- 2024Design
Background
In recent years, digitalisation has developed rapidly. New technologies have also been developed and new digital solutions created in the world of education. The government programme that came into effect in 2023, outlines that Finland aims to make full use of the opportunities provided by digitalisation as well as artificial intelligence. It is also important to make sure that people keep up with the technological changes and that effective utilisation of new technologies is made possible. There is a need to consider more efficiently the opportunities offered by AI and digitalisation in developing the education system.
Creating AI guidelines for teaching and learning - legislation and recommendations - is guided by the EU policy initiative Digital education action plan. The action plan aims to develop efficient education ecosystems and to enhance the digital skills and competences needed in the digital age.
Objectives
The objective of the policy development is to create guidelines for using AI in teaching and learning in early childhood education and care, pre-primary education, primary and lower secondary education, general upper secondary education, vocational education and training and liberal adult education.
The objective of creating the AI Guidelines is also to promote the digitalisation of education and to support the European artificial intelligence act, also known as AI Act, that came into force in 2024.
Description
The Ministry of Education and Culture and the Finnish National Agency for Education have decided to prepare the AI guidelines in collaboration with education providers, scholars and other experts in the field and considering existing academic and policy work, such as the AI competency framework for teachers (UNESCO).
The guidelines are to support the early childhood education and care, pre-primary education, primary and lower secondary education, general upper secondary education, VET, and liberal adult education. They aim to support educators in using AI as part of teaching and learning.
The final guidelines are to be published on the website of the Finnish National Agency for Education's to be freely used in Finnish, Swedish and English.
The Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) and the Ministry of Education and Culture started preparing the AI guidelines in the spring of 2024. EDUFI organised several webinars and discussion forums for interested stakeholders to participate in drafting the guidelines.
The first part of the AI guidelines support material circulated for comments in the fall of 2024. It focused on what AI is and its biases and misconceptions. A webpage for the support materials was published on EDUFI's website and it will function as the publishing platform when the guidelines are ready.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of Education and Culture
- Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI)
Target groups
Education professionals
- Teachers
- Trainers
- Adult educators
Entities providing VET
- VET providers (all kinds)
Thematic categories
Modernising VET offer and delivery
This thematic category looks at what and how individuals learn, how learning content and learning outcomes in initial and continuing VET are defined, adapted and updated. First and foremost, it examines how VET standards, curricula, programmes and training courses are updated and modernised or new ones created. Updated and renewed VET content ensures that learners acquire a balanced mix of competences that address modern demands, and are more closely aligned with the realities of the labour market, including key competences, digital competences and skills for green transition and sustainability, both sector-specific and across sectors. Using learning outcomes as a basis is important to facilitate this modernisation, including modularisation of VET programmes. Updating and developing teaching and learning materials to support the above is also part of the category.
The thematic category continues to focus on strengthening high-quality and inclusive apprenticeships and work-based learning in real-life work environments and in line with the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships. It looks at expanding apprenticeship to continuing vocational training and at developing VET programmes at EQF levels 5-8 for better permeability and lifelong learning and to support the need for higher vocational skills.
This thematic category also focuses on VET delivery through a mix of open, digital and participative learning environments, including workplaces conducive to learning, which are flexible, more adaptable to the ways individuals learn, and provide more access and outreach to various groups of learners, diversifying modes of learning and exploiting the potential of digital learning solutions and blended learning to complement face-to-face learning.
Centres of vocational excellence that connect VET to innovation and skill ecosystems and facilitate stronger cooperation with business and research also fall into this category.
This thematic sub-category is about the way learners learn, how the learning is delivered to them, and by what means. Programmes become more accessible through a combination of adaptable and flexible formats (e.g. face-to-face, digital and/or blended learning), through digital learning platforms that allow better outreach, especially for vulnerable groups and for learners in geographically remote or rural areas.
This thematic sub-category refers to updating VET curricula and programmes to incorporate skills related and needed for the digital transition, including sector- and occupation-specific ones identified in cooperation with stakeholders.
Teachers, trainers and school leaders competences
Competent and motivated VET teachers in schools and trainers in companies are crucial to VET becoming innovative and relevant, agile, resilient, flexible, inclusive and lifelong.
This thematic category comprises policies and practices of initial training and continuing professional development approaches in a systemic and systematic manner. It also looks at measures aiming to update (entry) requirements and make teaching and training careers attractive and bring more young and talented individuals and business professionals into teaching and training. Supporting VET educators by equipping them with adequate competences, skills and tools for the green transition and digital teaching and learning are addressed in separate thematic sub-categories.
The measures in this category target teachers and school leaders, company trainers and mentors, adult educators and guidance practitioners.
This thematic sub-category is in line with the EU policy focus on the digital transition, and refers to professional development and other measures to prepare and support teachers and trainers in teaching their learners digital skills and competences. It also covers measures and support for them to increase their own digital skills and competences, including for teaching in virtual environments, working with digital tools and applying digital pedagogies. Emergency measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic also fall into this sub-category.
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET as a driver for innovation and growth preparing for digital and green transitions and occupations in high demand
Osnabrück Declaration
- Establishing a new lifelong learning culture - relevance of continuing VET and digitalisation
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Developing AI guidelines for teaching and learning: Finland. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/46911