LYY has issued a critical statement on the government’s proposal regarding the right to award degrees in open higher education. The government is undermining the very foundations of Finnish society—free education and equal opportunities for all to pursue higher education. This is a major change in principle that is being pushed through without careful impact assessments. 

The proposed legislative amendment would allow for the completion of degrees at open universities, which in practice would mean introducing fee-based education in Finland. This legislative proposal has been pushed forward with such haste that criticism from both the steering group and the higher education sector has been overlooked during the drafting process. Furthermore, constructive proposals for the development of open universities have been ignored. 

The bill contains several challenging points and unanswered questions. The issues that arise relate to student guidance, study places, student financial aid, and the implementation of the first-time student quota. Furthermore, the assessment lacks a broader societal discussion and consideration of how the role of open higher education as a provider of culture and lifelong learning will change. 

This bill does not achieve the government’s stated goals of raising the standard of higher education but instead creates a complex parallel system for higher education. The government’s proposal itself states that the legislative amendment will favor the wealthier income bracket, and the financial status of the student and their family will become a more significant factor in completing a degree. In other words, the proposal undermines equality in higher education and reduces the opportunities for low-income individuals to obtain a higher education. 

LYY stated that the preparation of the bill must be halted and it must be sent back for further drafting.