Truths, Omissions and Illusions in the Era of Marketization

Chinese University Leaders’ Perceptions of Finnish Education

The study aims to explore Chinese university leaders’ (CULs) perceptions of Finnish education after a three-week training programme in Finland. A sample of six CULs was selected from a group of 20 people. The qualitative data were collected through six learning reports, four interviews and summary sessions after completing the programme in 2015, followed by a thematic analysis. CULs were positively surprised by the discourses about the principles behind the Finnish education system as well as by the education and learning environments. Meanwhile, they saw challenges in terms of balancing ‘equality and marketization’ in Finnish higher education, and in sufficient resources. CULs were empowered to be critically reflective of their previous thoughts and practices. In general, the training provided a useful platform for CULs to learn about Finnish education. In conclusion, the authors argue that ethical issues must be taken into consideration for sustainable Finnish education export to China, and to reflect the potential truths, omissions and illusions emerging from this training programme. The article is relevant for those who work on other contexts of edu-business, especially between Europe and China.