Finland Times

Helsinki, January 8 - Students leaders have opposed a move by Finnish parliamentarians to introduce tuition fees for students from countries outside the European Union, media reports say.

Any move for introduction of tuition fees for non-EU students would have a negative impact on the entire education system in Finland, where education is generally free of cost, argued the leaders of different student associations.

Finnish language newspapers reported that the students’ reactions came following majority of the Finnish lawmakers have proposed introduction of tuition fees for the students outside the European Economic Area in higher education institutions.

A total of 119 Members of Parliament from seven parliamentary groups signed the initiative calling for making a provision to charge tuition fees to the students.

They also proposed that the students would later deduct the fees that they would pay as tuition from their taxes if they stay in Finland to work after completion of study.

The initiative would help increase Finnish education export and boost teachers’ employment, the lawmakers said.

But, President of the National Union of University Students Marina Lampinen rejected the proposal saying that it was “really a bad idea” as the number of foreign students enrollment will go down once such fees are imposed.

Finland really needs the international students, both as students and as workforce, said the student leader rejecting the lawmakers’ idea that imposition of fees would improve national finances and expansion of education sector.

Arto Satonen, a National Coalition MP who initiated the move, claims he does not want price to be a barrier for foreign students. He proposes, among other things, using development aid to pay tuition fees for some students from poorer countries.

The union held a national day to campaign for tuition-free education last November, and stated that the trial period of tuition fees at some institutions has proved that there was no rise in the number of foreign students.

 The union regarded free higher education as a competitive advantage for Finland in attracting international talents.