Professional Higher Education Management: Best practices from Finland

Filled with inspiring real-life cases, this publication combines theory and practice to offer tools for any manager to improve his or her educational institution’s performance. Its practical orientation encourages managers, board members and experts to put new insights into practice.The Finnish higher education system underwent fundamental reform some years ago when universities of applied sciences were created as a new form of higher education with the purpose of better taking into account the challenges of working life. International evaluators have deemed Finland’s reform a resounding success. This book compiles the best Finnish professional higher education management practices, allowing the reader to benefit from the experiences and lessons learned.Professional higher education is responding to the challenges of rapidly changing environments in business and industry. It has already impacted both education and applied research, challenging centuries-old traditions in academic universities. In order to succeed, this novel approach requires that management also adapts.Our aim, with this book, is to create a framework for the management of profession-based higher education. We want to inspire the reader to renew management practices and structures for increased flexibility and adaptability. This book is targeted at higher education managers who are willing to lead their institutions and universities in a future-oriented way. The book also provides new perspectives for higher education board members as well as to administrators in departments and government agencies. Researchers of educational policy and students of higher education management will also benefit.