Study of lifelong learning institutions in Finland

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14070
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 09010:Education-related
• Research Institution: The University of Fukuchiyama
• Principal Investigator: OTANI Kyo 福知山公立大学, 地域経営学部, 准教授 (50760576)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: フィンランド / 成人教育センター / 市民カレッジ / 講座 / リベラル成人教育 / 生涯学習施設の運営 / スウェーデン語 / 地方都市

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Through the field survey of 13 adult education centers and a related facility in 8 cities in Finland, the following five points were found as factors that seem to contribute to the increase the participation rate into lifelong learning in the country: 1. In addition to the main school building, various existing facilities such as schools are set up as study places to hold courses, which is especially common in regional cities. 2. Many courses are held in the evenings on weekday. 3. One city has one or two centers and each center offers countless courses. Therefore, students can take courses without complicated procedures that differs from center to center. 4. In response to the spread of the COVID-19, adult education centers in Finland have increasingly make many online courses, accepting students not only from other parts of the country but also from overseas. Some online courses have continued even after the pandemic ends. 5. Course fees are kept relatively low.

Free Research Field

教育学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

フィンランドは日本と同時期に多文化化や高齢化を経験してきたことから、同国の事例を参考にすることは、今後の日本の公共の生涯学習機関のあり方について検討していく上でも有益である。とりわけ、成人のための生涯学習機関の運営側が工夫できる点として、学習者のアクセスに配慮した既存施設の活用や開講場所の設置、仕事を持つ世代でも通いやすい開講曜日や開講時刻の設定、受講システムの分かりやすさに配慮した情報提供の仕方、積極的なオンライン化の導入と継続的な利用などは、今後、首都圏と地方における生涯学習機会の地域格差の解消や設置講座に様々な世代の学習者を集める上で重要なことであると考えられる。