Helsinki Learns – Future Competences vision guides the activities of schools, daycare centres and education institutions

Helsinki is a changing, growing and evolving city and operating environment. Issues such as changing demographics, urbanisation and evolving artificial intelligence make it important to build a broad vision for education. In the future too, it is crucial to consider which knowledge, skills and competences play an important role at different levels of education.

“We want to provide each child, young person and adult with good future skills, regardless of their background. The aim is that every Helsinki resident can live a good life, achieve success in their everyday life and find solutions to problems around them together with others,” says Mayor Juhana Vartiainen.

Helsinki aims to build education that is safe, equal and promotes a sense of community. Helsinki is a visionary in education and also wants to influence curricula and legislation in the long term.

Shared guidelines spanning council periods

In line with the Helsinki City Strategy for 2021–2025, Education 2030 will span council periods of office as part of the city’s strategy, budget, action plans and general development. Our guiding principle is that Education 2030 provides shared guidelines while also leaving room for playgrounds, daycare centres, schools and educational institutions to make their own choices.

Helsinki aims to be the world’s most equitable and effective place to learn. The Education Division invests and will continue to invest in providing pupils with key knowledge and skills, social and emotional skills as well as future competences. The goal is to create a new and shared culture that supports the development of future skills.

“In terms of children, our shared strategic priorities for education drive the implementation of the National Child Strategy in Helsinki and therefore enhance children’s rights. These goals help us to build a city in which all residents have good opportunities to live, grow, develop and learn,” says Deputy Mayor for Education Johanna Laisaari.

Space for learning

The Education 2030 development work was based on broad participation: around 1,000 education employees and nearly 4,000 learners, parents and guardians participated in developing the vision together. The development was guided by research data and the OECD’s vision for future education in particular. This work has now resulted in a shared vision presented in the Helsinki Learns – Future Competences report, which will be published on 6 February 2024. 

“It is crucial that we have broadly educated people and work towards a sustainable future through ensuring that our learners of all ages and our personnel feel well. We value learning, growth and development and provide them with the competent guidance and space they need. We want our children and young people to develop capabilities that allow them to be creative and bold experts in the future,” says Head of Education Division Satu Järvenkallas.