The university guidance system in Finland: Identification of good practices applicable to the Spanish context

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyse, from a documentary approach, which is the offer of innovative services and activities in the context in which guidance is developed in Finnish public universities. This study is framed within the qualitative paradigm of research, identifying (a) what guidance and counselling services they offer to their students and (b) what innovative activities they develop in the field of guidance that can be applied to the Spanish context, improving our university guidance systems. The thirteen existing universities in Finland have been analysed by importing the websites (n=125) into the professional software for the analysis of qualitative data MAXQDA 2018. Starting from this previous analysis as well as from the consultation with experts in guidance at the University of Turku, good practices transferable to the Spanish university guidance system were identified, selecting those with the best benefits for students, greater transferability, and international projection at an institutional level. The main results obtained offer a tendency in Finland to promote actions aimed at the well-being of students from a common unit and to include guidance as an intrinsic part of the well-being of the university, existing also committees on equality or well-being of students, an aspect that could be transferred to Spanish universities. The transferability of Personal Study Plans for students, the coordination and interaction between existing guidance resources, and greater flexibility in the arrangements to be made with students are also highlighted.