Arja Haapakorpi

Quality assurance processes in Finnish universities: direct and indirect outcomes and organisational conditions

In Finland, quality assurance related to the Bologna process has been adapted to existing systems of higher education at the national level and a form of implementation is also recognised at the level of the higher education institution. In universities, varied outcomes of quality assurance are based on interaction of organisational structures, management styles and academic cultures. Quality assurance generates direct impacts, which are intended reactions to the audit process and unintended outcomes: transparency, learning, enhanced status of work and social integration, as well as excess work‐load and insignificant benefits at the grass‐root level. Indirect impacts only emerge when intertwined with other processes, motives, actors, relations and pressures. The structures and management of an organisation and culture and position of individual disciplines influence the outcomes of quality assurance. A flat organisational model promotes participation of personnel in the quality assurance work. In addition, the culture and position of a particular discipline affects implementation and outcomes of quality assurance.

The Recession in Finland and the Labour Market for Academic Degree Holders.

The latest period of recession in Finland has been deeper than ever. With about 20% of the labour force out of work, unemployment has reached record figures, but there are also new qualitative features in the crisis. The structure of the labour market is changing. Although the situation now seems to be improving the recession will last for a long time and the changes taking place are painful. Structural changes are occurring in both the economy as a whole and the organisation of working life. The activities of the public sector have been cut back in both the service and administrative branches, and in companies and non-profit organisations, the number of personnel has decreased. Only essential staff have stable jobs; other employees are given temporary contracts and often services are bought from outside consultants. The trend is towards a more flexible way of organising work. The recession has also influenced the situation of academic degree holders, which had been quite satisfactory before, although having a higher education qualification still opens up better opportunities for employment. In 1993 the overall unemployment rate was 18%; it was only 5% for master-level degree holders and 7% for bachelor-level degree holders (figures from the Central Statistical Office of Finland). However, the employment situation varies between different groups. Graduates with technical education and young degree holders have had the most problems in finding work [1]. The building trade, for example, is in serious difficulties; the unemployment rate for architects working in the private sector is 50%, according to the Finnish Association of Architects. Opportunities to change profession are restricted, because their education is specific and their professional socialisation is often strong. It is difficult for degree holders in general to get a job outside their own field so they tend to remain unemployed (Haapakorpi, 1994). At the beginning of the 1990s opportunities for graduates to obtain employment were at their worst. The most difficult problem is to reach the first hurdle, which is usually some kind of employers test of suitability. Once the applicant has passed the test, subsequent stages of his or her career are easier to deal with. By working before graduating, students help to improve their chances of getting a job after taking their degree; participation in working life leads to connections in

The usefulness of quality assurance for university management and academic staff: a case study of Finland and Iceland

Abstract With quality assurance related to the Bologna goals, universities are required to fulfil internationally accepted standardized criteria of quality. This tends to reinforce control in assessment. However, control-oriented evaluations seem to lack meaning for academic staff. The article explored the possibilities and space for improvement-oriented evaluation within quality assurance processes. The implementation, outcomes and utilization of audits/accreditation processes in three universities in Finland and Iceland are explored. The data consists of documents and interviews. The findings indicate that despite increasing control of universities there is still an opportunity for improvement within the quality assurance processes. Improvement is related to the preparatory phase of the evaluation process, where staff is actively engaged in the process, leading to utilization of outcomes. The external phase with control dominance lacks meaning for staff and has limited utilization. A shortage of credibility regarding assessment is a threat to quality assurance legitimation and utilization.

How multi/interdisciplinarity is actualised in work organisation with professional employees specialised in single disciplines: two case studies of the high-technology industry

ABSTRACT Higher education is based on a disciplinary system and science-specific educational programmes, but multi/interdisciplinarity (MD/ID) knowledge, working methods and collaboration are becoming common in the workplace with complex tasks and digital work environments. This article will provide an insight into these issues by presenting a study of the organisation of work in the high-tech metals industry, studying firms whose production is based on specialised technology, i.e. in the convergence of industrial branches. Given that knowledge of many disciplinary fields and methods are prerequisites, this convergence suggests a MD/ID work organisation to cope with the specialised technological infrastructure. The aim of these case studies is to examine how MD and ID are actualised in the organisation of work sites in the converged metals industry. The data consist of interviews collected from firms and expert organisations.

A Career Outside the Academy? Doctorate Holders in the Finnish Professional Labour Market

National policies and the strategies of the European Union and the OEDC aiming at innovative technological and economic reforms have highlighted the importance of having a labour force with research and development capacity to contribute to innovation (Kehm, 2006; European Commission, 2008/209; OECD, 2012). According to Kehm (2006), these policies are necessitated by the challenges of global competition.