Abstract:

Recruiting teachers to universities in Finland is often challenging. Both universities and universities of applied sciences have several qualification requirements for different teaching positions. All teaching positions have their own minimum qualification requirements that must be met. In addition to this, especially at universities of applied sciences, lecturers and principal lecturers must have work experience in the field they will teach. The lecturers at the University of Applied Sciences must also have pedagogical skills, a crucial aspect that must not be overlooked, and they must complete the pedagogical professional qualification training. Finnish universities of applied sciences also have English-language education programs, so even persons who do not speak Finnish can be selected as lecturers. However, many educational programs are in Finnish, so Finnish language skills are also needed in many tasks. This can cause challenges in recruitment. However, besides the official qualification requirements, what is important in recruitment is suitability for the applied position, teamwork skills, initiative, willingness to participate in projects and an active development approach to work. In recruiting, you must also follow an ethical and responsible recruitment policy, which includes ensuring equal opportunities for all candidates, maintaining transparency in the selection process, and respecting the privacy and confidentiality of the candidates. This policy is a legal requirement and a moral obligation for the institutions.

This article describes the specific recruitment challenges at Finnish universities of applied sciences, focusing on the IT sector. This field presents its own unique and complex challenges, which are thoroughly explored in the article. It provides a detailed case study of the recruitment process at one university of applied sciences, shedding light on the factors that influence the selection of teachers. The article also shares practical experiences, particularly in recruiting IT teachers, to underscore the distinct challenges of this sector. Lastly, it examines the factors that shape the decisions of teaching position applicants and what influences their acceptance of the position.

Keywords:

Recruitment policy, qualification requirements for higher education teachers, pedagogical competence of teachers, responsible recruitment.