Competence carries us into the future
In Southwest Finland, competence is the foundation of the region’s success and well-being. Education, working life, and development go hand in hand, and cooperation between different actors is strong. The Foresight Academy and the Education Committee support this work, with the goal of building a competence-friendly and learning region—one that meets future needs and attracts new talent.
Competence builds the future of Southwest Finland
In Southwest Finland, the connection between education and work is strong. The education system and working life develop in parallel, and new educational pathways are built together with basic education, vocational institutions, upper secondary schools, higher education institutions, municipalities, and businesses.
The region’s higher education institutions—the University of Turku, Åbo Akademi University, Turku University of Applied Sciences, and Yrkeshögskolan Novia—form an internationally networked competence hub that educates professionals not only for Southwest Finland but also for the entire Finnish and international labor markets. High-quality education, multilingualism, and strong research and innovation activities strengthen the region’s competitiveness and attractiveness as part of the European cooperation network.
In Southwest Finland, competence development is based on a shared knowledge base and foresight. The Foresight Academy brings together actors from education, business, and the public sector to assess future competence needs and changes in working life. The work identifies new growth sectors and necessary skills that guide educational offerings and the direction of regional development.
In addition to the Academy, the Education Committee of the regional cooperation group is responsible for coordinating cooperation related to education and competence. The Committee prepares and defines education policy, makes initiatives for advocacy, and serves as the steering group for the Foresight Academy. Through these actors, educational planning, foresight, and regional development are interconnected.
Lifelong learning and a competence-friendly region
Southwest Finland aims to be a learning region where competence grows throughout different stages of life. Lifelong learning means that education and competence development can be pursued alongside work, during career changes, or when new interests arise. The region encourages people of all ages to develop their competence and strengthens structures that support this from early childhood education and basic education to vocational studies, higher education, and lifelong learning services.
A competence-friendly approach is an important part of Southwest Finland’s attractiveness. The region attracts new talent from both Finland and abroad by offering high-quality education, multilingual learning environments, and strong community spirit. Together, we are creating the Southwest Finland of the future, where competence is a shared asset and the foundation for growth.
