This publication by the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC) aims to promote a comprehensive, participatory, and sustainable approach to quality management across all levels of education and early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Finland. The document frames quality not merely as a measurable outcome but as a structural, managerial, and cultural transformation process embedded in everyday practice.
Purpose and Approach
The primary goal is to support all actors working in education—from ECEC to higher education—in:
Planning and structuring their quality processes,
Managing and evaluating those processes effectively, and
Building a continuous improvement culture across institutions.
It highlights that quality management should not be treated merely as a legal obligation, but as an integral part of an organisation’s operational and cultural identity.
Five Core Elements of Quality Management
- Clear, Meaningful, and Shared Goals
The foundation of effective quality work lies in clearly defined goals that are understood and embraced by all members of the organisation.
The institution’s mission, values, and social responsibility must guide the definition of goals.
All staff members and stakeholders should be aware of what these goals are, why they matter, and how their achievement will be measured.
The leadership must lead these conversations and ensure inclusiveness in goal-setting.
Goals must be concrete, measurable, relevant to everyday work, and reflective of both national policies and local needs.
International frameworks such as EQAVET and ESG also influence how goals are shaped within institutions.
- A Functional and Structured Management System
Quality work is only possible through a well-structured system that clarifies responsibilities and defines how quality processes are implemented.
Every member of the organisation should know their role in the quality process.
Quality practices should be embedded into the institution through permanent structures, not dependent on individuals.
Institutions may designate quality officers or teams and implement annual quality calendars, process documentation, and internal audits.
Clearly documented procedures ensure sustainability, especially during staff transitions.
Such a system builds institutional memory, ensuring consistency and progress.
- Information-Driven and Development-Oriented Decision Making
Effective quality management relies on robust data and evidence to inform decisions and guide improvement.
Sources include learning outcomes, participation rates, feedback surveys, self-assessments, and labor market foresight data.
Data must be meaningful, regularly updated, and used to inform practical development measures.
Feedback from students, parents, educators, and external partners is essential—not only for improvement but also for building trust.
Institutions should critically evaluate which data is useful and avoid data overload.
Transparency in data use fosters a stronger culture of institutional learning and accountability.
- A Participatory Organisational Culture
Quality cannot be driven solely from the top. A strong participatory culture ensures that everyone is involved and responsible.
Students, staff, parents, community members, and industry partners should have real opportunities to influence the quality process.
Participation should go beyond consultation—it should include joint decision-making and shared ownership of outcomes.
Leaders must cultivate a culture of trust where everyone’s voice is heard and valued.
Openness to feedback and willingness to act on it are key to maintaining a healthy quality culture.
Participation improves not only quality but also wellbeing, sense of belonging, and commitment to shared goals.
- Continuous Development, Change, and Innovation
Quality work is not a one-time task—it is a dynamic, forward-looking process of continuous renewal.
Institutions are encouraged to follow a Plan–Do–Check–Act (PDCA) model of improvement.
The goal is not merely to maintain the status quo but to foster innovation, adapt to change, and prepare for the future.
Institutions that embed quality into their strategic thinking become more resilient to crises and uncertainty.
External evaluations (such as those by FINEEC) serve as tools to reflect on internal practices and validate quality systems.
Continuous improvement nurtures adaptability, encourages learning, and helps institutions remain relevant in evolving environments.
System-Level Responsibilities and Stakeholders
Quality management is a shared responsibility at every level of the education system:
ECEC and Basic Education: Municipalities are primarily responsible; FINEEC and the Ministry of Education provide support and oversight.
Vocational Education: Quality is ensured through collaboration with students, employers, and sectoral committees, in line with European frameworks.
Higher Education: Institutions manage their own internal quality systems, while FINEEC conducts external evaluations based on ESG principles.
National Agencies: The Ministry of Education, the Finnish National Agency for Education, and FINEEC provide strategic guidance, legislation, and development tools.
Final Reflections and Key Message
Quality management is not just a system of control—it is a mechanism for:
Structured and intentional improvement,
Organisational learning and resilience,
Promoting equity and inclusion across the education system.
A true culture of quality emerges not from documentation, but from everyday practice—in classrooms, meetings, teacher collaboration, and student engagement.
It requires commitment, shared responsibility, and continuous dialogue.
Quality is everyone’s business—and without everyone’s participation, it cannot be sustained.
Source:
Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC). Main Elements of Quality Management in the Education and ECEC Sector. Summaries 12:2023. Helsinki: FINEEC.
