Information about extension studies collected into one place
This web site, www.taydennyskoulutus.fi, includes information about the extension studies provided by the Finnish universities. We have collected it all into one address. The English version of this service includes basic information about continuing education in the Finnish universities as well as information about courses held in English.The Finnish version of this service is more extensive. There you can find information about the courses, projects and experts of the centres for extension studies in the Finnish universities. The Finnish version includes a net magazine, in which current issues and events of continuing education in the universities is discussed.
Universities and extension studies
There are 20 universities in Finland: ten multi-faculty universities, three universities of technology, three schools of economics and business administration, and four art academies.
All universities have their own institutes or centres for extension studies/continuing education. They arrange various courses that range from short courses up to more extensive specialization studies (20-40 credits). The focus of the teaching depends on the orientation of the university.
Information on the service
The purpose of the universities’ joint extension studies website, www.taydennyskoulutus.fi is to give essential information and to explain the objectives of extension studies and to also help develop the activity. The service is a source of information for anyone interested in extension studies, whether a private individual or a representative of an organisation. It complements the universities’ own extension studies web pages by gathering the information onto one national site. It also serves as a communication tool between universities providing extension studies and it provides a forum for the universities to inform the public about what they have to offer.
Background
The web service www.taydennyskoulutus.fi is a part of the Ministry’s education information services, which also includes the www.avoinyliopisto.fi website for information on the open universities, www.verkkolomakkeet.info which incorporates statistical information and forms related to the universities’ extension studies and open universities, and www.opintoluotsi.fi, which introduces all the options in upper secondary education.
The web service was first launched on 3 June 2002. An extended second version was launched in March 2004 and a renewed version was launched in April 2006. The development continues.
Who provides this service?
The course, project and expert information available on the site is updated by the universities themselves who are also responsible for its content.
The overall responsibility for maintaining the site is with the University of Tampere Institute for Extension Studies.
The editorial material on the site is produced in co-operation with Steerco Oy.
University Continuing Education Network in Finland (UCEF) is in charge of the realisation of the site. The Editor-in-Chief is Ms Hanna-Riikka Myllymäki, Secretary General (UCEF).
The visual and interface design is by Maximus Interactive Oy and the technical implementation by Nixu Oy (previous version) and Ixonos Technology Consulting Ltd (current version of the site). The centres for extension studies in the universities have also contributed to the realisation of the site.
