnéll, Professor of Practice in Cyber Security at Aalto University, and leader of the project.“Aalto University has a great deal of experience in various aspects of cybersecurity, including research, teaching, creating online teaching platforms and producing educational materials. We are in an excellent position to export our expertise across Europe while at the same time further strengthening Finland’s good reputation as a country dedicated to cybersecurity,” Limnéll continues.“The degree to which citizens are willing and able to use digital services determines the pace of digital transformation. Being able to trust in digital products and services is essential. Having security as a built-in feature and raising awareness among users of its importance creates trust,” says Timo Harakka, Minister of Transport and Communications.“We are talking about civic skills that are important now and even more so in the future as digitalisation progresses. The fact that this project received funding from the EU recovery instrument reflects its importance. Teaching cybersecurity skills and providing related training and education is a worthwhile investment, and an opportunity to make use of novel learning methods,” says Rauli Paananen, National Cybersecurity Director.Using games to teach cybersecurity skills increases motivation A team of researchers at Aalto University, led by Limnéll, will start its work immediately. The first, rather extensive stage of the research process is to research what practices and materials are currently used to teach cybersecurity skills to citizens in the EU Member States. The results will be compiled into a comprehensive report.Aalto University and its cybersecurity researchers have significant experience in EU projects, and they know what a successful project requires. The team also benefits from strong interdisciplinary collaboration within the university. The project team will tap into Aalto University’s multidisciplinary expertise to develop new methods for teaching cybersecurity skills, such as gamification, with the content and visual elements of the game helping to build motivation.The project will result in the launch of an open website that teaches cybersecurity skills to citizens. The content of the website will be available in all official languages of the European Union. The educational material will be practical and easy to use, and will take into account the specific requirements of different age groups. Early user experiences will provide valuable information for the practical implementation of both the teaching materials and the game.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

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