Reflections on a Finnish university of applied science’s branding strategy in the international education market

Abstract

Finland is currently ranked in the top five education systems in the world. A position garnered through the careful fostering of a set of core societal values that have included free education for all. The Ministry of Education and Culture, however, elected to introduce university tuition fees for students originating from outside the European Union and European Economic Area in 2017. This paper investigates how this decision may affect international students’ perceptions and choices of where to study in the future. It also presents recommendations as to how Finnish universities of applied sciences may need to revise their international marketing strategy to compete in the global education market. From the interviews and focus groups that were conducted with staff and international students at a leading university of applied sciences, it is clear that the ministry’s emphasis on the already existing high quality of education and research may need to be supplemented with a focus on social and economic opportunities.