Enterprise Education in the Case of Finland.

Overview & Synopsis

In Finland, industrial visits have been the most common method of enterprise (entrepreneurship) education. For example, in 1990, more than 40 percent of Finnish companies acted as hosts for students and teachers. There is a need to make these visits more meaningful and active. Other recent practices in Finland are to include work experience in lower secondary school and to include it in primary and upper secondary levels. The reasons for enterprise education are societal, vocational, behavioral, and educational. The development and implementation of educational policy supporting enterprise education started with seven projects started by the National Board of Education in 1993. The idea of partnering projects between schools and companies is a good one, but a national model might not be practical. Instead, a national focus on enterprise education and dedication to developing that concept throughout the country are needed. (Contains 22 references.) (KC)