There are no standard programmes for intercultural education in the curricula of the main Finnish education system. In practice, “internationalisation” means student exchange or transversal introduction of special international themes, courses and teaching material to regular study programmes. University education in general and in the social sciences and humanities (including art universities) in particular is unavoidably international both in terms of content and international contacts. Also, the business schools on all levels and public and private schools alike organise special courses on learning about foreign cultures as part and parcel of modern global business strategies. Art schools, universities and cultural programmes of the polytechnics are in the forefront of development on all these fronts.
In the educational system as a whole, there are courses and campaigns to combat ethnic discrimination that cover most educational institutions. The National Board of Education has been active in planning, providing teaching material and in the follow-up of these activities.
Finland has a network of cultural workshops for young people and some of these have taken internationalism transversally into their activity programmes. Multiculturalism is also promoted by the Finnish Film Archive and the network of Finnish Film Clubs.
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