Governance and quality in the Finnish education system: from inspection to assessment for improvement
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23824/ase.v0i44.1015Downloads
Abstract
This article analyzes Finland’s educational quality assurance model, a distinctive European case in which traditional school inspection has been replaced by mandatory self-evaluation of schools and providers together with independent external evaluation carried out by FINEEC. It describes the legal and organizational framework, FINEEC’s mission and methodologies and the National Evaluation Plan 2024–2027, and discusses current challenges in light of the sustained decline observed in PISA 2022 and recent OECD recommendations. It then provides a Spain–Finland comparison with a focus on Adult Education (governance, provision, recognition of learning, quality assurance and access). The analysis is broadened through the inclusion of France, drawing on a previously published article (cited in this manuscript) and on an Erasmus+ mobility period in the Académie de Versailles, in order to contrast three European models of public quality assurance and their effects on professional culture, trust and evidence use. Finally, the paper discusses implications for inspection in Spain, advocating stronger self-evaluation, formative use of data and coordination for improvement.
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Keywords:
Finland; educational inspection; external evaluation; self-evaluation; France; Spain; Adult Education; Erasmus+; quality assuranceLicense
Copyright (c) 2025 María Goretti Alonso-de-Castro, Aurora Gil-Serrano, Francisca Luengo-Cáceres, Sonsoles Arribas-Barroso
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