Opinion: Finnish language learning should be integrated into degree programs

^{Rebekka Nylund, University of Helsinki and Elisa Räsänen, Aalto University}

Are we losing international talent because of language skills? Sufficient working proficiency in Finnish cannot be achieved through separate language courses alone. International students' learning of Finnish should be taken into account in degree program structures to ensure the systematic development of students' language skills. Otherwise, we will lose the potential of international talent when they, after completing their degrees, are unable to find employment in our country due to insufficient language skills.

Our experience with the EU-co-funded project Language-supported Knowledge Pathways for Immigrants in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area has proven that there is no single solution for building language-aware higher education. Some degree students start learning Finnish from scratch but make rapid progress if the degree program supports language learning as part of their studies. On the other hand, Finland already has many skilled professionals who began their education outside of Finland, but maybe the Finnish language skills they have acquired through work or studies are not yet sufficient for Finnish-language higher education or expert-level positions. These professionals need language-supported and language-aware pathways.

Field-specific language instruction motivates students and quickly exposes them to the language use situations in their own field. In Aalto University’s Technology Sector Finnish courses, students’ work-life skills have developed rapidly, even though participation has been limited due to the schedules imposed by the degree program. In the KIVAPE program (Language-Supported Basic Studies in Education) at the University of Helsinki, students studied their regular degree courses in Finnish, supported by field-specific Finnish language courses focused on early childhood education. At Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, first-year studies in the Early Childhood Education program were bilingual: instruction was initially in English, and the proportion of Finnish increased as language proficiency improved. The goal of all these models is to support students' development of expert-level language proficiency.

Work placements are also an excellent way to practice and develop language skills. During some daycare center visits organized as part of our project's early childhood education paths, students saw what kind of language skills the job requires and had the opportunity to practice them in real-life situations. Employers, in turn, had the opportunity to see the potential the students had. Closer cooperation between employers and higher education institutions is needed to create more internship opportunities and to ensure that language learning is consciously supported in those settings.

The solution is clear: international students’ learning of Finnish must be integrated into degree programs in a field-specific and work-oriented manner. Language skills develop when students have the opportunity to practice the language of their field in authentic contexts during their studies. It is important to make room for Finnish language learning in degree programs, set clear language proficiency goals, and strengthen teachers’ expertise in language-aware practices. In this way, we ensure that professionals educated in Finland also find employment here. Language is not an add-on – it is part of the degree.

Rebekka Nylund is a specialist at the University of Helsinki’s International Education Services.

Elisa Räsänen is a university lecturer in Finnish language and written communication at Aalto University.

Both authors are involved in the project Language-supported Knowledge Pathways for Immigrants in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.