• Studying Economics
• Studying and living in Finland
  • General information about Finland
  • Finnish culture
  • Economy and industrial life
  • Finnish educational system
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• Studying Technology
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• After admission
• JOO Studies and internal mobility
• Cross-disciplinary degree programs and minor studies
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• Student life
• What does Aalto education give you?

Finnish culture

The geopolitical location between West and East has always been reflected in the country’s events and goings on. With this combination of western and eastern influences, Finnish culture has developed into something strong and highly individual. It reflects the democratic principles of the nation and is based on equality of all people. Nature is highly valued and it can be seen at every area of culture: sports, arts and everyday life.

The Finnish way of life is easy going and strict formalities aren’t really observed. People are more or less straight talking and gaps in the conversation aren’t generally dreaded the way they are in many other countries. In conversation it is polite to wait for the other person to finish what they are saying before presenting your own viewpoint and this tends to slow down the rhythm somewhat.

Even though it is not possible to talk in general terms of a national character, all in all it is fair to say that Finns perhaps give an extreme degree of space to other people which can mean that the initiative for making friends often falls to the foreigner. However, many have observed that once the ice is broken Finns are open, warm and can be relied on. Honesty and dependability are the two characteristics most highly regarded by Finns.